Senior Director, Development

Position Overview

This senior leadership role will set and execute the integrated fundraising strategy for the Rainforest Alliance across government, multi-lateral, foundation, and corporate partnerships. The position is responsible for exceeding ambitious revenue targets, leading high-performing teams, and building a diverse, sustainable funding pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Revenue Leadership

• Set and lead the integrated fundraising strategy across government, multi-laterals, foundations, and corporate partnerships, spanning unrestricted, restricted, and programmatic revenue.
• Exceed annual and multi-year revenue targets across both portfolios.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of the highest-value foundation and corporate prospects, with a focus on 7-figure and transformational, multi-year commitments.

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Institutional Relations and Strategic Partnerships functions, fostering a successful, accountable, and collaborative culture.
• Build organizational fundraising capacity and ensure consistent processes, tools, and standards across the Institutional Relations and Strategic Partnerships functions.

Pipeline Development & Portfolio Management

• Oversee the build-out and diversification of a revenue-generating portfolio across government, foundation, and corporate accounts.
• Analyze market trends, segment potential opportunities, and create new leads for both restricted and unrestricted revenue.
• Lead the Institutional Relations and Strategic Partnerships pipeline, ensuring accurate prioritization and updates in Salesforce.

Value Proposition & Partnership Design

• Direct the design of compelling unrestricted and restricted cases for support, donor and partner collateral, and philanthropic offerings tailored to foundation and corporate audiences—including corporate foundations, CSR, and sustainability teams.
• Innovate and test new models of revenue generation, including challenge funds, corporate champions circles, corporate social impact investments, blended finance, and pooled funds.
• Partner with the Rainforest Alliance's global experts to design standardized pitches, philanthropic offerings, and mission-based materials, and create engagement opportunities such as donor roundtables, networking events, and panel representation.

Proposal & Deal Leadership

• Oversee the proposal and deal development process for prioritized opportunities across unrestricted and programmatic funding.

Cross-Organizational Collaboration

• Collaborate with internal departments to identify co-funding opportunities and develop public–private–philanthropic partnerships.
• Represent the Rainforest Alliance at senior external meetings, events, and industry convenings.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in business administration, international development, sustainability, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, business development, corporate partnerships, sales, consultancy, or sustainable development, including team leadership.
• Experience securing both foundation philanthropic funding and corporate unrestricted and restricted partnerships, including 7-figure and multi-year commitments.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing successful fundraising teams.
• Experience with sustainability, ESG, systems change, and global development market trends.
• Experience working within global organizations.
• Experience moving donors and partners through a cultivation pipeline and meeting revenue targets.
• C-suite experience, with the ability to work diplomatically and cross-culturally with diverse, senior stakeholders.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally on occasion.