Description

JOB POSTING

Organization: 4th Trimester

Job title: Director of Development

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Exempt, Full-time, Hybrid

Compensation: $100,000 - $110,000

How to apply:

Please submit your cover letter and resume via this form: https://forms.gle/ui1tuVurFMoU3gPQ6

About the organization:

4th Trimester is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit providing postpartum care in California and along the U.S.-Mexico border. We support families through essential items, emotional and financial support, and advocacy, ensuring no parent navigates the fourth trimester alone.

At 4th Trimester, we believe the weeks and months after birth should be a time of deep care. We’re a nonprofit organization changing how new mothers and birthing people experience the postpartum period. We’ve been through the trenches ourselves and know how isolating it can feel without enough support. We serve those most often left behind by traditional systems, including low-income, immigrant, asylum-seeking, and disaster-impacted families. 

We started simply with a few mothers supporting others after birth, providing recovery supplies, diapers, and a listening ear. As our community grew, we learned more about what families truly need. Over the past two years, we’ve expanded our focus to include mental health support, economic assistance, and advocacy. The name ‘4th Trimester’ reflects our bold belief that this tender stage of life matters, enough to refer to it as a separate ‘trimester’ with its own set of important needs. 

We currently have a full-time staff of four, a Board of Directors with 7 members, and we work with independent contractors including fundraising, accounting, events production, HR, and bookkeeping, as well as with our local Mexican contractors in Tijuana, including our Program Facilitator and psychologist. 

Summary: 

The Director of Development is a full-time, Pasadena-based senior leadership role responsible for leading all development efforts at 4th Trimester. This pivotal position, and the organization’s first dedicated Development leader, plays a key role in shaping and executing the organization’s fundraising and growth strategies to engage stakeholders, expand annual revenue, and advance our mission to improve postpartum outcomes.

This role oversees all development operations—including strategy, donor stewardship, institutional relationship management, development marketing, solicitation, and fundraising events. Reporting to the Executive Director, and working closely with the Board Chair, staff, and external consultants, the Director should demonstrate a proven track record in cultivating donor relationships, securing individual and institutional gifts, and enhancing overall fundraising capacity.

A passion for storytelling and community engagement is essential, alongside an innovative approach to fundraising strategies. The ideal candidate is driven, highly organized, excited to be a part of a small and highly-motivated team, and deeply committed to women’s and maternal health.

Essential job functions & responsibilities:

Fundraising and Strategy

In collaboration with the Board Chair and Executive Director, develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising plan that aligns with organizational goals
Cultivate, solicit, and steward a diverse portfolio of major donors and prospects, fostering long-term relationships
Conduct prospect research to identify new major donor, foundation and corporate opportunities; analyze donor and prospect giving patterns to inform strategies
Develop and manage annual development calendar outlining campaigns, grant deadlines, stewardship touchpoints, and major events
In collaboration with the Senior Director, Branding & Marketing, execute individual giving campaigns, including annual giving, recurring donations, major gift solicitations, and planned giving initiatives 
Maintain and refine personalized engagement strategies for individual donors, including stewardship, recognition, and impact communications
Oversee targeted outreach and campaigns to engage new individual donors and deepen relationships with existing supporters
Lead efforts to identify and cultivate major donors, ensuring high-level engagement and gift closure
Prepare briefing materials and follow-up strategy for Executive Director and Board Chair donor meeting to support successful donor cultivation and solicitation
Design, implement and lead institutional fundraising initiatives, including grants, foundation partnerships, government funding, and corporate sponsorships
Manage all GrantStation Portal, grant applications, reporting, and compliance to ensure timely and accurate submissions
Maintain and expand relationships with current funders while proactively identifying new opportunities for support
Write, review, and submit grant proposals, reports, and other funding requests, ensuring alignment with funder priorities
Track and report on the impact of grants and institutional gifts to ensure compliance and continued support

Leadership and Management

Set clear departmental goals, monitor progress, and provide reporting
Serve as a key strategic advisor to the Executive Director and Board of Directors, participating in organizational planning and growth initiatives
Oversee the Development department’s budget, forecasting and managing expenses in support of strategic objectives
Ensure all fundraising practices meet ethical standards, government compliance and nonprofit regulations
Lead revenue forecasting and scenario planning in partnership with the Finance consultant, Executive Director and Board Chair

Donor Relations and Stewardship

Working in collaboration with the Manager of Volunteer and Community Engagement to sustain a robust donor stewardship program, impact updates, and recognition 
Create and manage individualized donor engagement plans to guide intentional stewardship strategies, tracking donor retention and re-engagement strategies
Maintain accurate donor data, leveraging Virtuous to track interactions, giving history, and ongoing reporting
Works with Administrative Assistant to provide timely acknowledgments and maintain receipting strategies

Events and Marketing

Leads strategy, staff and contractors in execution of fundraising and cultivation events, including annual Holiday Soiree and possible future gala fundraising events
Collaborate with Senior Director, Marketing and Branding to implement strategic Development communications, year end campaigns, and volunteer recruitment outreach 
Works with Program staff to align stories, data and impact metrics for storytelling, strengthening grantwriting, reporting, donor proposals and stewardship
Represent 4th Trimester as a passionate spokesperson and ambassador with donors, at public engagements and community events

Board of Directors and Executive Support

Provide Board of Directors with regular updates on fundraising progress and results, and support Board efforts in Development activities 
Facilitate Board development and engagement, including major gift solicitations, Board dues, and volunteer involvement

Reporting and Data

In collaboration with Manager of Programs and Operations, oversee Virtuous donor database integrity and internal systems to support effective data management and reporting
Collaborate with Executive Director and Finance consultant to develop revenue projections, monitor progress toward financial goals, and plan future strategies  
Cultivate and maintain relationships with foundation and institutional funders, leading grant proposals and reporting efforts

This role will have one part-time direct report, with the possibility of increased supervisory responsibilities.

Benefits: 

Subsidized Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
401(k) plan
Mobile phone stipend ($40/month) 
Computer stipend, if not provided company computer ($70/month)
Professional Development stipend ($300/annual)
Holidays observed: New Year’s Day (or adjacent day, as observed), Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (or adjacent, as observed), Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Day After Thanksgiving, Christmas Day (or adjacent, as observed) 
Five (5) days of paid sick leave provided per calendar year
Unlimited PTO, with supervisor approval

Requirements

Qualifications:

Minimum of 6-10 years of development professional experience with demonstrated track record in major gifts and individual giving
Expertise in development strategy and nonprofit best practices
Experience in managing and developing budgets and maintaining financial projections
Demonstrated experience in institutional giving and grantwriting 
Demonstrated ability to build and manage cross-functional teams; experience supervising direct report staff and/or contractors and volunteers
Experience with web-based contact databases (CRM); being familiar with Classy and Virtuous is desired
Demonstrated meticulous attention to detail, ability to multitask and prioritize competing projects
A proactive and self-starter nature
Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including storytelling that translates to compelling donor messaging; English required, Spanish a plus
Interest in reproductive health, women’s rights, and immigration rights is desired

Work environment: We welcome a dialogue about any accommodations that would enable individuals with disabilities or other access needs to perform the essential functions. 

Hybrid: This role requires a supportive virtual workspace, reliable internet connection, and cellular service – software, subscriptions, and licenses needed to use the company's work tools are covered by 4th Trimester
This role requires working in person at 4th Trimester’s office in Pasadena on a flexible schedule
Full-time, 40-hour work week, to be worked between Monday through Friday; some evenings and weekends required due to events and activities. Schedule to be flexible and approved by the Executive Director
Performance review approximately 90 days from start date; subsequently at six month intervals