Senior Director, Development & Communications

About the role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Senior Director, Development & Communications serves as a member of SDRI's Executive Leadership Team and leads all fundraising, development operations, marketing, communications, donor engagement, community relations, and external affairs activities. This role is both strategic and hands-on, responsible for advancing philanthropic support, strengthening organizational visibility, expanding community engagement, and supporting the long-term sustainability of the organization. The Senior Director works collaboratively with executive leadership, the Board of Trustees, donors, foundations, corporate partners, volunteers, community leaders, and external stakeholders to advance SDRI's mission and achieve annual fundraising and organizational goals. The Senior Director serves as a key member of SDRI's Executive Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership across fundraising, communications, community engagement, and organizational growth initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising and advancement strategies that support SDRI's strategic priorities, annual operating needs, and long-term sustainability, while achieving revenue goals established by leadership and the Board.
• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects through identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention activities, partnering closely with the CEO, Board of Trustees, and volunteer leaders to advance philanthropic investments.
• Oversee all philanthropic revenue streams, including major gifts, foundations, grants, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, institutional funding, and planned and legacy giving programs.
• Direct donor stewardship, recognition, moves management, fundraising forecasting, analytics, and reporting to strengthen donor engagement and support informed decision-making.
• Establish and monitor fundraising performance metrics, pipeline activity, and revenue projections, and lead special fundraising campaigns and strategic initiatives as assigned.
• Lead SDRI's marketing, communications, public relations, and community engagement strategies to strengthen organizational visibility, enhance stakeholder engagement, increase public awareness, and support fundraising objectives.
• Partner with the CEO to communicate SDRI's mission, impact, research and clinical advancements, strategic priorities, and community benefit through compelling and consistent messaging across all channels.
• Oversee brand management, donor communications, annual reports, fundraising campaigns, newsletters, website content, social media, digital marketing, media relations, storytelling initiatives, and public awareness efforts.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, community leaders, healthcare organizations, civic groups, elected officials, media representatives, strategic partners, and other key stakeholders while serving as a visible ambassador for the organization.
• Manage external marketing, public relations, graphic design, digital media, and creative services providers, while monitoring performance metrics and identifying opportunities to expand community partnerships and organizational reach.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for Taste of the Vine and other fundraising