Development Director - Northern California

Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. Learn about the energetic, creative people working to ensure every kid has the chance to play—every day.

About the Position

The Development Director is part of a team of fundraisers and relationship builders working together to support Playworks’ strategic growth plan. The Director’s main roles are to create and implement the overarching regional fundraising strategy, lead cultivation and stewardship of high‑level external relationships, and mobilize the region to achieve ambitious fundraising goals. Reporting directly to the Executive Director in Northern California, the Director creatively develops and leads ambitious fundraising strategy, board management, and new fundraising generation, acting as a trusted advisor and strategic partner. This role is an in‑person position responsible for conducting in‑person meetings and site visits across the Bay Area, based primarily in our Oakland offices.

Responsibilities

• Create, lead, and drive overarching fundraising strategy, operational plans, and all revenue activities to meet or exceed fundraising goals for the region.
• Maintain high renewal rates.
• Maintain donor relationships and build new ones.
• Maximize upgrade opportunities for individual and institutional gifts.
• Increase revenue in all streams by 10% in FY26.
• Identify strategies to generate prospects to support impact goals through 2027.
• Own, develop, and implement innovative strategies to increase individual and institutional funding streams and identify prospective government funding opportunities.
• Deliver on a comprehensive development plan for FY26 with a private revenue goal of $1 million and support current local government fundraising sources $1.3 million.
• Personally manage a high‑level portfolio of major individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations (existing and prospective), driving cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to secure six‑ and seven‑figure gifts and achieve personal fundraising targets.

Regional External Relations & Local Brand

• Develop a comprehensive communications and public‑relations plan to help elevate the Playworks brand.
• Build external relationships essential for donor cultivation, prospect identification, and partnership opportunities in the education and literacy sectors.
• Oversee all external communications, ensuring persuasive and compelling messaging, campaigns, and alignment.
• Oversee the strategy and support in cultivating and stewarding individual donors.
• Manage relationships with institutional donors, including corporate and entertainment alignments.
• Staff and provide strategic support to the board through management of Fundraising and Engagement, and Corporate committees.
• Ensure systems and operations of the development department, optimizing efficiencies and skills.
• Provide strategic advice and direction to the Executive Director to ensure the region’s success against goals and benchmarks.

How You’ll Do It

Strategy Development

• Demonstrate ability to devise innovative regional strategic fundraising plans, create action steps, and mobilize stakeholders to achieve fundraising goals. Build sustainable plans to maximize market opportunities, meet goals, and grow funding. Leverage systems, people, and resources to drive processes and track progress against goals, reporting to senior leadership and the board. Execute work in a highly organized, analytical, and data‑informed manner.
• Work with the Executive Director to provide best‑in‑class cultivation and activation strategies to move prospects through the pipeline—from research and prospecting to close.

External Relations & Communication

• Demonstrate advanced experience in external relations, corporate alignment, board management and communication, and strategic stewardship and cultivation of donors. Deliver convincing messaging that reflects Playworks’ culture and values.
• Serve as an ambassador, establishing credibility when promoting Playworks to external audiences. Demonstrate comfort and poise with donors, corporations, and prospects. Develop strategic corporate partnerships.
• Create compelling external materials and collateral. Engage press and secure earned media opportunities. Develop and lead on social‑media strategies and content generation.

New Revenue Generation

• Show a strong track record in driving development efforts in rapidly growing organizations, especially in Northern California. Demonstrate ability to hit fundraising goals, generate new funding sources, and run sophisticated corporate and individual giving campaigns.
• Lead the strategy, development, and execution of innovative fundraising events that generate new revenue, deepen community engagement, expand Playworks' network of supporters, and achieve annual fundraising goals.

People Leadership

• Collaborate with the Northern California leadership team, leading an internal team to meet and exceed aggressive fundraising goals. Coach, grow, and create stretch assignments to develop future fundraising leaders.
• In partnership with the Executive Director, recruit, cultivate, and co‑lead the 14‑member Regional Advisory Board and 8‑10‑member Associate Board, ensuring achievement of annual give‑get goals averaging $15 000 per member, while providing strategic support to Fundraising & Engagement and Corporate committees.

About you!

You’ll Be Successful In This Role If

• Have 5+ years of increasing responsibility in a development or related role, including 3 years of team management or leadership.
• Demonstrate a strong track record in driving development efforts in rapidly growing mission‑oriented organizations, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Can maintain strong long‑term donor relationships.
• Have experience reading, interpreting, and providing financial reports for donors.
• Are an exceptional and persuasive communicator in writing and verbally.
• Are achievement‑oriented with a demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding fundraising goals.
• Demonstrate a commitment to fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment.
• Display a deep belief in our mission and root your work in our core values.
• Can prove eligibility to work legally in the U.S. and are at least 18 years of age.

Bonus Points If You

• Experience working in launch or growth phases of organizations.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, public administration, or a comparable field.
• High degree of comfort with Salesforce or other fundraising database.
• Experience working in education or literacy.

The Other Things You Need To Know

• This role is an in‑person position responsible for conducting in‑person meetings and site visits across the Bay Area, with flexibility for remote work when not engaged in field activities, based primarily in our Oakland or San Francisco offices.
• Travel: The position travels regularly throughout Northern California and may involve occasional travel to Playworks’ National Headquarters in Oakland, CA.

Compensation & Benefits

• This is a full‑time, exempt position that reports to the Executive Director.
• Base salary is $122,600, determined by internal pay equity, geographic pay differential, and robust external market data.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(k) with employer match up to 3% of salary, life insurance, employee‑funded pre‑tax health, and child‑care spending accounts.
• Generous flexible PTO policy with paid sick and holiday leave.

Please Include

• A cover letter describing your interest in Playworks and how your experience has prepared you for this role.
• Your resume.
• References will be requested.

About Playworks

At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to be active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after‑school programs to provide on‑site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships.

As an equal‑opportunity program, Playworks encourages applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, gender identity/expression, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, faith, marital status, physical ability, or any other legally protected basis. Playworks evaluates all candidates for employment, volunteering opportunities, or board service on a merit basis.

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