Director of Development

Location:San Francisco Bay Area

(Hybrid role with 12 days per week in person to support team collaboration, relationship-building, and organizational culture. Regular travel to San Francisco and San Jose required.)

Reports to:Executive Director

Status:Full-time, Exempt

Start Date:May 2026

Starting Salary: $145,000

About Minds Matter Bay Area

Minds Matter is a national nonprofit organization that connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world. Since 1991, every Minds Matter student across the country has been accepted to a four-year college helping to address the widespread issue of college undermatching. Their success is rooted in holistic programming and a unique, volunteer-powered model that fosters deep, long-standing relationships between students and mentors.

Founded in 2010,Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay)is one of 14 chapters in the national network. To date, MMBay has graduated more than 250 students100% have been accepted to four-year colleges, and75% attend some of the most selective institutions in the country.

Our free weekly programming is delivered by a powerful network of volunteers who mentor, teach, and walk alongside students on their journey to and through college. We are driven by equity, relationships, and a deep belief in the brilliance and potential of our students.

Learn more atwww.mindsmatterbay.org.

Position Overview

The Director of Development is a senior, hands-on fundraising leader with a proven track record, responsible for owning and executing Minds Matter Bay Areas fundraising strategy and results. This role leads a comprehensive fundraising program supporting an annual goal of approximately $1.3M and plays a key role in advancing the organization toward its next stage of growth as part of a $2M+ organization, in alignment with MMBays strategic plan.

Operating within a lean, highly collaborative organization, the Director of Development holds significant ownership and influence, leading and mobilizing volunteer fundraising teams and partnering closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and Associate Board to drive results. While fundraising success is a shared organizational responsibility, the Director of Development is the primary owner of fundraising planning, coordination, tracking, and progress toward revenue goals.

The Director of Development provides leadership and direction to MMBays Associate Board, a highly engaged team of 50+ professionals who play a critical role in fundraising, donor engagement, and organizational visibility. The Associate Board serves as a core fundraising engine and collaborative partner, providing significant capacity and momentum behind MMBays development efforts.

Another key component of this role is leading the strategy and execution of School Night, MMBays annual fundraising gala and largest single fundraising initiative. The Director of Development serves as the primary staff lead for School Night, collaborating closely with the Executive Director, Board, and Associate Board to ensure strong results, shared ownership, and an excellent donor and volunteer experience.

As a member of MMBays senior leadership team, the Director of Development serves as a key thought partner to the Executive Director, bringing fundraising and donor expertise into strategic planning and helping translate organizational priorities into actionable fundraising, donor, and partnership strategies. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys both leading and doing, values strong systems and follow-through, and thrives in a highly collaborative, relationship-centered environment.

Fundraising Accountability and Scope

The Director of Development is accountable for leading and achieving Minds Matter Bay Areas annual fundraising goals, currently totaling approximately $1.3M, while playing a central role in advancing the organization toward its next stage of growth. A core priority of this role is helping to scale MMBays fundraising over time, with the aspiration of building toward a $2M+ organization in alignment with MMBays strategic plan and organizational capacity.

Success in this role will be measured by progress toward fundraising goals, strength of donor and volunteer engagement, quality of systems and execution, and effective partnership with staff and board leadership.

Core Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy and Leadership

• This role has authority to design and execute fundraising strategies and initiatives, in alignment with organizational priorities and in partnership with the Executive Director.
• Develop, manage, and adjust the …