Development Director - Pittsfield - Berkshire Immigrant Center

Description

Berkshire Immigrant Center is seeking a full-time Development Director to lead and grow our fundraising program for a nonprofit with an annual operating budget under $1 million. The Development Director will strengthen development systems, cultivate new and existing donors, and diversify revenue streams.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Director will plan and execute the Annual Appeal, lead BIC's annual fundraising event, Beacon of Hope, and coordinate additional fundraising efforts. Responsibilities include writing and managing grants and grant reports, donor stewardship, and the donor database, while working closely with staff, board, and volunteers. The Development Director is supported by a part-time Development Assistant who helps with day-to-day development tasks and is supervised by the Development Director.

The role has a clear, community-facing impact. As immigration processes grow more complex, funds raised enable BIC to sustain and expand access to immigration legal services that are limited in Berkshire County and across the state; keep the community informed; and maintain responsive program offerings as needs change. Philanthropy keeps client costs low, supports free citizenship preparation classes, and increases pass-through assistance for basic needs such as rent, utilities, and application fees. It will also build BIC's long-term sustainability by growing our immigration legal capacity, statewide connections, and resources that uniquely position us to serve immigrant families.

This role combines strategy and hands-on execution, including crafting proposals and appeals, building donor relationships, marketing campaigns across multiple channels, and ensuring timely tracking, reporting, and acknowledgments. Fundraising at BIC is a shared effort: the Executive Director is actively involved in major-donor strategy, solicitations, and grants, and the Board supports cultivation and outreach. This is a hybrid position, and occasional evenings and weekends are required for special events.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to create an annual development plan and calendar aligned with the organizational budget, including an annualized fundraising breakdown and targets by revenue source.
• Meet regularly with the Executive Director to review progress against plan and budget, and adjust priorities and forecasts as needed.
• In alignment with the Strategic Plan, co-design a long-term development plan with the Executive Director and an external consultant.
• Plan and execute the Annual Appeal, and lead BIC's annual fundraising event, Beacon of Hope, coordinating staff, volunteers, and committees.
• Coordinate special campaigns and community-led fundraisers; serve as the primary liaison to community supporters hosting benefits for BIC.
• Partner with the Board to support development efforts including staffing the Development Committee and the Benefit Committee and providing regular fundraising progress reports.
• Expand the fundraising base by cultivating new donors and stewarding current donors; manage a personal portfolio of prospects and supporters.
• Set and maintain procedures for gift entry, acknowledgments, and reconciliation
• Oversee execution of timely acknowledgments to donors, including calls, emails, and formal thank-you letters, and maintain a consistent stewardship cadence.
• Research prospective funders; write and submit grant proposals and renewals; prepare required grant reports; and maintain strong relationships with grantors.
• Ensure the donor database is accurate and report-ready by contributing to maintenance with the Development Assistant, including contact and gift records, contact logs, queries, and reports.
• Coordinate with bookkeepers on gift processing and reconciliation, including reviewing QuickBooks postings and resolving payment disputes.
• Provide support, guidance, and content for email, social media, and other campaign messaging.
• Serve as an ambassador for BIC in the Berkshire community, cultivating relationships with faith-based organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders.
• Supervise the part-time Development Assistant, setting priorities, workflows, and regular check-ins.
• Provide fundraising support for pass-through funds including donor updates and reporting.
• Handle public relations by maintaining an up-to-date press list, draft and send press releases, and solicit press coverage as appropriate.
• Participate in staff meetings and collaborate across teams to support organizational goals.

Skills

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• 3-5 years of nonprofit development experience with hands-on execution preferred
• Proven success writing funded grants at $10,000+ and managing renewals and required reports
• Experience planning and executing an Annual Appeal and at least one signature fundraising event
• Donor portfolio management with a track record cultivating, soliciting, and closing 4-5-figure gifts
• Strong writing and editing skills for proposals, appeals, stewardship, and basic press materials
• CRM proficiency, including list segmentation, queries, and reporting
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office
• Basic finance coordination for development
• Experience supervising staff or volunteers
• Strong project management and prioritization skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with the Executive Director and Board
• Commitment to ethical, non-extractive storytelling, client confidentiality, and cultural humility in an immigrant-serving context
• Familiarity with Berkshire County and Massachusetts funders and community networks a plus
• Multilingual skills; Spanish proficiency is a plus

Not sure you meet 100% of the qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, but women tend to apply only if they meet 100% of them. Yet, people who are systematically marginalized tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. We encourage you to apply if you believe you could excel in this role.

We value diverse experiences. Whether returning from a break, transitioning, or advancing your career, we welcome your application.

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit their resume to with "Development Director" in the subject line. In lieu of a cover letter, please also submit answers to the following questions:

• How do you approach donor and grant storytelling for immigrant-serving work in a way that is accurate, dignified, and non-extractive? Share a brief example.
• Tell us about a fundraising initiative you planned and executed end to end at a small or mid-sized nonprofit. What was your role, what systems or tools did you use (CRM, calendars, stewardship plans), and what were the results? Please include specific outcomes if available.
• Tell us about a complex grants situation you managed, such as a tight turnaround or multi-partner grant. What steps did you take from prospecting through reporting, and what did you learn?

------

Berkshire Immigrant Center

The mission of the Berkshire Immigrant Center (BIC) is to advocate for the rights of all immigrants by helping them navigate the complex US immigration system with affordable legal services, local resources, and education. Berkshire Immigrant Center provides its clients with tools to help them overcome financial and cultural barriers, with the goals of strengthening civic engagement and creating equal opportunity for all.

BIC assists more than 800 individuals annually from more than 60 countries in several languages, and is the only nonprofit in Berkshire county recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice, allowing us to provide immigration legal services. BIC was founded in 1997 and in October 2021 became an independent 501(c)(3) organization.

The Berkshire Immigrant Center is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer with a long-standing commitment to celebrating diversity. BIC is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $72, $78,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person