Director of Development

Position description

AtChallenger Center, a leading nonprofit organization advancing STEM education, experiential learning, and global student engagement, you will play a critical leadership role as theDirector of Development. In this role, you will lead Challenger Center’s efforts to secure philanthropic support and strategic partnerships in alignment with the organization’s mission and strategic priorities. The Director works closely with the President/Executive Director and collaborates with senior leaders across Education, Center Relations, Communications, and Finance to advance sustainable funding strategies that support Challenger Center and the global network of Challenger Learning Centers.

This role combines strategic leadership with direct execution. The Director will strengthen and rebuild the Development function during a period of transition and growth. The incumbent will assess current fundraising systems and revenue performance and implement disciplined processes and infrastructure. They will identify, pursue, and manage federal, foundation, and corporate grant opportunities. The Director is responsible for the effective management of Challenger Center’s donor CRM system (Bloomerang), ensuring data integrity, accurate reporting, disciplined pipeline tracking, and actionable fundraising analytics.

The Director will rebuild core development systems and workflows, establishing clear accountability for pipeline management, grant compliance, and donor stewardship. They are expected to engage directly in proposal development, donor cultivation, institutional funding advancement, gift structuring, and system implementation while building the foundation for long-term sustainability. The Director serves as a front-line point of contact for donors and partners, ensuring timely communication and follow-through.

Your responsibilities as the Director of Development will include:

Planning and Development Strategy

• • Provide leadership and oversight to ensure philanthropic revenue goals are met or exceeded.
  • Assess fundraising performance, donor portfolio health, institutional commitments, and development infrastructure.
  • Develop and implement an annual development plan aligned with organizational priorities.
  • Establish and track annual revenue goals by funding category and report progress regularly to senior leadership.
  • Oversee development workplans, timelines, and budgets.
  • Partner with Communications to strengthen brand awareness and donor engagement.
  • Support the Executive Director and Board Development and Governance Committee in recruitment, retention, and fundraising engagement.

Core Fundraising Accountability Areas

Institutional Giving (Federal and Non-Federal Grants)

• • Identify, pursue, and manage federal, foundation, and corporate grant opportunities.
  • Direct proposal development, submission, reporting, and compliance processes.
  • Maintain a disciplined grant calendar and accountability structure.
  • Build and steward institutional funder relationships.
  • Partner with Program and Finance leadership to monitor grant deliverables and reporting commitments.

Contributions and Sponsorships (Individual and Corporate Giving)

• • Develop strategies to grow individual giving, emphasizing major donors.
  • Maintain personal responsibility for a portfolio of major donors and institutional funders, with defined revenue goals.
  • Secure and steward corporate sponsorships and partnership contributions.
  • Partner with the President and Executive Director on key donor relationships.
  • Serve as primary contact for donor inquiries and relationship management.

In-Kind Contributions

• • Secure and steward in-kind support aligned with programmatic needs.
  • Ensure proper documentation, valuation, and acknowledgment.
  • Coordinate with Finance and program teams to ensure accurate reporting.

Planned Giving (Program Development)

• • Design and launch a planned giving strategy.
  • Develop foundational materials and internal policies.
  • Identify and cultivate prospective planned giving donors.
  • Establish tracking systems and stewardship practices.
  • Recommend multi-year benchmarks for growth.

Restricted Gifts and Gift Agreements

• • Lead negotiation and documentation of restricted gifts.
  • Confirm feasibility of proposed restrictions with program and finance leadership.
  • Develop formal gift agreements where appropriate.
  • Monitor fulfillment of donor-imposed conditions.

Management and Infrastructure

• • Build and lead the Development function, including staffing recommendations.
  • Serve as organizational owner of Bloomerang CRM, ensuring data integrity and reporting accuracy.
  • Establish protocols for gift entry, acknowledgment, pledge tracking, and pipeline management.
  • Develop dashboards providing visibility into revenue and engagement metrics.
  • Conduct regular data quality reviews and corrective measures.
  • Develop and manage department budget.
  • Identify operational gaps and implement process improvements.
  • Recruit, onboard, and supervise development staff as capacity expands.

