Ghost Ranch seeks a seasoned Director of Development to lead and grow our fundraising strategies. This full-time, exempt role oversees a three-person development team, advances a capital campaign, and expands philanthropic giving.
Responsibilities include major donor cultivation, foundation and grant development, annual fund management, campaign strategy, donor stewardship, and team leadership. This role collaborates closely with the CEO, Board, and Campaign Cabinet. Experience with capital campaigns, fundraising software (Raiser’s Edge NXT preferred), and leading diverse fundraising teams is essential.
The Director of Development works in partnership with Ghost Ranch’s leadership to oversee fund-development tactics that will support the operations, growth, and long-term sustainability of the Ranch. The Director will manage a team of development professionals to implement the work (currently including an Annual Giving Manager, Grants Manager, and Development Associate). The Director will have reliable, enthusiastic partners in Ghost Ranch’s CEO, Board of Directors, and Campaign Cabinet. The Ranch’s committed leaders understand and act on fundraising as a top organizational priority; they are willing advocates, connectors, and champions for the Ranch’s mission.
Primary Responsibilities
Fund Development Strategy and Planning: Develop and implement a comprehensive plan for raising funds for the organization. Focus efforts to increase financial support to the organization by broadening the base of individual supporters. Ensure that decision-making is informed by data and that all initiatives have a clear plan, timeline, and measurable goals. Ensure the fundraising budget and activities align with the organization’s needs and goals.
Development Operations: Manage multiple projects and establish and manage priorities, goals, and timelines. Maximize use of Raiser’s Edge NXT to track all cultivation and solicitation activities. Create and manage the annual budget of the development department. Ensure an infrastructure that is efficient and effective for giving to Ghost Ranch. Develop a protocol for consistent factual reports for use by Ghost Ranch staff and leadership to show progress toward goals and success of cultivation/solicitation activities.
Capital Campaign: Schedule, attend, and support all capital campaign planning and Campaign Committee meetings. Conduct ongoing prospect research. Manage and maintain records of cultivation strategies, evaluations, solicitations, contact reports, and results of all contacts with campaign prospects. Maintain records regarding campaign gifts and pledges, including payment schedules and pledge reminders.
Development and Fundraising Tactics: Employ fundraising tactics and tools to achieve Ghost Ranch’s fundraising goals and objectives. Oversee team to create and implement fundraising activities for:
Annual fund
Major giving
Foundation and corporation gifts/grants
Planned and endowment giving
Team Management: Motivate and manage a three-person development team. Provide guidance, training, support, and positive feedback to ensure high performance by each team member in meeting fundraising objectives and goals.
Donor Engagement and Stewardship: Create and implement a stewardship plan that incorporates standard and timely acknowledgments via email, postal mail, and phone calls from staff and development committee, as appropriate. Collaborate with peers on the Leadership Team to expand usage of Ranch facilities to support development through special events, outings, or explorations with artists, historians, scientists, clergy, and scholars.
Public Relations: Serve as a dynamic spokesperson for the organization with Ghost Ranch guests, and at public, community, or special events as needed. Ensure that the organization’s brand and voice are accurately reflected in all development materials.
Key Attributes
You value and practice a hands-on approach and are willing to roll up your sleeves and work alongside your team to accomplish both short-term tasks and the long-term mission.
You are a professional leader who works collaboratively toward a strategic vision, builds networks, creates plans, and ensures accountability for success.
You communicate effectively in a direct yet compassionate manner to drive engagement, while listening actively and instilling trust.
You show up every day committed to the mission, ready to tackle any challenge, and you genuinely enjoy working in a team to manage the unexpected.
Qualifications
Required:
Five years or more in a leadership role with proven success empowering a team. Ability to build relationships across difference and foster an inclusive culture.
Five years or more of leading fundraising for an organization and/or leading fundraising teams.
Experiences should include:
major donor development, cultivation, and solicitation;
working collaboratively to increase funding; and
forming fundraising strategies and planning.
Proven experience in capital campaign leadership and implementation.
Proven understanding of and experience with donor databases and systems.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, given the need to interact with many different stakeholders (board members, donors, staff, and guests).
Preferred:
Bachelor’s or Master's degree in relevant field
CFRE
Professional experience with grant-writing, planned giving, and endowments
Ghost Ranch, a historic and mission-driven retreat and education center, is seeking a highly skilledand passionate Director of Development to propel a capital campaign to completion and to expandphilanthropic giving toward a sustainable future. This role bridges strategy and execution—ideal for asenior-level professional who wants to partner with a community of exceptionally loyal supportersand collaborative colleagues in a transformative environment.
Ghost Ranch sits on 21,000 acres of beautiful, northern New Mexico land, which inspires our mission to steward a place of great beauty and nurture the human spirit and mind. Staff, volunteers, and board members are guided by values of sustainability, inclusivity, equity, creativity, and spirituality (www.ghostranch.org). Ghost Ranch welcomes day visitors and overnight participants from across the region, the United States, and the world.
Position details
The Director of Development reports to the CEO and serves on the Leadership Team. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a target hiring range of $85,000-92,000, commensurate with experience. The role will include some weekends, holidays, and evening hours as well as travel. A hybrid work arrangement may be considered with at least a few days per week on site in Abiquiu. Ghost Ranch offers an excellent benefits package of medical insurance, retirement savings, and student loan assistance. Benefits also include paid annual leave, sick leave, holidays, and community service. Lunch is provided daily in our Dining Hall and staff are encouraged to participate in one Ghost Ranch workshop annually. We are committed to practicing supportive management and work/life balance.