Development Director

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Development, the Director of Development plays a central role in advancing Coro California’s mission by stewarding and growing financial support for the organization. The role requires collaborating across the organization and with external funders to ensure funding strategies align with organizational priorities.

Success in this role will be measured by increasing philanthropic support for Coro California’s programs while deepening donor relationships with existing funders.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Grant Strategy & Portfolio Management

Develop and execute a comprehensive institutional giving strategy to secure and grow funding from foundation and corporate sources

Manage a diverse portfolio of institutional funders, ensuring strategic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship at appropriate levels

Conduct proactive research to identify new foundation, corporate, and government funding opportunities aligned with organizational mission and programs

Lead the development of compelling grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and funding applications that articulate organizational impact and funding needs

Craft clear, persuasive narratives that connect funder priorities with organizational programs and outcomes

Collaborate with program staff to gather data, success stories, and programmatic details for proposals

Ensure proposals align with funder guidelines and reflect best practices in grant writing

Manage proposal timelines and coordinate internal review processes to meet all deadlines

Coordinate with finance and program teams to gather financial reports, program data, and evaluation metrics

Maintain organized grant files with all correspondence, agreements, reports, and key documentation

Development Department Support & Events

Support department-wide initiatives, including fundraising campaigns, donor events, and development planning

Coordinate sponsorship fulfillment including recognition, benefits delivery, and relationship management

Represent the organization at funder conferences, networking events, and industry convenings

Participate in cultivation and stewardship events with institutional funders and prospects

Contribute to development team meetings with pipeline updates, best practices sharing, and strategic input

Support special projects and organizational events to advance development goals

Systems, Data & Reporting

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in Salesforce, including prospect research, proposals, grants, and funder communications

Track institutional giving metrics, including proposals submitted, success rates, revenue secured, and pipeline value

Ensure data integrity and proper coding of institutional gifts for accurate reporting

Leadership Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership

Partner closely with the Development Director to align institutional giving strategies with overall development goals and fundraising campaigns

Collaborate with senior leadership to identify funding needs for new programs, strategic initiatives, and statewide expansion

Serve as a strategic advisor to leadership on institutional funding trends, opportunities, and challenges

Partner with the Growth Team to align institutional giving strategies with organizational expansion plans and new market opportunities

Collaborate with the Partnerships & Alumni Engagement Manager to leverage alumni networks for corporate partnership opportunities

Collaborate with the Program Team to ensure a deep understanding of program models, outcomes, and impact for effective storytelling

Partner with Communications and Marketing to develop compelling collateral for funder presentations and proposals that align with brand standards

Who Will Thrive in This Role?

Key Competencies

Project and Event Management: Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and execute multiple programs and events simultaneously with strong attention to detail.

Operational Excellence: Strong systems orientation with a focus on consistency, accuracy, and quality control.

Relationship Management: Builds, maintains, and leverages trusted partnerships with diverse and complex stakeholders across all organizational levels and external networks to achieve strategic objectives and drive mutual value.

Collaboration and Communication: Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills; ability to coordinate with diverse teams and stakeholders.

Problem Solving and Adaptability: Ability to remain flexible and resourceful in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Inclusive & Values-Aligned Practices: Demonstrated commitment to inclusive, values-driven practices that reflect Coro’s mission and culture.

Data and Systems Literacy: Proficiency in Salesforce, Google Workspace, and other project management or CRM systems.

Success Measures

Achieve 100% on-time submission of grant reports

Maintain an active prospect pipeline valued at 3-4x the annual revenue target, with prospects at various cultivation stages

Expand the active institutional funder portfolio annually while maintaining relationships with existing funders

Data accuracy and completeness within Salesforce and shared tracking systems.

Effective collaboration with program, communications, growth, operations, and finance teams.

Consistent demonstration of Coro’s values, professionalism, and responsiveness in all stakeholder interactions.