Senior Director, Development and Institutional Partners

Position Title: Senior Director, Development and Institutional Partners

Organization: Junior Achievement of Greater Washington

Job Classification: Full-Time

Department: Development

Reports To: Chief Development Officer

Be a Part of Something Bigger! JA of Greater Washington is dedicated to teaching young people how to succeed in a global economy, serving more than 40,000 students in the Washington, D.C. area.

Join JA to grow professionally, work with a collaborative team, and contribute to an organization that supports work-life balance and growth opportunities.

Position Concept

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington (JAGW) is seeking a strategic, results-oriented, and highly accountable Director of Development and Institutional Partners to lead and grow our regional fundraising efforts. This high-profile role is responsible for facilitating approximately $3 million in annual revenue, focusing on corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and major gifts from individual supporters.

The Senior Director will oversee a portfolio supporting JAGW’s three Experiential Learning Centers (Finance Parks), five 3DE high schools, and the silent phase of a capital campaign in the District. This leader will manage a small team, drive moves management strategy, and serve as a key partner to the executive leadership team and Board of Directors.

The ideal candidate is a strong manager, a relationship-driven fundraiser, and a strategic thinker with a deep commitment to JA’s mission and a passion for delivering measurable results. They will champion operational excellence, ensuring clean, clear pipeline management and pristine data integrity across all development systems and processes.

Organizational Requirements

• Ability to pass a federal background check and be permitted to work in the presence of children prior to the first day of employment.
• Must reside in the Greater Washington region before the start date.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a small, high-performing team to achieve strategic objectives.
• Drive and oversee the organization’s moves management strategy to support growth and engagement.
• Partner with the executive leadership team, providing strategic input and operational support.
• Act as a liaison to the Board of Directors, ensuring alignment on priorities and fostering strong relationships.
• Lead development and execution of a comprehensive fundraising strategy to raise $3M+ annually for ELCs, 3DE schools, and operating expenses.
• Manage a portfolio of high-value corporate and foundation donors; focus on cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Oversee the grants pipeline, including proposal development, reporting, and compliance.
• Develop custom asks and proposals.
• Identify and grow new funding relationships to diversify revenue streams.

Operational Excellence & Data Integrity

• Champion a culture of data-driven decision-making and operational rigor across the development team.
• Maintain pristine donor records, pipeline tracking, and reporting systems to support transparency, forecasting, and strategic planning.
• Ensure all donor interactions and pipeline activities are accurately tracked in the CRM with high data cleanliness.
• Collaborate with the Chief Development Officer to implement and refine systems that support efficient workflows, accurate reporting, and clear accountability.

Leadership & Team Management

• Supervise and mentor 1–2 development team members, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and growth.
• Partner with the Chief Development Officer to set and track team goals, KPIs, and revenue targets.
• Serve as a thought partner to the executive leadership team on fundraising strategy and campaign planning.

Capital Campaign Support

• Support the silent phase of JAGW’s capital campaign, including prospect research, donor engagement, and case development.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure campaign alignment with organizational priorities.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a key liaison to JAGW’s Board of Directors and top-tier funders, providing regular updates and strategic counsel.
• Represent JAGW at donor meetings, events, and community engagements across the region.

Education and Experience

Required

• 7+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit development, with a strong track record in corporate and foundation fundraising.
• Experience managing a team and leading moves management strategies.
• Demonstrated success in securing six- and seven-figure gifts.

Professional Skills/Abilities

Required

• Strong grant writing and reporting skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• High level of ownership, accountability, and commitment to meeting revenue goals.
• Proven ability to maintain clean, accurate, and actionable data in CRM systems.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust with senior executives, board members, and funders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 or similar CRM platforms.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Copilot to enhance productivity, reporting, and donor engagement.
• Local travel required
• Passion for JAGW’s mission and a desire to lead with purpose.

Preferred

• Knowledge of the DC business landscape.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to talk and hear.
• Hybrid work schedule with operational flexibility to meet business needs.
• Local travel in the Greater Washington area is required.
• Willingness to work outside standard hours; some travel may be required.
• Benefits include 100% company-paid medical/dental/vision coverage, group life insurance, and a 401(k) with JAGW contribution after two months.
• Paid Parental Leave for full-time employees with at least one year of service.
• Paid volunteer time off; generous PTO with tenure.
• Observe federal holidays and year-end holiday periods.

Equal Opportunity

JAGW is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, disability, sex, age, ethnic or national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or presentation, pregnancy, genetics, veteran status or any other status protected by state or federal law.

Next Steps

Please email a cover letter and resume to jagwjobs@ja.org and reference the position title in the subject line. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No phone calls, please.