Director of Development, DC

Job Description

Job DescriptionSalary: $110,000-$140,000

JOB TITLE: Director of Development, DC

REPORTS TO:
Vice President of Advancement

JOB STATUS: Full-Time

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt / Salaried

SALARY RANGE: $110,000-$140,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 5, 2025

STARTING: January 2026

LOCATION: Washington, DC

HYBRID SCHEDULE:
Two in-office days and three remote days, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional special events outside regular hours

ABOUT GENERATION HOPE
Generation Hope is a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring all student parents have the opportunity to succeed and achieve economic mobility. We drive systemic change by partnering with education and policy leaders while offering direct, two-generation support to teen parents in college and their children. To date, weve provided over $1.5 million in tuition assistance, supported more than 500 teen parents in college, celebrated more than 240 degrees earned through our program, and partnered with over 30 two- and four-year institutions nationwide.

Our team culture is rooted in excellence, respect, and inclusion. Named "one of the best nonprofits" by Spur Local, we embrace diversity in all its formsbackground, thought, and experiences. If our mission and culture resonate with you, we invite you to consider joining our team. For more information, visit www.generationhope.org.

POSITION SUMMARY

Generation Hope is seeking an experienced Director of Development, DC to lead and grow our fundraising efforts in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. This role is a unique opportunity to be a part of an innovative and mission-driven organization that is expanding nationally to support teen parents, student parents, and their families. Based in Washington, DC, youll play a critical role in advancing our direct services and systems change work, ensuring life-changing impact for young families across the region.

Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement, who also works out of our DC headquarters, the Director of Development, DC will develop, implement, and execute a comprehensive strategy that includes identifying potential funders and securing commitments primarily from local and regional foundations, corporations, and individuals of significant capacity to fund direct services, technical assistance to regional institutions, and regional policy work to support a growing budget. This position is ideal for a strategic thinker and skilled communicator who excels in donor engagement, loves connecting with people, and has a passion for innovative fundraising. Youll contribute to building sustainable revenue streams that support a $9 million budget and drive our goal of raising $16 million annually by 2029. As a member of our Senior Leadership Team, youll have a seat at the table to shape Generation Hopes future while enhancing development systems and practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Goal: Meeting Our Budget

• Creating and implementing a multi-year development plan for our DC regional programming and systems-change work that tracks and monitors progress toward short- and long-term fundraising goals
• Maintaining oversight, tracking progress, and developing strategies across all DC region-based fundraising activities, including major giving, individual giving, foundation relations, grants, corporate partnerships, and local and state government funding
• Establishing, cultivating, and maintaining relationships with current and prospective funders and donors through various means (personal meetings, thank you calls, insider emails, virtual coffee chats, etc.) and providing support to the Vice President of Advancement and CEO to interact with DC region-based funders and donors regularly (i.e., creating briefing documents, prepping emails, etc.)
• Working with the Director of DC Programming to keep donors and funders updated on progress, needs, and/or upcoming events by inviting the Director to fundraising meetings (where appropriate), asking for their input on grant applications, planning donor visits during program events, strategizing around attending networking events, etc.
• Partnering with the nationwide Generation Hope Development team to execute a strategy that supports a growing major gifts program, including identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major donors
• In collaboration with the Events Manager, refining and executing a strategy that drives fundraising and community building through virtual experiences, major fundraising events, and intimate cultivation events that occur throughout the year, and managing consultants to execute these events as needed
• Refining and executing a strategy that sustains and grows a strong portfolio of foundation support for our direct and indirect services in the Washington, DC region through researching grant opportunities, writing proposals, and drafting reports per funder requirements. Assist with writing and reviewing more extensive grant proposals as needed.
• Actively participating as a senior leader on the growing DC team to ensure the success of Generation Hopes fundraising efforts, support fellow team members, contribute to the success of our DC programming, and uphold Generation Hope's values
• With the support of the Vice President of Advancement, tracking all contributed income progress, including grant funding, donor cultivation and solicitation, and event income
• In partnership with the Vice President of Advancement, CEO, and COO, working with the Board of Directors and Local Advisory Board, including the Development Committee, on development-related projects and ongoing fundraising efforts
• Working with other teams across the organization to identify opportunities for corporate partners to engage holistically in Generation Hopes work
• Researching trends in the field to support team learning, coordinating stewardship of existing foundation donors, and identifying and strategizing around new funding sources to meet ambitious fundraising goals
  
