Director of Development & Community Engagement

Organizational Overview

Kol Ami is a warm, welcoming, and dynamic Jewish congregation located in Tucson, Arizona. Formed through the unification of Temple Emanu-El (the first synagogue in Arizona) and Congregation Or Chadash, Kol Ami continues to honor a rich legacy while also charting a vibrant, inclusive future. With a diverse membership of approximately 600 families and a thriving school, Kol Ami embraces spiritual growth, life-long learning, social justice, and community-building. The congregation’s vision focuses on engaging members in Jewish life, deepening connections with each other, and fostering a positive impact on the broader Tucson community.

Position Summary

The Director of Development & Community Engagement will evaluate, create, lead, and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies and activities for Kol Ami. This individual will cultivate and steward relationships across the congregation to secure gifts at all levels, emphasizing major gifts, legacy planning, and sustained annual support. The Director will collaborate closely with the Executive Director, clergy, and lay leaders to ensure alignment of development goals with Kol Ami’s mission and strategic priorities. This position is for 75% time, and is hybrid (several days per week will be onsite.)

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Fundraising Strategy & Execution

• Create and Implement Fundraising Plans: Develop annual and multi-year fundraising plans that support Kol Ami’s mission, vision, and financial goals.
• Major Gifts & Planned Giving: Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward current and prospective donors with significant giving potential (immediate, planned, and endowment gifts).
• Annual Giving & Special Campaigns: Oversee annual fund drives, direct mail, online giving, and special campaigns or events that enhance donor participation and retention.
• Grant Opportunities: Identify and steward potential opportunities and collaborate or supervise grant writing consultant’s activities and reporting.

2. Donor Relations & Stewardship

• Relationship Management: Build and sustain meaningful relationships with congregants and community members, focusing on long-term engagement and support.
• Donor Recognition: Develop new, implement, and refine current recognition programs to acknowledge donors at every level.
• Donor Communications: Collaborate with the communications team to produce donor-facing materials that highlight giving opportunities and impact stories.

3. Collaborative Leadership & Board Engagement

• Team & Volunteer Leadership: Provide guidance to staff, lay leaders and volunteer committees engaged in fundraising initiatives.
• Board Collaboration: Partner with the Board of Trustees and relevant committees to shape development strategies and present regular progress updates; attend Board meetings as needed.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with clergy, senior leadership, and programming staff to align development goals with synagogue activities and outreach efforts.

4. Operational & Financial Oversight

• Budget Management: Develop, maintain, and monitor annual and project-specific budgets in collaboration with the finance department.
• Data & Reporting: Oversee donor management software (CRM) to track solicitation progress, manage donor profiles, and produce key performance metrics for leadership.
• Policies & Procedures: Establish clear documentation and processes for recording and administering donations, pledges, acknowledgments, and related compliance requirements.

5. Marketing & Community Outreach

• Institutional Visibility: Promote Kol Ami’s mission and philanthropic goals through creative marketing campaigns, social media, website content, newsletters, and community outreach.
• Event Coordination: Oversee planning and execution of fundraising events (gala dinners, community gatherings, donor receptions) in collaboration with staff and volunteer committees.
• Community Engagement: Represent Kol Ami in external networks and at community functions to cultivate new relationships and partnerships.

Required Experience, Skills, and Abilities

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in philanthropy, marketing, nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field is preferred; a master's degree is highly preferred.
• Fundraising Experience: Eight to ten years of development/fundraising experience with a proven track record of securing major gifts and growing donor relationships.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Strong leadership, management, and people skills; demonstrated success in motivating teams and volunteers.
• Relationship-Building: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to engage, cultivate, and steward donors at all levels.
• Communication: Superior verbal and written communication abilities, including experience writing successful proposals, grants, and solicitation materials.
• Strategic Thinking & Execution: Ability to think strategically while also managing day-to-day tasks; adept at goal setting, budgeting, and measuring outcomes.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency with donor databases/CRM, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and willingness to learn new technology.
• Mission Alignment: Familiarity with Jewish traditions or willingness to learn; a commitment to the values and mission of Kol Ami.

Other

• Integrity & Confidentiality: Unwavering commitment to handling confidential information with discretion and maintaining high ethical standards.
• Community-Centered Mindset: Enthusiasm for engaging with a diverse congregational community; ability to represent Kol Ami positively within Tucson’s broader Jewish and interfaith communities.
• Flexibility & Adaptability: Comfortable multitasking and adjusting to changing priorities in a fast-paced, community-focused environment.

Application Instructions

Please submit a cover letter, résumé, and contact information to [email protected]

Kol Ami is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and congregants. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.