National Development Director:

Position Profile

HNC Living Foundation (HNC) seeks nominations and applications to serve as the future National Development Officer. Over the past decade, HNC Living Foundation has distributed over $4 million in assistance to deserving cancer patients and the medical community that supports them across the United States.

Founded in 2013, HNC is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping head and neck cancer patients live life fully during and after treatment by providing financial aid. Our grants fund services and treatments that directly benefit head and neck cancer patients, throughout their treatment and recovery.

The Opportunity

HNC is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial, and hands-on National Director of Development to lead and expand the organization’s fundraising efforts on a national scale. This individual will be responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive national fundraising strategy that increases philanthropic revenue, strengthens donor engagement, and strengthens the organization for long-term sustainability.

This is a unique opportunity for a development professional who thrives in a builder role. The National Director of Development will serve as both strategist and executor—creating the plan, cultivating relationships, securing gifts, and establishing the systems and processes needed to scale a high-performing development function.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the ideal candidate will bring a strong track record in major gifts and national fundraising, exceptional relationship management skills, and the ability to operate effectively as a sole contributor while partnering closely with executive leadership and the Board of Directors.

Position Overview

This role is newly created and designed to expand HNC’s national development capacity. While the position carries strategic responsibility, it is also highly action-oriented. The National Director of Development will initially function as an individual contributor with responsibility for the full development lifecycle, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, pipeline management, and reporting.

The successful candidate will bring both vision and discipline—someone who can build a scalable national fundraising strategy while delivering near-term results.

Responsibilities of the National Development Director

Fundraising Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement a comprehensive national development strategy aligned with organizational priorities and growth objectives
• Establish annual and multi-year fundraising goals, including clear performance metrics and accountability measures
• Identify opportunities to diversify revenue across major gifts, individual giving, corporate partnerships, and foundations
• Create and manage a strategic fundraising plan with defined timelines and measurable outcomes

Major Gifts and Donor Engagement

• Build, manage, and grow a national portfolio of high-net-worth individuals and prospects
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors capable of making major and transformational gifts
• Develop tailored donor strategies to strengthen engagement, retention, and long-term giving
• Lead donor meetings, prepare proposals, and manage follow-up and stewardship activities

Corporate and Foundation Partnerships

• Identify and pursue funding opportunities with foundations, corporations, and mission-aligned partners
• Develop proposals, sponsorship opportunities, and grant submissions
• Build relationships with healthcare, life sciences, and other aligned sectors where appropriate
• Secure strategic partnerships that increase both revenue and organizational visibility

Board and Executive Partnership

• Partner with the CEO on fundraising strategy and key donor engagement
• Support Board members in their fundraising efforts through prospect identification, preparation, and coaching
• Leverage Board and leadership networks to open new donor opportunities
• Help strengthen a culture of philanthropy across the organization

Development Operations and Infrastructure

• Establish and strengthen development systems, including CRM usage, donor tracking, and moves management
• Build practical, scalable processes for donor stewardship, reporting, and campaign execution
• Monitor progress against goals and provide regular updates to leadership and the Board
• Recommend future development staffing and infrastructure as the function grows
• Travel as required for donor meetings, Board engagement, and organizational events

Desired Experience, Education, Skills and Knowledge

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 7–10+ years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts and growing philanthropic revenue
• Experience managing donor relationships from cultivation through stewardship
• Proven ability to work independently and drive results in a lean or entrepreneurial environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including proposal development and donor correspondence
• Experience working with executive leaders, boards, and external stakeholders
• Experience in fundraising for disease-focused, chronic illness, patient advocacy, or medical research organizations is highly preferred
• Experience building or scaling a development function or fundraising program
• Familiarity with national fundraising strategies and engagement across geographic markets
• Experience with CRM systems and donor databases

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate organizational priorities into clear, actionable fundraising plans
• Execution and Accountability: Delivers results with strong follow-through and attention to detail
• Relationship Management: Builds trust and credibility with donors, leadership, and partners
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Comfortable building systems and processes in a developing environment
• Communication: Effective, persuasive communicator with strong storytelling ability
• Mission Alignment: Demonstrates commitment to the organization’s purpose and those it serves

Compensation & Benefits

The projected compensation range for this opportunity will include a base salary in accordance with the background and experience of the selected candidate competitive with national levels for like positions. Compensation is supplemented by a benefits package that includes PTO, paid holidays, healthcare and 401(k) plan (when eligible) etc.

Application

CBIZ Talent Solutions is partnering with HNC Living Foundation on this important and exciting search. All calls and inquiries regarding this search should be made directly to the search firm. Nominations and applications will be held in confidence.

Interested candidates should email a current résumé or CV to:

Jessica Galbraith – Executive Search Consultant, Non-Profit
CBIZ Talent Solutions jgalbraith@cbiz.com
CBIZ is an Equal Opportunity Employer
CBIZ does not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other protected classification under the law.