[Hiring] Director of Development @PowerLines

Role Description

PowerLines is in a period of significant organizational growth and seeks a full-time Director of Development, the first full-time fundraising professional at the organization, to build and lead a major donor fundraising program capable of scaling to more than $5-10 million in annual philanthropic support. This role will build the organization’s development strategy from the ground up and serve as a strategic partner to the Founder and Executive Director in expanding PowerLines’ philanthropic base. The Director of Development will lead strategy and execution for major philanthropic support, with a focus on major gifts, family foundations, family offices, donor advised funds (DAFs), and high-net-worth (HNW) individuals.

This role will serve as a force multiplier that enables PowerLines to expand its programs, shape policy, and improve energy affordability for consumers. Note: If you are not in a position to pursue a full-time development role, PowerLines is also hiring a part-time Philanthropic Advisor.

The Director of Development is a remote position, with travel of up to 30% expected. The Development Director will work closely with and report directly to the Founder and Executive Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and Lead PowerLines’ Fundraising Strategy
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy focused on family foundations, family offices, donor advised funds, and high-net-worth/ultra-high-net-worth individuals
  • Collaborate with executive leadership to integrate fundraising goals with organizational planning and budgeting
  • Maintain relationships with institutional funders for PowerLines
• Lead Generation and Prospect Cultivation
  • Identify and research new potential donors with capacity and affinity to support PowerLines
  • Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective donors through thoughtful cultivation plans
  • Research and vet new prospective donors that are identified through PowerLines’ participation in conferences and events
  • Support Founder and Executive Director in funder meetings, pitches, and other fundraising opportunities, including development of briefing materials, as needed
  • Convert PowerLines' policy and media wins into actionable fundraising opportunities
  • Lead planning and execution of PowerLines dinners, small gatherings, and other events to support fundraising
  • Attend conferences and events with the objective of meeting new prospective donors
• Donor Stewardship and Relationship Management
  • Manage stewardship and renewal of existing foundation, family office, and individual donor support, ensuring timely and meaningful engagement
  • Make direct asks for potential funder contributions
  • Build authentic, long-term relationships with funders through regular communication, thank-you notes, follow-ups, events, and personalized outreach
  • Oversee development-related communications including donor updates, briefings, memos, newsletters, and impact reports
• Proposal and Pitch Development
  • Lead development of grant proposals for family foundations, family offices, donor-advised funds, and high-net worth individuals in collaboration with Founder and Executive Director
  • Oversee grant lifecycle after initial development, tracking reporting requirements, amendments, and renewals as needed
  • Collaborate with other PowerLines team members to prepare compelling materials—presentations, concept papers, proposals, budgets, and reports—that reflect PowerLines’ mission and strategic priorities
• Development Infrastructure and Team Building
  • Design and implement systems that can scale as the development team grows
  • Support onboarding and mentoring of additional fundraising staff as hired
  • Develop databases, CRM, and processes to ensure efficient and accurate tracking of donor relationship
  • Maintain accurate records in PowerLines’ donor relationship system

Qualifications

• 8+ years of fundraising experience with a demonstrated record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts from family foundations, family offices, DAFs, and HNW individual donors. Experience fundraising within the energy, consumer advocacy, democracy, public policy, or other nonprofit spaces is a plus.
• Strong relationships with family foundations, family offices, DAFs, and HNW individual donors
• Experience managing significant donor portfolios
• Strong degree of comfort in making direct asks
• Proven skills in donor stewardship and cultivation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong strategic thinker with the ability to connect the dots between PowerLines’ programmatic objectives and donor interests, motivations, and priorities
• Experience crafting compelling pitch decks, concept notes, and proposals for family foundations, family offices, DAFs, and HNW individual donors
• Strong emotional intelligence skills, including the ability to understand what motivates prospective donors
• Capacity to thrive in an early-stage, fast-paced, dynamic, and uncertain startup environment, including an ability to identify priorities, function independently, and operate with tight timelines
• A passion for advancing PowerLines’ mission of modernizing the utility regulatory system to lower utility bills and grow the economy through a consumer-centered lens

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO
• Paid holidays
• Health insurance
• 401k employer match
• Sick leave
• Health and wellness benefits