Director of Development

Job Description

Job Description

Director of Development

Position Announcement

Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis (Variety) believes all children deserve to experience the joys of childhood—regardless of ability. Variety is a catalyst for transformative change in the lives of local children with disabilities, providing access to critical medical equipment, therapies, and innovative recreation and performing arts programs. For over 90 years, Variety has worked to remove barriers so children with special needs can fully engage in school, home,and the community. Serving more than 1,000 children annually, they are on a mission to redefine children’s abilities and reimage their possibilities. “Variety isn’t just a place to access programs. It’s a place that helps us know our kids belong.”   - Variety Parent

Collaborative Strategies is excited to partner with Variety on their search for a relationship-driven, strategic fundraiser to lead their development and communications efforts. The Director of Development will report to the CEO and sit on a three-person leadership team, managing a growing department that currently has three staff members. This role blends donor strategy, team leadership, and hands-on engagement with supporters who help bring the mission to life.

The Director of Development  will be responsible for :

Fundraising Strategy & Donor Engagement

Set and lead the vision for all fundraising efforts, including annual, endowment, planned, and capital campaigns. Cultivate and steward a portfolio of major donors through personalized outreach, while also supporting the CEO and Board in their fundraising engagement. This role oversees grant writing through a contracted grant writer, ensuring timely submissions, alignment with funding goals, and strong follow-up. You’ll also manage the fundraising budget and ensure accurate and effective donor records and reporting using Raiser’s Edge.

Leadership & Team Development

As a key member of the leadership team, the Director of Development will participate in organization-wide strategic planning and decision-making. Supervising a development and communications team, this position provides guidance, mentorship, and accountability. Additionally, the Director of Development staffs and leads the Development Committee of the Board of Directors, playing a critical role in building board capacity and engagement in fundraising.

Marketing & Communications

Lead the development and execution of a strategic communications plan to support donor engagement and increase visibility of Variety’s mission. Oversee messaging and content creation for all platforms—print, digital, email, social media—and ensure brand consistency across channels. This role also manages media relations and external communications vendors and works closely with the communication and data team members to maintain segmented marketing lists and coordinated outreach strategies.

We’re looking for a relationship-driven, strategic fundraiser and team leader . The ideal candidate will bring a mix of strong fundraising experience, leadership capability, and passion for our mission.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
• 7+ years of fundraising experience, with a track record of success across donor types
• 3+ years of management experience, ideally including supervision and strategic planning
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, particularly with high-level donors and partners
• Deep understanding of fundraising principles, strategies, and donor engagement best practices
• Experience overseeing fundraising operations, budgets, and donor databases (Raiser’s Edge a plus)
• Strategic thinker and confident decision-maker with a proven ability to lead teams and set direction
• Excellent writer and presenter with the ability to tell compelling stories that inspire action
• Motivating and collaborative leadership style that empowers and develops team members

Preferred Qualifications

If you are interested, qualified, and ready to take the next step, apply online at getcollaborative.com / careers. All inquiries and resume submissions will be treated as strictly confidential. Please do not contact Variety directly.

About Collaborative Strategies, Inc.

Connecting talent with opportunity since 1994, Collaborative Strategies, Inc., is a St. Louis-based consulting firm with a dedicated executive search practice.   We take pride in matching talented leaders seeking mission-critical endeavors with entrepreneurial organizations. For more information, visit us at getcollabortive.com. To view our job board, visit getcollaborative.com / careers.

\u007C Equal Opportunity Employer \u007C

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.