Director of Development Commanders Youth Academy Position Summary The Director of Development serves as the Academy's lead fundraising and external engagement executive, responsible for building the philanthropic partnerships, donor relationships, and external visibility necessary to launch and sustain the Commanders Youth Academy. As a founding member of the Academy's leadership team, this individual will develop and execute a comprehensive development strategy spanning individual giving, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, fundraising events, donor stewardship, communications, and community engagement. Working closely with the Executive Director, Commanders ownership, players, and internal departments, the Director will build a best-in-class development function that supports the Academy's long-term growth and impact.

Essential Responsibilities:

Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Growth:

• Develop and execute the Academy's comprehensive fundraising strategy, including major gifts, annual giving, corporate philanthropy, foundation grants, special events, and future capital campaigns.
• Build and manage a diversified pipeline of individual, corporate, and foundation supporters.
• Establish annual fundraising goals and monitor progress toward revenue, donor acquisition, and donor retention targets.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities aligned with the Academy's strategic priorities.

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship:

• Serve as the Academy's lead relationship manager for individual donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic organizations.
• Develop tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans that deepen engagement and increase long-term giving.
• Conduct prospect research and build a robust pipeline of prospective supporters.
• Prepare briefing materials and engagement strategies for the Executive Director, ownership, and Academy leadership to support major donor meetings and fundraising opportunities.

Communications & Brand Engagement:

• Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop storytelling, digital content, public relations, and donor communications that elevate the Academy's visibility and philanthropic impact.
• Oversee fundraising campaigns, donor recognition, annual reports, and external communications related to development efforts.
• Ensure a consistent and compelling Academy brand across fundraising and community engagement initiatives. Events & Community Engagement
• Lead the planning and execution of fundraising events, donor experiences, and community activations.
• Coordinate volunteer engagement and supervise event staff supporting Academy fundraising initiatives.
• Manage philanthropic gameday activations, including Foundation Suite programming, donor hospitality, 50/50 raffle operations, and other charitable initiatives.
• Partner with Commanders ownership, players, alumni, and football operations to maximize fundraising and community engagement opportunities.

Development Operations:

• Develop and manage systems to track donor cultivation, fundraising performance, and pipeline activity.
• Oversee donor database management, reporting, and fundraising analytics.
• Create dashboards and reports that measure fundraising progress and support executive decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit fundraising best practices and donor stewardship standards.

Leadership & Organizational Growth:

• Partner with the Executive Director to establish fundraising priorities that support the Academy's strategic plan.
• Collaborate across the Commanders organization to identify opportunities for partnership, community engagement, and philanthropic investment.
• Recruit, develop, and supervise interns, volunteers, and future development staff as the Academy grows.
• Contribute to Academy strategy, organizational planning, and cross-functional initiatives as a member of the founding leadership team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, business development, corporate partnerships, nonprofit leadership, or related fields.
• Proven ability to cultivate and steward major donor relationships.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience managing multiple projects and building relationships with senior executives, donors, Board members, and community leaders.
• Passion for youth development and community impact.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in philanthropy, advancement, education, youth development, professional sports, or nonprofit leadership.
• Experience managing donor databases, fundraising analytics, and development operations.
• Experience planning fundraising events and donor engagement initiatives.
• Former collegiate student-athlete, coach, athletic administrator, or sports-based youth development professional strongly preferred.

Who We Are Looking For:

The Commanders Youth Academy is seeking an entrepreneurial leader who is passionate about building relationships and creating opportunities for young people. The ideal candidate combines strategic fundraising expertise with a willingness to roll up their sleeves—cultivating donors, leading events, supporting communications, engaging volunteers, and helping build a world-class youth development organization from the ground up. As a founding member of the Academy's leadership team, this individual will demonstrate initiative, adaptability, and a commitment to doing whatever it takes to advance the Academy's mission. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.