Leadership

• • Contribute to annual planning and organizational strategy discussions.
  • Represent Challenger Center at meetings and events.
  • Provide regular development updates to the Board of Directors as requested by the President/Executive Director.

First 90-Day Priorities

Assessment and Planning

• • Review institutional, contributions, sponsorship, in-kind, and planned giving revenue streams.
  • Conduct detailed review of Bloomerang configuration, data hygiene, segmentation, and reporting structure.
  • Assess grant obligations and reporting schedules.
  • Deliver a 12–18 month development action plan.

Operational Infrastructure

• • Implement standardized CRM protocols for data entry and dashboard reporting.
  • Strengthen grant tracking and reporting systems.

Revenue Advancement

• • Engage priority donors and prospects.
  • Advance active institutional funding opportunities.
  • Identify strategic sponsorship opportunities.
  • Develop roadmap for launching planned giving.

Team and Capacity

• • Clarify interim development roles.
  • Recommend staffing structure and sequencing.

To thrive, you should have:

• • Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred.
  • 8–12+ years progressive fundraising experience.
  • Experience managing and writing complex grants; federal experience preferred.
  • Demonstrated success securing institutional and individual gifts.
  • Strong experience with Bloomerang or comparable CRM systems, Microsoft and Google environments.
  • Ability to build systems in resource-constrained environments.
  • Experience launching or expanding planned giving preferred.
  • Strong strategic and execution capabilities.
  • Experience supervising staff and leading teams.
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills.
  • Commitment to Challenger Center’s mission and collaborative culture.

Work Environment and Travel

The position is based in Washington, DC, and follows a hybrid schedule (2 days per week in the office). For an exceptionally qualified candidate, Challenger Center may consider a fully remote work arrangement. The incumbent must be able to travel to Washington, DC for key in-person meetings, leadership convenings, and other on-site needs at the request of the President/Executive Director.

Evening and weekend hours may occasionally be required for donor cultivation or special events.

This position includes occasional travel for donor relationships, visits and meetings (Annual meeting, board meetings, special events, etc.)

Why you’ll love working at Challenger Center

We value our employees’ time, talent, and dedication to our mission. Our competitive compensation and benefits package is designed to support your career growth, financial well-being, and work-life balance.

• • Competitive Compensation: $100,000-$120,000 annually, depending on experience.
  • Comprehensive Health Coverage: A robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, along with life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, and supplemental coverage options.
  • Employee Well-Being: Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and resources supporting mental health, financial wellness, and personal well-being.
  • Retirement Planning: 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match to help you build long-term financial security.
  • Paid Time Off: Generous paid vacation, holidays, and personal time off so you can recharge and maintain balance.
  • Work-Life Integration: Flexible policies that support family commitments, community involvement, and volunteer opportunities.
  • Professional Development: A structured feedback and career development system, along with training and professional learning opportunities that support growth in nonprofit leadership and fundraising strategy.

Challenger Center is committed to creating a workplace where employees feel empowered, supported, and connected to a meaningful mission. Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of our culture, and we encourage team members to share ideas, contribute to strategic planning, and actively participate in decision-making. Our teams work together across departments to advance STEM education and inspire students to explore the possibilities of science and space. Employees are valued for their expertise, creativity, and commitment to building a future where curiosity, exploration, and discovery drive progress.

About Us

Challenger Centeris a nationally recognized STEM education nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring students through immersive, simulation-based learning experiences that foster curiosity, teamwork, and critical thinking. Founded in 1986 by the families of the Space Shuttle Challenger crew, the organization honors their legacy by preparing the next generation of explorers and innovators. Through a global network of Challenger Learning Centers and digital STEM programs, Challenger Center has engaged more than 6.5 million students worldwide, helping learners develop essential skills for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Ignite the Future of STEM Education

If you are a strategic nonprofit fundraising leader ready to drive transformational philanthropy and build partnerships that inspire the next generation of innovators, we invite you to join Challenger Center as our Director of Development. Apply today to lead high-impact fundraising, donor engagement, and institutional funding initiatives that power immersive STEM learning experiences for students around the world.

We are an equal opportunity employer that welcomes and encourages diversity in the workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment.

Application instructions

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