Fast Facts

Leading Educators seeks a Senior Director of Development to transform educational systems through strategic leadership and fundraising expertise. In this remote role, you will lead initiatives that secure multi-million-dollar donations and foster donor relationships, impacting teaching and learning across the nation.

Responsibilities: Lead targeted projects to improve coherence in educational systems, manage project execution, and enhance client relationships within the Leading Educators team.

Skills: Proven fundraising experience, major donor cultivation, team leadership, exceptional communication, and proficiency in donor management systems (preferably Salesforce).

Qualifications: 10+ years of experience in major gifts and institutional funding, strategic fundraising leadership, and knowledge of philanthropic trends.

Location: Remote position based in the United States with moderate travel required for organizational retreats, donor meetings, and professional development.

Compensation: $127487 - $172483 / Annually

What We Do

At Leading Educators (LE), we know that excellent teaching is the most important driver of student success. The moment a student steps foot in the classroom, their opportunity to learn depends on how prepared their teacher is to translate complex content knowledge, standards, and their knowledge of that student into lessons that help them learn deeply and apply their thinking to the real world.

That’s a big lift, and it often happens alone. As a national nonprofit, we partner with school systems to overcome persistent instructional challenges, foster intentional collaboration and adult learning by design, and ignite new possibilities through systemic solutions at the intersection of teaching, talent, and technology.

We work shoulder-to-shoulder with educators at every level of the education system to strengthen their instructional and leadership practices, bring a vision for excellent instruction to life with consistency, and ensure every student reaches their full potential.

Through direct support, strategic advising, innovation pilots, and best-in-class research, we help educators work toward a future where every student is ready to thrive. Learn more about our work at leadingeducators.org.

Candidate Application Deadline: 9/14/2025

Position

Imagine a role where your strategic leadership can transform educational systems, where every project you touch has the potential to reshape how schools support teaching and learning. As our Director of System Strategy, you'll be a change agent who bridges innovative thinking with practical implementation. This position is designed for a dynamic leader who can rapidly learn, adapt, and drive complex projects forward. You'll be responsible for leading targeted, short-term projects that focus on understanding and improving the coherence within state and local school systems, directly impacting how educational organizations develop, implement, and refine their strategic approaches to teaching and learning.

As the primary project lead, you'll be the driving force behind project execution from inception to completion. This means translating complex contract requirements into explicit, progressive actions, coordinating across the Leading Educators team, and managing critical client relationships. You'll work closely with the Senior Director of System Strategy, leveraging your expertise to navigate challenges, explore innovative solutions, and create meaningful change in educational systems.

Do you have expertise in…

• Major donor strategy and institutional giving, including securing and stewarding multi-million-dollar philanthropic commitments
• Building and leading high-performing fundraising teams that meet and exceed ambitious revenue goals
• Developing corporate partnerships that align with mission-driven initiatives
• Fundraising strategy development, including identifying sustainable revenue streams and mitigating risks in a shifting philanthropic landscape

Do you enjoy…

• Building transformational donor relationships that drive long-term impact
• Leading a team of fundraising professionals, fostering collaboration, accountability, and innovation
• Developing compelling fundraising materials, including proposals, case statements, and pitch presentations
• Collaborating cross-functionally with program and partnerships teams to align fundraising with strategic priorities

If you've answered affirmatively to these questions and meet the following prerequisites, we urge you to seize this opportunity. This role calls for the following:

• Proven fundraising expertise with 10+ years of experience securing major gifts, institutional grants, and corporate funding for mission-driven organizations.
• Demonstrated success in donor cultivation and stewardship, with a strong track record of engaging, soliciting, and retaining major funders.
• Strategic leadership and team management experience, including coaching and developing high-performing fundraising professionals.
• Deep knowledge of philanthropic trends and revenue diversification strategies, with the ability to design and execute multi-year fundraising plans in collaboration with executive leadership and board members.
• Exceptional communication and data-driven approach, skilled in storytelling, crafting compelling proposals, and leveraging donor management systems (Salesforce preferred) to inform strategy and forecasting.

Travel Requirements

This is a remote position that requires moderate travel

• National travel for org retreats, programming, job related travel, donor meetings or professional development 
• Outside of the above mentioned travel, this person will work from a home office that must be located anywhere within the U.S. 

Why Work at Leading Educators? 

Imagine being part of an organization where your ideas and perspectives are highly valued. At Leading Educators, we believe in fostering individual strengths, encouraging personal growth, and embracing innovative ideas. If you thrive in a remote working environment, with the added excitement of travel, we're the perfect fit for you. By joining us, you become part of a powerful community of peers nationwide. Regardless of your location, you possess the power to make a significant impact on both students and teachers who rely on us daily. Join Leading Educators and become an integral part of driving progress in education. 

Learn About Our Mission & Values:

Mission:Leading Educators partners with school systems to sustain the teaching, leadership, and conditions for every student to succeed in school and in life.

Values:

• Build on strengths: We affirm and begin with the unique and collective talents, experiences, and wisdom of ourselves and others.
• Continuously learn: We develop ourselves and others. We apply new learning and deepened self-awareness to our relationships and practices.
• Prioritize people: We build trust and reflect on the impact of different perspectives and experiences.
• Champion success for all: We re-imagine structures, habits, and mindsets to ensure every learner has access to evidence-based learning opportunities.

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation: If hired for this position, the base salary range is $127,487 to $172,483 per year. Most new hires enter the range at a specific point based on their qualifications and the role level. For this position, the standard starting salary is $149,985, which is based on meeting the minimum requirement of 8 years of relevant experience. If you have more than 8 years of directly relevant experience, your starting salary may be adjusted higher within the range, up to a maximum starting salary of $159,627. This approach ensures that candidates with additional experience beyond the minimum are recognized in the initial salary offer.
• Benefits: 100% paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for individual employees. Additional premium costs are covered 60% by Leading Educators for partners and dependents on medical, dental, and vision plans. 4% matching 401k plan, Flexible Spending Accounts for medical, childcare and commuter expenses, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Benefits are valued at or above $9,000 for employees.
• Time Off: 
• First three years of employment, full time staff accrue 22 days a year. 
• Five additional days are accrued after the third and sixth year of employment.
• Leading Educators also offer 16 additional paid days off for various holidays, including three floating holidays staff may use at their discretion.

Equal Opportunity Employment 

Leading Educators is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Apply: https://leadingeducators.org/careers/opportunities