Development Director

Development Director

Youth, Rights & Justice, an innovative juvenile law nonprofit based in Portland, is seeking a Development Director to join our team. YRJ’s mission is to advance the rights of children, parents, and families through advocacy in the courts, schools, legislature, and community.

Founded in 1975, YRJ is widely recognized as a leader in juvenile law. We provide court-appointed representation of children, youth, and parents involved in the foster care and juvenile justice systems in both trial and appellate courts. We also represent individual children in school-related matters and parents in early defense work.

YRJ’s vision is a just and equitable society that creates opportunities for children, parents, and families to achieve their goals and aspirations. YRJ is committed to addressing systemic injustices and addressing the needs of our service population through innovative programs, policy work, and impact litigation.

Youth, Rights & Justice offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• 15 days of vacation annually (increasing to 20 days after two years)
• Eight hours of paid self-care time each month
• Paid sick leave and holidays
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Matching 401(k) retirement benefits
• And more

We encourage diverse applicants and recognize that research shows many women and BIPOC individuals may hesitate to apply unless they meet every qualification listed. We encourage you to consider this opportunity holistically, and we are committed to evaluating candidates in the same way.

Position Details

Status Classification: Regular full-time, exempt (salaried)
Hours & Location: Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with some evenings and weekends required for events and organizational needs.
Reports To: Executive Director
Salary Range: $80,000–$95,000 annually

Position Summary

The Development Director is responsible for leading and implementing Youth, Rights & Justice’s fundraising and donor engagement strategy to strengthen the organization’s long-term financial sustainability and community support.

This role serves as the organization’s primary development lead, with responsibility for growing individual and corporate giving, strengthening donor stewardship, expanding fundraising infrastructure, and supporting revenue diversification efforts.

The Development Director also leads the planning and execution of YRJ’s major fundraising and donor engagement events, including the annual gala and other cultivation opportunities that deepen community connection and philanthropic support.

In addition to leading development efforts, the Development Director oversees organizational communications strategy to ensure messaging and outreach support fundraising, donor engagement, and organizational visibility.

This position works closely with the Executive Director, Development Committee, Board members, and staff to advance YRJ’s fundraising priorities and community engagement efforts.

This is a full-time leadership role designed for a collaborative, strategic, and highly organized professional who can balance long-term planning with hands-on execution.

Primary Responsibilities

Development Strategy & Fundraising Leadership

• Partner with the Executive Director, Board, and Development Committee to develop and implement annual fundraising and donor engagement strategies.
• Lead efforts to grow and diversify YRJ’s revenue streams, with a strong emphasis on individual and recurring giving.
• Develop and execute strategies to cultivate, steward, and re-engage donors, including lapsed donors and emerging supporters.
• Strengthen and expand YRJ’s monthly giving program and donor retention efforts.
• Support corporate sponsorship development and community partnership opportunities.
• Coordinate annual fundraising campaigns, donor appeals, and stewardship initiatives across digital and print platforms.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen fundraising systems, donor infrastructure, and development operations.
• Track fundraising progress, donor engagement metrics, and campaign outcomes to inform strategy and decision-making.

Donor Engagement & Events

• Lead planning and execution of YRJ’s annual gala and other key fundraising and donor engagement events.
• Oversee donor cultivation opportunities, including receptions, community events, and smaller fundraising gatherings.
• Partner with Board members, volunteers, and community supporters to expand fundraising outreach and engagement efforts.
• Develop event strategies that strengthen donor relationships and increase long-term philanthropic support.

Database & Development Operations

• Oversee management and integrity of the donor database and related fundraising systems.
• Ensure timely gift processing, donor acknowledgements, and stewardship communications.
• Coordinate reconciliation and reporting processes with finance staff.
• Generate reports and analyses to support fundraising strategy, donor tracking, and Board reporting.
• Maintain organized systems for donor engagement, campaign tracking, and development planning.

Communications Oversight & Coordination

• Partner with the Executive Director to oversee organizational communications strategy aligned with fundraising and engagement goals.
• Ensure consistent organizational messaging, branding, and storytelling across communication channels.
• Coordinate production of development and organizational materials, including newsletters, annual reports, fundraising appeals, event communications, and donor-facing content.
• Manage external communications vendors and contractors, including designers, website consultants, photographers, printers, and social media support as needed.
• Collaborate with staff and leadership to identify and elevate stories that support community engagement and fundraising priorities.
• Support development of communication calendars and outreach plans tied to campaigns, events, and organizational priorities.
• Oversee website and digital content updates in coordination with external support or internal contributors.
• Monitor communications effectiveness and engagement metrics to support strategic outreach efforts.

Collaboration & Organizational Leadership

• Work collaboratively with staff, Board members, volunteers, and community partners to advance fundraising and engagement goals.
• Serve as a collaborative member of the YRJ leadership team.
• Support and strengthen the work of the Development Committee as an active fundraising and donor engagement body.
• Manage multiple projects and timelines while maintaining strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Contribute to organizational planning and strategic initiatives related to fundraising, visibility, and sustainability.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in nonprofit development, fundraising, advancement, or related leadership roles
• Demonstrated success in fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, stewardship, and event management
• Experience managing fundraising campaigns and donor engagement initiatives
• Experience growing individual donor programs and recurring giving initiatives
• Experience planning and managing fundraising events, including galas or large-scale donor events
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with donor databases and email marketing platforms
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Board members, staff, volunteers, and external partners
• Self-directed strategic thinker with strong initiative and problem-solving skills
• Passion for YRJ’s mission, vision, values, and work
• Alignment with YRJ’s values of collaboration, equity, openness, compassion, integrity, and agility
• Commitment to professional development and strengthening work through a lens of equity and racial justice

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with communications strategy and branding
• Knowledge of issues related to child welfare, juvenile justice, or education services
• Experience working in small or mid-sized nonprofit organizations with cross-functional responsibilities
• Familiarity with platforms such as Canva, Constant Contact, DonorPerfect, and website content management systems

Work Environment

YRJ operates under a hybrid office model, with the option to work remotely and in our Portland office. This position is expected to work onsite at least 3–4 days per week.

To Apply

Please email your resume and cover letter to: careers@youthrightsjustice.org

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. First-round interviews are projected to begin after June 1.