Director of Advancement

Description

Book Harvest, an award-winning national children’s literacy nonprofit, is seeking a Director of Advancement to lead our individual and corporate fundraising and help power our next chapter of growth. In this Director-level role, you will blend strategic vision with authentic, trust-based relationship building to grow our Founders Circle major gifts program, deepen our corporate partnerships, and help build the team and systems that take both further.

This is a full-time, Director-level role based in Durham, NC, with roughly 40–50% of time in the office and much of the rest in the community meeting donors and partners. The schedule is primarily Monday–Friday, with some evenings, weekends, and regular travel across North Carolina.

About Book Harvest

Book Harvest is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization based in Durham, NC, with an ambitious mission: books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. Since 2011, Book Harvest has placed more than three million books in the hands of children and families, grounded in the belief that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished with books.

Book Harvest is now at a defining moment. The organization is embarking on a national movement to realize a home library for every child starting at birth,  and is building the research, policy, and field infrastructure to support this ambition. With revenue goals of $11M+ in 2027 and programmatic reach expanding nationally, this is an organization accelerating toward national impact.

Who You Are

You are a strategic, relationship-first fundraiser who believes that great philanthropy is built on joy, trust, and shared purpose. You can sit across from a six- or seven-figure donor with warmth and credibility, then turn around and translate your pipeline into a clear revenue forecast for the CFO. You know that donors give to impact they can see, so you design experiences that let them witness it firsthand.

Collaborative, organized, and driven, you are equally at home in a donor living room, a corporate boardroom, and a weekly pipeline review. You are a strategic thought partner to leadership, a generous colleague, and a visionary excited to build a high-performing advancement team supporting our vision of literacy and justice for all.

Where We Are Headed

Today, individual and family philanthropy (36 major donors giving $3.5M+ in gifts of $10,000 or more in 2025–26) powers more than a third of Book Harvest’s annual revenues. As Director of Advancement, you will grow major individual giving to $4M+ by December 2027, grow and sustain corporate revenue at 13–15% of the annual budget, and continue building the team and systems to take both further.

You will report to the National Director of Advancement and will supervise select advancement staff in the future. You will collaborate closely with the C-Suite team and board members.

What You’ll Do

• Grow the Founders Circle and individual giving (30%): In partnership with the CEO, lead and grow the Founders Circle, our signature major gifts program, with a personal portfolio of top donors and prospects. You will develop and execute a strategy to grow major individual gifts by $1M+ annually, reaching $4M+ by December 2027, with benchmarks for financial and relationship milestones. You will design custom donor journeys, site visits, and experiences so donors witness the joy and impact their investment makes possible, and partner with the CEO, board members, and the National Director of Advancement on cultivation and solicitation strategies for six- and seven-figure gifts. You will also shape the strategy for our spring and year-end appeals, sustaining-donor growth, and the foundations of a planned giving program.
• Direct our corporate partnerships ( 25%): Lead a multi-year corporate engagement strategy that secures 13–15% of annual revenue (projected $800K+ in 2027) locally, regionally, and nationally. You will oversee sponsorship packages and benefits fulfillment for signature initiatives, including and especially the Dream Big Book Drive and Summer Block Party, and cultivate and steward executive-level corporate relationships that align partners’ CSR goals with our mission. In partnership with the Volunteer Manager, you will grow employee giving, matching gifts, cause-marketing campaigns, and corporate volunteer experiences as entry points to deeper investment.
• Advance strategy and support the team (25%): Serve as a thought partner to the National Director of Advancement, contributing to the annual advancement plan, revenue goals, and departmental priorities, which the National Director of Advancement sets and approves. You will manage the team’s weekly rhythm of pipeline reviews, moves management, and shared calendars for proposals, reports, appeals, and events. You will also translate pipeline activity into short-, mid-, and long-term revenue forecasts, working with the National Director of Advancement and partnering with the CFO as directed. 
• Strengthen advancement operations and culture (15%): Review proposals and reports for alignment and excellence, and write or co-write priority submissions. You will partner with program colleagues to capture the outcomes and stories that show funders the impact of their investment, identify new funding opportunities that advance our goals for scale and policy influence, and maintain and improve SOPs, prospect research, and reporting so the team runs on clear, repeatable systems.
• Embody our mission and culture (5%): Participate in all-staff meetings, retreats, and program visits, pursue ongoing professional development, and champion our Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion (DEBI) commitments across the team’s practices and partnerships.

What You’ll Bring

• Fundraising Expertise: 7+ years of nonprofit fundraising or similar experience, with a proven track record of securing and sustaining five- to seven-figure gifts. You have strong experience across prospecting, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Relationship Building: An exceptional ability to build authentic, trust-based partnerships with donors, board members, and community leaders, and to engage C-suite executives and corporate leaders.
• Strategic Vision: Experience designing and executing fundraising plans that align with organizational goals and values.
• Communication Skills: Superior written and verbal communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate through storytelling.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with donor database systems (Virtuous or similar) and strong Google Suite and Microsoft Office skills.
• Core Competencies: You lead with integrity and emotional intelligence, cultivate a culture of learning, and institutionalize equitable practices that advance DEBI goals. You articulate strategy persuasively to executives and external stakeholders, build and lead high-performing cross-functional teams, direct complex project portfolios toward measurable results, make sound high-stakes decisions, lead through change with agility, and develop long-term strategies grounded in foresight.

Requirements

Who Should Apply

At Book Harvest, we believe those who are affected most by literacy injustice must be centered in the work that we do, both inside and out. We prioritize applications from individuals who have lived experiences of our programs or who come from the communities we serve, and we strongly encourage applications from candidates who may not have seen themselves reflected in books and stories as a child.

We recognize that talent comes from many backgrounds and experiences. If you meet most of the qualifications above and are excited about this work, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t match 100% of the list. We do not require college degrees. 

Total Rewards

At Book Harvest, we believe in radical transparency, deep equity, and taking exceptional care of our team.

• Salary Range: $87,100-$105,000
• Our Equity-First Pay Model: Compensation is tied to your experience and dedication, not your negotiation skills. To eliminate systemic pay gaps, we never ask for salary history and do not negotiate offers. Instead, we use a predictable, step-based model that rewards your increasing tenure with dollars. Salary ranges are tied to market costs and are adjusted on a regular basis.
• Health & Wealth: 100% employer-sponsored healthcare (with elective dental, vision, disability, and life) and a 401(k) with an automatic 3% employer contribution (no match required).
• Time Off: Generous PTO, plus dedicated paid family leave and rewarding sabbatical leaves.
• Growth & Culture: Professional development funds, a flexible schedule, and a purposeful workplace where your work directly impacts children and literacy equity.

Hiring Process: Resume and cover letter required. The hiring process will include application questions, a phone call, a minimum of two interviews, a work assignment, and reference checks.  Learn more at bookharvest.org/careers.

Priority Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026.  Applications received after this date will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis.

Target Start Date: January 2027