Western States Center strives to create a workplace centered in racial and gender justice and we encourage people from historically oppressed communities to apply. Some candidates may see a long list of job requirements and feel discouraged because they don’t match every single bullet point – we suggest that you please apply anyway.

About Western States Center  

Based in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain States, Western States Center (WSC), a 501(c)(3), and Western States Strategies (WSS), a 501(c)(4) affiliate, work nationwide to strengthen inclusive democracy. Since 1987, we’ve played a catalytic role advancing justice by convening, developing, organizing, and supporting the communities most affected by inequities. WSC works with communities and organizations to build movements, develop leaders, shift culture, and defend democracy through a prism of race, gender, justice and equity. We take regional action for national impact and believe a Pacific Northwest and Mountain West organization can be a bridge between field organizing and national policy and narrative shift. 

Position Overview  

Western States Center is seeking a Director of Development. This pivotal position is a member of the organization’s Executive Leadership Team, reporting to the Executive Director, and responsible for mobilizing resources for Western States Center (501 c3) and Western States Strategies (501 c4).  

With an annual operating budget of $5,480,000 in 2024, the Director of Development is tasked with creating and implementing a strategic vision for a comprehensive resource mobilization program, which includes engaging with institutional, corporate, and individual donors.  

 Position Responsibilities 

 Resource Development   

•  Lead Western States Center’s fundraising efforts, executing the annual development plan to meet short- and long-term revenue goals.   

• Cultivate and steward Western States Center’s robust donor base of institutional funders, ensuring the timely submission of grant proposals, renewals, and reports for our current foundation supporters (averaging 1-2 deadlines each week), as well as prospects for increased expansion.  

• Alongside the Executive Director and Development Manager, expand current individual donor base and solicit support for Western States Center (501 c3) and Western States Strategies (501 c4).  

 Management and Supervisory Responsibilities  

• Coach, lead, and supervise the Development Manager, providing guidance and accountability for annual goals and work plan.  

• Support the professional development of team members, evaluating strengths and opportunities for professional growth, identifying training and other opportunities.  

Executive Leadership 

• Cultivate an organization-wide culture of shared commitment to resource mobilization.  

• Liaise with the WSC Board of Directors (in partnership with the Executive Director) and ad hoc committees to activate fundraising initiatives and opportunities, including peer to peer fundraising.  

• Serve on Western State Center’s Leadership Team, providing input and strategy to organization-wide initiatives and collaborating with the Deputy Director and Director of Programs, and Director of Communications on development and cross-team integration.  

• Represent Western States Center at community gatherings, funder convenings, conferences, and other opportunities that may arise.  

 Required Qualifications and Core Skills  

• 7+ years of direct fundraising experience, including securing major gifts from individuals, foundation relations, and business support cultivation.  

• 5+ years of experience independently and collaboratively managing foundation grants identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.  

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write compelling donor communications.  

• Passion about WSC’s mission and impact, strong racial and gender justice analysis, expertise in the pro-democracy and anti-bigotry fields, and embedding equity values in organizational and development practices and processes.   

• Attention to detail, ability to think creatively, and work with flexibility and good humor.   

• Deep commitment to measurable results and being proactive and organizationally minded on a growing team.  

Desired Qualifications  

• Lived or learned experience in community organizing, policy or civic engagement.  

• Located in the core region we serve, including Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.  

• Experience managing a robust portfolio of large, multi-year grants and funder relationships within the national progressive and pro-democracy philanthropic sector.