Summary
Description
Join our team as the Director of Development Operations!
Turn strong systems into meaningful impact for families. Ronald McDonald House Greater Denver is seeking a collaborative, strategic Director of Development Operations to lead the data, donor stewardship, fundraising systems, and event operations that power our mission and sustainable growth. If you thrive in a purpose-filled environment and want to grow with a team that deeply cares about its work, we’d love to hear from you! To protect the health of the families we serve and our staff, Ronald McDonald House Greater Denver requires all employees to receive a flu vaccination. Exemptions may be considered.
Job Summary
The Director of Development Operations provides strategic leadership for donor operations, data management, fundraising analytics, stewardship, event oversight, and development systems that support sustainable fundraising growth at Ronald McDonald House Greater Denver. This role ensures the integrity and effectiveness of donor data, reporting, and operational processes; partners with Finance and Development & Marketing teams to support fundraising and engagement strategies; and supervises development operations and events staff while collaborating across departments to advance organizational goals and donor impact. Essential Duties, Responsibilities & Functions
The primary duties and responsibilities of this position are listed below. The primary duties of this position may be modified based on business needs or regulatory requirements. This position may be assigned additional duties not specifically listed below.
Donor Operations & Systems Leadership (40%)
- Lead and optimize donor operations and fundraising systems, including Raiser's Edge NXT, DonorSearch, and related platforms, ensuring data integrity, efficient processes, compliance, and accurate gift management.
- Establish and maintain best-practice donor data, reporting, and analytics, providing actionable insights, portfolio management oversight, and fundraising intelligence to support strategic decision-making and revenue growth.
- Develop and oversee donor portfolio and moves management strategies, including prospect research, donor qualification, assignment recommendations, and cultivation tracking to maximize engagement and philanthropic investment.
- Provide leadership and supervision for development operations, events, and community fundraising staff, ensuring effective execution of fundraising initiatives, volunteer engagement, and departmental priorities.
- Partner with Development, Marketing, and Finance leadership to support fundraising strategy, campaign readiness, donor stewardship, revenue reconciliation, planned giving initiatives, and organizational growth.
- Oversee fundraising infrastructure and administrative systems, including third-party fundraising platforms, grant tracking processes, performance reporting, and operational support for audits, compliance, and organizational accountability.
Donor Stewardship & Engagement (25%)
- Designs and implements comprehensive stewardship policies that define standards for donor acknowledgement, recognition, and engagement across all giving levels.
- Maintains a comprehensive Stewardship Plan that accounts for all donor segments and scheduled communications, ensuring stewardship activities are delivered consistently and on time.
- Works in partnership with Vice President of Advancement to develop and implement donor recognition programs, naming opportunities, and stewardship initiatives that celebrate donor impact, strengthen donor relationships, and foster a culture of gratitude throughout the organization.
- Ensures systems and processes are in place to accurately track and steward recurring donors, including proper database coding, gift acknowledgements, and resolution of failed donations.
- Develops and maintains standards that ensure a consistent, meaningful, and donor-centered experience throughout the entire donor lifecycle, from acquisition and cultivation through stewardship and long-term engagement.
- Serves as the department’s lead resource for fundraising reporting and analytics by developing and maintaining reports, dashboards, and presentation materials that support the Vice President of Advancement, Board of Directors, committees, and workgroups in evaluating performance, tracking progress, and informing strategic decisions.
Event Strategy & Community Fundraising Alignment (20%)
- Provides strategic oversight and fundraising guidance to the Events & Community Fundraising Manager to ensure fundraising, stewardship, and community engagement events align with organizational priorities, donor engagement strategies, and annual fundraising goals.
- Partners with Vice President of Advancement to establish annual event goals, fundraising targets, performance metrics, and community engagement priorities.
- Provides strategic direction and performance evaluation for fundraising and community engagement events led by the Events & Community Fundraising Manager, including Storybook Ball, Giving Day/Radiothon, Legacy Society events, corporate parter events, and third-party fundraising initiatives, to ensure alignment with organizational priorities, donor engagement strategies, and fundraising goals.
- Partners with the Vice President of Advancement to analyze event outcomes, fundraising performance, and participant engagement data to identify trends, opportunities, and recommendations that support future growth and continuous improvement.
Leadership & Department Support (15%)
- Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for the Events & Community Fundraising Manager and Development & Events Coordinator, establishing clear goals, priorities, accountability, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Ensure staff are effectively trained and supported in donor operations, fundraising systems, stewardship practices, event management, and organizational procedures to achieve departmental objectives.
- Partner closely with the VP of Advancement and Director of Marketing & Corporate Partnerships to align departmental goals, fundraising strategy, donor stewardship, and community engagement initiatives with organizational priorities.
Education, Experience & Abilities
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, or related field.
- 5 + years of fundraising operations experience.
- Proven leadership in supervising staff and volunteers, with strengths in coaching and performance management skills.
- Advanced proficiency in Raiser’s Edge NXT (or similar CRM), gift processing, donor segmentation, and reporting.
- Strong project management and communication skills, with the ability to lead complex initiatives, engage diverse stakeholders.
- Knowledge of donor stewardship best practices, fundraising compliance, and data analytics, including dashboard development and impact reporting.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint), SharePoint, Teams and other tools.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with donor research and wealth screening tools (e.g. DonorSearch).
- Experience developing fundraising dashboards, analytics, and impact reporting.
- Familiarity with fundraising platforms such as Colorado Gives Day, Double the Donation, and planned giving software.
- Experience supporting major gifts, portfolio management, moves management, or planned giving programs.
- Experience working collaboratively with Development, Marketing, and Finance teams in a nonprofit environment.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to perform physical requirements of an office-based position, including sitting, standing, lifting up to 25 pounds on an occasional basis, and operating office equipment.
- Must be able to travel regularly between the Denver and Aurora Houses, vendor sites, meeting venues and other designated locations as needed.
- Ability to travel as needed, including occasional overnight and out-of-state travel, to support organizational priorities, conferences, meetings, fundraising initiatives, and professional development activities.
- Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings as needed for events
- Ability to handle typical noise conditions with working in an office environment.
This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position, with the expectation of working 40 hours per week. The general work schedule will be M-F, to include some evenings and occasional weekends. This position is eligible for all full-time benefits, including health, vision, dental, at 100% for employee only, long-term disability, life insurance, an EAP, and a retirement savings benefit (eligible after the waiting period), paid time off, and sick leave.
Our Culture at Ronald McDonald House Greater Denver is built on collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to our mission. We value diversity and encourage open communication, and we celebrate our successes together and support each other through challenges. Join us and be part of a team that is dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of families in need.
How to apply: Please submit a resume and a cover letter to careers@ronaldmcdonaldhousegd.org Position will be open until filled. No phone calls, please.
Ronald McDonald House Greater Denver provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Ronald McDonald House Greater Denver complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.
