Director of Development & Community Engagement

Director of Development & Engagement

https://www.sterlingcommunitycenter.org/
Please visit our wonderful website for a tour

Position Summary
Sterling Community Center (SCC),seeks a strategic, relationship-driven, and results-oriented Director of Development & Engagement to lead all fundraising,
marketing, and community engagement efforts. This role is responsible for designing
and executing a comprehensive, integrated advancement strategy that strengthens
revenue, visibility, and community impact.

The Director of Development serves as the leader of Sterling’s fundraising strategy
and oversees organizational communications, brand management, and community
engagement initiatives. This position ensures alignment between mission,
messaging, and fundraising to deepen relationships and expand Sterling’s reach and
impact.

This role reports to the Executive Director and works closely with the Board of
Directors and Development Committee.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management
● Provide active supervision and leadership to development and engagement
staff.
● Set clear goals, expectations, and performance metrics aligned with
fundraising and organizational priorities.
● Conduct regular check-ins, evaluations, and support professional
development.
● Foster a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven team culture, while
promoting cross-functional collaboration across departments.|● Lead by example in professionalism, integrity, and community presence.
● Support the Development Committee and Board of Directors in supporting
fundraising efforts and engagement opportunities.
● Provide regular updates and reports to the Executive Director and Board of
Directors.

Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Leadership
● Develop and implement a comprehensive annual development plan with
clear revenue goals, strategies, and benchmarks.
● Develop comprehensive, multi-year campaign strategies, timelines and
milestones aligned with organizational priorities.
● Establish and drive fundraising targets across individual giving, corporate
sponsorships, grants, events, and emerging revenue streams.
● Monitor and report on progress toward goals; adjust strategies to ensure
targets are met or exceeded.
● Create and manage the annual development budget, including revenue
projections and expenses.
● Align fundraising priorities with organizational strategic goals and program
growth.
● Maintain a consistent pipeline of grant funding opportunities that align with
the organization’s needs. Ensure all grant reporting requirements are met.
Individual Giving & Major Gifts
● Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects using a structured moves
management approach.
● Cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors with a focus on growing major
gifts and recurring giving.
● Lead annual giving campaigns, including appeals, Giving Tuesday, and
year-end efforts.
● Strengthen donor retention and increase average gift size through
personalized engagement.

Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships
● Develop and implement tiered corporate sponsorship opportunities aligned
with programs and events.
● Identify, cultivate, and secure new corporate partners while strengthening
existing relationships.
● Generate both financial and in-kind support to offset costs and enhance
programming.

Fundraising Event Initiatives
● Leads all strategic oversight for event fundraising with supervision of the
Special Events Manager to ensure successful planning, execution, and
financial performance.
● Evaluate event outcomes and implement improvements to maximize revenue
and engagement.

Marketing, Communications & Brand Management
● Oversee organizational marketing and communications to ensure alignment
with fundraising and mission.
● Guide the development and execution of an annual marketing and
communications plan.
● Ensure consistency in brand voice, messaging, and visual identity across all
platforms.
● Oversee vision of content for campaigns, digital platforms, website, email, and
print materials.
● Lead development of key communications including the Annual Report and
donor-facing materials.
● Manage media relations and identify opportunities to elevate SCC’s visibility.
Community Engagement & External Relations
● Strengthen SCC’s presence and visibility through partnerships, outreach, and
community involvement.

● Build and maintain relationships with local businesses, organizations, and civic
groups.
● Serve as a positive, public-facing Sterling ambassador at events, meetings,
and networking opportunities.
● Identify opportunities to expand engagement, participation, and community
impact.

Donor Operations & Stewardship
● Oversee donor database management and ensure accuracy of records and
reporting.
● Ensure timely gift processing, acknowledgments, and donor recognition to
create a culture of cultivation and stewardship.
● Utilize data and analytics to inform fundraising and engagement strategies.

Qualifications
● Bachelor’s Degree required
● Minimum 5+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience with demonstrated
success in revenue generation
● Proven track record in major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and grant writing
● Experience overseeing or collaborating on marketing and communications
strategies preferred
● 3+ years of staff supervision and leadership experience
● Experience managing budgets and achieving revenue goals
● Proficiency in donor databases, CRM systems, Microsoft Office, and digital
platforms
● Experience with capital campaigns is a plus

Skills & Competencies
● Strategic thinker with strong execution skills
● Confident and effective fundraiser comfortable soliciting gifts
● Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking abilities
● Strong relationship builder with diverse stakeholders
● Skilled in storytelling, messaging, and audience engagement
● Data-driven and highly organized
● Self-motivated, accountable, and results-oriented
● Passionate about community-centered, mission-driven work
Commitment

● Full-time, exempt position reporting to the Executive Director.
● Standard schedule: 40 hours/week, Monday–Friday, with flexibility required
during peak periods.
● Availability to attend networking and community events in the evenings and
weekends as needed.

SCC is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal
opportunity employer. We believe deeply that diversity on our team strengthens our
service to the community and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or
expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran
status.

****In 1918, John Sterling died, leaving Yale a large legacy gift of $30 million. To his sister Cordelia, who we celebrate as our founder, he left the mansion and a sizable legacy.  Upon her death in 1931, Cordelia donated the gift in her will, of the Sterling mansion, and its park-like grounds to the people of Stratford.

Please reply with a brief cover letter to:

Jeff Gampel
The Gampel Group
Global Executive Search
Lead Generation Consultant | ERA Group – Cost Optimization Experts
203-927-6197
jeff@thegampelgroup.com
ERA
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