Description
The Role
The Director of Development leads Save Sight Now’s fundraising strategy and execution, with a primary focus on major gifts, sponsorship, and event-based revenue. Working closely with the Executive Director and Board, this role will strengthen donor relationships, expand revenue opportunities, and help shape the organization’s event strategy.
This is a highly hands-on builder role for an experienced development leader who is comfortable in a founder-led environment and capable of turning relationships into revenue. In addition to leading Save Sight Now’s annual gala, this person will help develop a broader event platform over time while driving outreach, follow-up, sponsorship, and donor momentum day to day.
This person is also expected to bring structure to the development function, including clear communication, pipeline tracking, follow-through, and accountability. We are looking for someone who can create order, keep priorities moving, and reduce reliance on founder-driven coordination.
About Save Sight Now
Save Sight Now is a California-based, Bay Area parent-led nonprofit focused on funding urgent, translational research to develop treatments for Usher syndrome type 1B—a rare inherited retinal disease and the leading genetic cause of combined deaf-blindness in children. Our work is centered on disciplined, clinic-oriented science, and we collaborate closely with industry partners, researchers, and patient families to accelerate credible pathways toward human clinical trials.
- Founded in 2019, Save Sight Now was initially fiscally sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness and transitioned to full independence in 2025. To date, we have raised over $3 million to support early translational efforts and strategic research programs. As our work advances toward clinical readiness, the organization is entering a critical growth phase that requires professional fundraising leadership to meaningfully expand revenue and support the next stage of scientific impact.
Requirements
Major Gifts & Donor Strategy
- Build and manage a major donor pipeline
- Develop donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies in partnership with the Executive Director and Board
- Coordinate donor outreach, meetings, follow-up, and asks
- Help deepen relationships with existing supporters while identifying and qualifying new major donor prospects
Events, Sponsorship & Revenue Growth
- Own Save Sight Now’s annual gala as the organization’s primary fundraising event
- Help define and build a broader event-based fundraising strategy beyond a single annual event
- Identify, shape, and support additional donor-facing events that can deepen relationships and create meaningful revenue opportunities
- Develop and manage sponsorship strategy, outreach, closing, and fulfillment
- Partner with leadership on table sales, donor engagement, and event-related fundraising strategy
- Lead planning and fundraising execution for events, while working with provided support for week-of logistics and graphic design
Fundraising Strategy & Execution
- Develop and own SSN’s annual fundraising plan and revenue targets, centered on major gifts, sponsorship, and events
- Help set development priorities in partnership with leadership and the Board
- Present plans, pipeline progress, and revenue updates to leadership and the Board
- Drive execution directly and bring structure to internal communication, donor tracking, follow-through, and accountability
Secondary / Supporting Responsibilities
- Support grant strategy and institutional funding efforts as appropriate, including helping prioritize opportunities and coordinating with outside grant writers or scientific leadership
- Help ensure donor records, reporting, and stewardship systems are organized and reliable
- Recommend and help manage lightweight fundraising support resources as needed
Who This Role Is For
- 10+ years in nonprofit development, philanthropy, or fundraising leadership
- Proven experience closing major gifts and leading successful fundraising events
- Strong ability to work closely with founders, boards, and senior stakeholders
- Comfortable operating in a hands-on, entrepreneurial environment without large internal infrastructure
- Able to balance strategy with execution and willing to personally drive the work forward
- Strong in internal organization, communication, follow-through, and accountability
- Mission-driven, with interest in science, healthcare, or rare disease preferred
- Preferred software: ClassyPro, Bloomerang, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, Google, and Slack
Details
- Time Commitment: ~30–35 hours per week
- Structure: Contract, embedded leadership role
- Compensation: $11,500–$13,000 per month (based on scope and experience)
- Location: Remote (West Coast preferred)
Contact
- If this role sounds aligned — or if you know someone exceptional who might be a fit — please reach out: Email: info@savesightnow.org