  

Goal: Maintaining Our Budget

• Working collaboratively with our grant writing firm, including planning, writing, and reviewing all grant reports and ensuring that all grant budgets are being properly tracked and reported to funders
• In partnership with the Vice President of Advancement, monitoring the DC development-related budget
• In collaboration with the Operations team, working to ensure that funding records are populated and accurate in Little Green Light (CRM tool) to execute ongoing communication to donors, develop new prospects, and report progress to leadership
• In collaboration with the Vice President of Advancement, creating and executing systems to ensure development efforts reflect Generation Hopes strategic and values-aligned brand to drive organizational growth, resource building, and national positioning of Generation Hope within relevant thought leadership circles.
• Ensuring that the annual DC Development Plan is aligned with the annual Communications Plan and editorial calendar
• Participating in speaking engagements and funder meetings to share information about Generation Hope with external audiences
  
  

Goal: Developing Our Team

• Maintaining professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies
• Other duties as assigned

Other duties:

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. They may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A HARDWORKING, INNOVATIVE, COLLABORATIVE INDIVIDUAL WHO THRIVES IN A FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT. THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THESE QUALITIES/QUALIFICATIONS:

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to Generation Hope's mission.
• Bachelors degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Minimum five years experience in fundraising required (including donor cultivation, grant writing, and special events) with a proven track record of raising funds from diverse sources, including a combination of major gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• Knowledge of and relationships within the local and regional funding community. Connection to funders in the Washington, DC region is a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to accountability, measuring outcomes, and a results-oriented culture
• Demonstrated ability to deploy high-level judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Ability to think ahead and plan proactively in a dynamic, evolving, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to lead with curiosity to attain the information and perspectives required to produce deeply value-added work.
• A diplomatic and mature demeanor with the ability to interact with all levels of internal and external constituents, especially deploying excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Acute attention to detail and relentless commitment to follow through. Strong project management skills; self-starter; cooperative and flexible
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as with a team
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Possess the skills to work with and motivate staff, board members, and other volunteers
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail
• Embrace getting out of the office and building external relationships
• Be a self-starter and goal-driven to initiate donor visits and fundraising calls
• Be organized and exhibit follow through on tasks and goals
• Display a positive attitude, sound judgment, and professionalism; show concern for people and community, demonstrate presence, self-confidence, and good listening ability
• Proficient computer skills and in-depth knowledge of relevant software such as Microsoft Suite, Google Workspace, CRMs, etc. required
• Proficient with task management software such as Monday.com and Asana required
• Familiarity with donor-tracking systems
• Ability to work with diverse groups of people
• Resourcefulness, creativity, and strong problem-solving skills
• Personal and professional commitment to understanding and dismantling systemic and institutional racism

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.

Work Environment

Normal office environment. Some work will take place off-site during special events.

Travel

This position requires national, overnight travel approximately 10% of the time for activities such as meetings and events in and out of the DC Metro area.

• Must be able to travel (via plane, train, or car).

Candidates must be able to meet the onsite work schedule by the start date.

Benefits

Generation Hope provides full benefits, including 403(b), health, dental, and paid time off. More information on benefits can be found at generationhope.org/careers.

To apply, please complete the online application.

EEO Statement
Generation Hope is an equal opportunity employer. Generation Hope will not discriminate on any basis prohibited by law, including marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, matriculation, political affiliation, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health decisions), age, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, and disability.