– Director Of Development & Fundraising (Stamford)

Director of Development
Overview
The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) is seeking a driven and passionate Director of
Development.
The Director of Development will lead fundraising efforts for the organization and work to expand
unrestricted revenue to support team and program growth. This role will report to and closely partner
with the CEO to strengthen relationships with external stakeholders and donors across the state. This
is an amazing leadership opportunity to work with a driven, highly motivated, and engaged team to
provide the tools and resources to help women thrive in business.

WBDC is currently operating in a hybrid model. This position will be based in WBDC’s Stamford office
and will support our work across the state. Travel to our offices in Stamford, New Haven or New
London, as well as other locations across Connecticut will be required on a regular basis. The salary
range for the role is $120,000 to $130,000 plus benefits.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Director of Development will create and deploy a fundraising strategy to achieve WBDC’s
strategic plan, including growing and diversifying sustainable funding streams for the
organization. Leveraging great relationship-building and prospect-cultivation skills, this role will
have a heavily external-facing component; a key responsibility of the Director of Development
will be to attract funders and other stakeholders to the work and impact of WBDC and seize on
new opportunities and partnerships. WBDC is viewed as a specialist in business and economic
policy across the state and is regularly called upon by members of the legislature and
governor.

The Director of Development will lead a team of three, including a Development Manager,
Development Assistant, and Grant Writer. Additionally, this leader will manage vendor relations
to include a long-time event fundraising consultant. WBDC’s current budget is over $4M, and
its revenue is primarily comprised of federal and state grants, event earnings and
sponsorships, foundation and corporate grants, and individual donations. This role will work to
diversify WBDC’s portfolio, focusing on areas of opportunity for the organization such as
building out an individual giving program. This will require performing research and outreach to
initiate and then cultivate new relationships, networks, and partnerships.

This leader works closely with the CFO to ensure funding is identified and applied across
organizational functions, and with the program team to ensure programmatic commitments are
achieved. This individual works closely with the Board and the Board Development Committee
to fundraise and educate the community about WBDC’s work and impact across the state of
Connecticut.

Responsibilities of this role include:

• Overseeing all development efforts and partnering with senior management team

• Establishing fundraising/revenue generation goals tied to the organization’s strategic
• Leading special fundraising projects and events

communication efforts targeted towards individual, foundation, corporate, and
government stakeholders

• Identifying and addressing areas of development improvement and needs by

• Special projects as needed
• Perform other duties as required

Qualifications

WBDC is looking for a multifaceted, independent, driven, and passionate Director of Development who
can diversify the organization’s revenue and position its budget for growth. The ideal candidate will be a
great communicator and strategist, leveraging an entrepreneurial spirit to research, reach out to, and
cultivate new relationships with new partners on behalf of the organization. Some of the qualifications
for this role include:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent development experience
• 5+ years of leadership experience, holding progressively responsible positions in development,

About Us
Headquartered in Stamford with regional offices in New Haven and New London, the Women’s
Business Development Council (WBDC) is the statewide leader of entrepreneurial education for
women. WBDC’s mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities
through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and
businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates and empowers women to achieve
economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained more than
16,670 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain and scale over
12,500 businesses, create and maintain over 25,880 jobs in Connecticut, and access more than $28.7
million in capital. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.

WBDC offers a competitive benefit package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance,
a retirement plan, paid time off, and holidays, in a supportive working environment.

How We Operate

We are a team of 30 talented individuals who collectively deliver outstanding results through a high
level of passion and commitment.

Please apply if you:

• Thrive in a fast-paced environment, and are comfortable with change
• Prosper in a culture of teamwork and growth, and value collaboration
• Can multi-task, and jump between projects
• Possess an Entrepreneurial Mindset – creative, motivated, enthusiastic, and energetic
• Are highly detailed and demonstrate a strong sense of urgency in setting and meeting deadlines
• Can work independently, and see the big picture while working in the day-to-day
• Take initiative, and are willing to go above and beyond to achieve results

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email their cover letter, and resume to [email protected]. Please list
WBDC DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT in the e-mail subject line. No phone inquiries.

Disclaimer

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed
by the employee in this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all
responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

WBDC, Inc. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

WBDC is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity
employer. We welcome qualified applicants to receive consideration for employment without regard to
race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics,
disability, age, or veteran status.