The Senior Director, Development provides strategic leadership for the YMCA of San Diego County’s Association-wide annual giving efforts and programmatic fundraising priorities. This position is responsible for growing philanthropic support, strengthening donor relationships, and creating a consistent, donor-centered culture across the Association. The role oversees and advances Annual Giving across 16+ campaigns while developing strategies to secure philanthropic resources for strategic YMCA programs, including aquatics, adaptive programs, military and veteran services, youth development, and other Association priorities. The Senior Director serves as a key fundraising partner to the Chief Mission Advancement Officer (CMAO) and VP of Development and represents YMCA of San Diego County in the Cali-Baja YMCA Binational Board and supporting international and binational fundraising initiatives.

• Partners with the CMAO and VP of Development to drive executive-level donor engagement, high-level solicitations, special initiatives, and strategic fundraising priorities and representing YMCA of San Diego County at the Cali-Baja YMCA Binational Board and international initiatives.
• Develops and implements long-term philanthropic strategies that strengthen the Association’s fundraising pipeline and support future capital, endowment, planned giving, and other strategic fundraising opportunities.
• Leads the Association’s Annual Giving strategy, overseeing 16+ branch campaigns and developing comprehensive plans to achieve and exceed Association-wide fundraising goals through effective volunteer engagement, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and staff leadership.
• Develops and implements Association-wide programmatic fundraising strategies to secure philanthropic support for key high-impact programs (e.g., aquatics, adaptive programs, military and veteran services, youth development).
• Cultivates and deepens philanthropic relationships with individuals, corporations, foundations, and other funding partners through prospect identification, moves management, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and personalized engagement strategies.
• Translates the Association’s successes, impact, and strategic priorities into compelling narratives for support and funding proposals, ensuring consistent messaging and strong philanthropic philosophy across the Association.
• Provides guidance, coaching, and training to Executive Directors, Development Directors, campaign staff, and volunteers, equipping teams with the tools, strategies, and best practices needed to increase donor participation and contributed revenue.
• Partners with Association and branch leadership to establish and monitor fundraising goals, key performance indicators, and reporting systems, using data and results to identify opportunities, address challenges, and continuously improve Annual Giving and programmatic fundraising.
• Directs cross-functional fundraising efforts with Philanthropic Services, Communications, Programs, Finance, and branch leadership to maximize opportunities for major gifts, foundation and corporate support, matching and third-party gifts, and other contributed resources.
• Demonstrated success in annual giving and major gift fundraising, including developing and executing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies resulting in gifts of $25,000 or more.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain long-term relationships with donors, prospects, volunteers, community leaders, and other key philanthropic constituents.
• Ability to plan and executive fundraising strategies for programs, initiatives, or strategic priorities and to translate programmatic impact into compelling opportunities for philanthropic investment.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a Board of Directors, Board of Advisors, or similar governing body, including engaging in fundraising, cultivation, and relationship development.
• Strong leadership, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and motivate staff, volunteers, donors, and community stakeholders across a large and complex organization.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze fundraising performance, establish goals, monitor results, and use data to inform strategy and drive increased philanthropic support.
• Professional fluency in both English and Spanish (written and verbal) required to represent the Association in binational initiatives and supporting cross-border fundraising efforts.
• Ability and willingness to occasionally travel cross-border between California and Mexico; must possess and maintain valid, current travel credentials required for international cross-border logistics.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in non-profit management, business administration, communications, marketing, or a related field required.
• 10+ years' of successful professional fundraising and administrative experience, which must include at least five (5) years of management experience in a non-profit organization.
• Licensing, state law and our government funders require that staff within YMCA of San Diego County be fingerprinted, prior to reporting to work, and include subsequent arrest notifications 
• CPR/AED, and First Aid Certification, must include Adult and Child/Infant, obtained within 30 days of hire and must be from one of the following certifying organizations:
  • American Red Cross
  • American Heart Association
  • American Safety & Health Institute

YMCA will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the San Diego County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the YMCA is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Ordinance by visiting the San Diego County Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement.