Fund Development Senior Director

Build Relationships. Inspire Generosity. Strengthen Community.

Are you a relationship-builder who believes philanthropy can transform communities? Do you enjoy connecting people with causes they care about and turning those connections into meaningful, lasting impact?

The Whatcom Family Y is entering an exciting period of growth—including the beginning stages of developing a new YMCA facility that will expand our ability to serve the Whatcom County community for generations to come. We’re looking for a Fund Development Senior Director who will play an important role in building the philanthropic support needed to bring our mission and future vision to life.

Working closely with the Association Director of Advancement & Impact, CEO, Board members, volunteers, and Y leaders, you’ll help lead fundraising efforts across major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, grants, capital initiatives, and donor stewardship. 

This is an opportunity for an experienced development professional to strengthen an established culture of giving while helping build the relationships and philanthropic momentum behind one of the Y’s most significant periods of growth.

What You’ll Do

• Build meaningful donor relationships by cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and prospective supporters.
• Lead Annual Campaign efforts, including strategy, volunteer engagement, events, campaigner training, and progress toward fundraising goals.
• Grow corporate giving and sponsorships by developing relationships with businesses and creating opportunities for them to invest in the Y’s mission.
• Support capital campaign initiatives through prospect management, donor engagement, stewardship, communications, and volunteer support.
• Strengthen donor stewardship through thoughtful recognition, communication, reporting, and engagement strategies that encourage long-term support.
• Partner on grants with the Grants and Partnership Director to support a strong grant portfolio, compelling proposals, reporting, and renewals.
• Engage Board members and volunteers in identifying prospects, building relationships, and expanding philanthropic support.
• Manage donor data and insights as the primary administrator of our donor CRM, ensuring accurate records, gift processing, prospect tracking, reporting, and fundraising analytics.
• Build a culture of philanthropy by partnering with leaders throughout the Y to connect organizational priorities with funding opportunities.

What You Bring

We’re looking for someone who understands that successful fundraising starts with relationships, trust, and a genuine connection to mission.

You bring:

• Experience in fundraising, development, donor relations, advancement, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
  Demonstrated success cultivating and stewarding donors and asking for financial support.
• Strong relationship-building skills and confidence engaging donors, executives, Board members, volunteers, and community leaders.
• Experience with annual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, campaigns, grants, or other fundraising strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organization and project-management skills with the ability to move multiple priorities forward.
• Experience using donor databases or CRM systems and using data to inform fundraising strategy.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to inspire others around a shared mission.
• A commitment to ethical fundraising practices, donor confidentiality, and responsible stewardship.

Why the Whatcom Family YMCA?

The Whatcom Family YMCA is a growing nonprofit at an exciting moment in our history. As we continue serving children, families, and individuals throughout Whatcom County, we are also looking toward the future—including plans for a new YMCA facility that will significantly expand our ability to serve our community.

For a development professional, this means more than managing fundraising programs. It’s an opportunity to help build the philanthropic relationships and community support behind a transformational project—while strengthening annual giving and long-term investment in the Y’s mission.

Bellingham, Washington, is a community of 90,000 with the advantages of a larger city and the charm of a coastal town. Bellingham amenities include a robust arts scene, a thriving local and sustainable food movement, and ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia.

The relationships you build today can help shape what the YMCA looks like in Whatcom County for decades to come.

Our Commitment to Equity

At the YMCA, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are committed to eliminating barriers, creating welcoming and inclusive environments, supporting working families, and strengthening our community.