Director of Donor Acquisition and Special Events F/T

The typical starting salary range for this position is: $82,173-$103,291

Pay will commensurate with qualifications & experience

Benefits Overview:

• Paid Time Off: Paid vacation time based on position classification and hours worked (accrual rates increase with tenure), 3 personal days annually for eligible roles, up to 40 hours of accrued paid sick leave per year, and 9 paid holidays.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical coverage (including a High Deductible Health Plan option with employer HSA contributions), dental coverage, and vision insurance. Employees can participate in a Gym Reimbursement program to earn up to $30 per quarter.
• 100% Employer-Paid Insurance: Basic Life and AD&D insurance (1x annual salary up to $150,000) and Short-Term Disability coverage (60% of earnings up to 26 weeks) for eligible employees.
• Retirement Plan: Voluntary pre-tax 403(b) retirement savings plan available upon hire, with employer contribution eligibility after meeting age and service milestones.
• Employee Assistance & Financial Support: An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free, confidential counseling, financial, and legal services to employees and adult household members. An Emergency Fund Program offers financial assistance for natural disasters, medical emergencies, or personal bills.
• Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement (up to $3,000 per year) for eligible positions after one year of service for approved job-related coursework and degree programs.
• Voluntary Perks: Supplemental health plans with annual wellness incentives, plus voluntary employee and dependent life insurance.
• Additional Perks that may apply: 30% employee shopping discount, university tuition discounts, and bonuses for employee referrals and loss prevention.

SUMMARY

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director of Donor Acquisition and Special Events is a critical leadership role responsible for the strategic, effective, and scalable growth of both retail donated goods volume and philanthropic giving across the organization. This position leads business development efforts, strategic partnerships, corporate giving, and donation acquisition programs to generate consistent revenue and donation streams while overseeing the complete operation, development, and implementation of the Agency’s special events. The ideal candidate possesses strong strategic development and negotiation skills, multi-site or logistical operations experience, and a deep passion for community impact. The role works closely with Retail, Transportation, Marketing, and Operations leadership to ensure reliability of service and execution.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Retail Donation Acquisition & Strategic Partnerships

· Develops and executes a comprehensive donation acquisition strategy to increase donor access and overall retail donated goods volume.

· Builds and maintains strategic partnerships with businesses, corporations, municipalities, property owners, and community organizations to create recurring retail donation streams.

· Identifies, pursues, and secures new donation channels, reverse logistics, and growth opportunities across assigned markets.

· Oversees all retail donation acquisition programs including mobile collections, donation boxes, trailers, home pickups, and community donation drives.

· Coordinates with Transportation and Operations to ensure route alignment, scheduling, and service execution meet operational capacity.

Fundraising Development & Special Events Management

· Drives the expansion of philanthropic revenue streams, including monetary donations, major gifts, and planned gifts.

· Spearheads fundraising initiatives and campaigns to support ongoing programs.

· Directs the strategic planning, operation, implementation, and rigorous evaluation of the Organization’s special events.

· Ensures appropriateness and absolute alignment of all donor communications to support the overarching development strategy.

Agency Awareness & Community Outreach

· Serves as a primary ambassador for the organization, increasing visibility within the Connecticut region and building robust relationships with local partners.

· Partners closely with Programs and Marketing to coordinate mission-focused storytelling initiatives and campaigns.

Leadership & Operational Administration

· Provides leadership, coaching, oversight, and professional development for Donation Acquisition and event support staff.

· Establishes clear performance expectations and holds team members accountable for measurable results.