Development Director Jobs in Tennessee
Development Director jobs in Tennessee are in strong demand, with consistent openings concentrated in nonprofit fundraising, higher education, healthcare systems, and community development organizations at levels from entry-level development associate through senior vice president of development. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville lead hiring activity, anchored by large institutions like Vanderbilt University, HCA Healthcare, and United Way chapters across the state. The most sought-after specialties include major gifts, grant writing and management, and planned giving. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Development Director JobsOverview
Open roles66
Top employerVanderbilt University
Top cityNashville, TN
Cities hiring13
Work type41% On-site
Top industryHealthcare
Showing 5 of 66+ Development Director jobs
Director Of Development
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Added 3d ago
The Salvation Army
Director Of Development
Nashville, Tennessee
Added 3d ago
Executive Director of Training and Leadership Development
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Added 3d ago
YMCA of Middle Tennessee
Executive Director of Training and Leadership Development
Nashville, Tennessee
Added 3d ago
Associate Director - Employer & Industry Development (Engineering)
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Added 4d ago
Vanderbilt University
Associate Director - Employer & Industry Development (Engineering)
Nashville, Tennessee
Added 4d ago
Director of Mentoring & Distance Scholar Development - Graduate School - UTK
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Added 4d ago
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Director of Mentoring & Distance Scholar Development - Graduate School - UTK
Knoxville, Tennessee
Added 4d ago
W
Director Of Staff Development
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W
Added 4d ago
Waverly Hills Post Acute
Director Of Staff Development
Waverly, Tennessee
Added 4d ago
Added 3d ago
Director Of Development
The Salvation Army·Nashville, Tennessee
Job functions:
$80k - $95k/yr
Bachelor's degree in public relations
5,001-10,000 employees
Job Description
JOB SUMMARY:
Administers, leads, and supervises the Development Department and monitors an aggressive Direct Fund Raising Program under the direction of an Area Commander; develops and secures funds to reach/surpass fund-raising goals through a variety of financial development vehicles including 1) individual gifts and individual donor upgrading, 2) corporate gifts and sponsorships, 3) foundation support for specific programs and projects, 4) government grants, and 5) capital campaigns, and 6) special events; plans and administers an annual development budget; performs public speaking to promote awareness and financial support for Salvation Army programs.
- Plans develops, implements, administers, and sustains an aggressive Financial Development Plan, which includes all areas of development operations, including public relations/marketing, direct mail, grant writing, donor cultivation, major gifts, and board development. Supervises development team, giving them direction and setting goals.
- Meets with Area Commander to identify program funding needs; prepares strategic plan with short and long-range goals to meet The Salvation Army’s funding objectives; enlists support from the Army’s staff, board, supervising headquarters, and volunteer organizations.
- Supports and oversees the Development and Communications Relations Manager in all activities during the course of any special event, including solicitation of donors and attendees to all special events; monitoring the writing, designs, and arranging of production mailers, envelopes, donor cards, return envelopes, advertising, incentives, promotional supporting materials, and programs; develops and manages mailing list database; manages all incoming response mail and donations; coordinating volunteer leadership and workers in completing special events.
- May supervise secretarial support personnel; ensure the efficient and productive workflow of the financial development office; instruct and train personnel in the proper methods and procedures; plans, schedules, and assigns work; review, monitor, and inspect work in progress and upon completion; motivates and evaluates employee performance.
- Develops the annual Financial Development Program budget; administers the affairs of the position within the approved budget; prepares special financial reports as requested.
- Coordinates the operation of fund-raising appeals and activities, including preparation of appeal letters, selection of donor criteria, development of methods for increasing direct mail appeal response, and working closely with mailing service firms to ensure productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency.
- Researches and initiates a fund-raising strategy to develop corporate gifts and sponsorships for special programs and projects; contacts corporations to identify corporate representatives responsible for donor solicitation; cultivates and maintains an effective working relationship with corporate officials
- Maintains awareness of current government legislation; reviews government publications to identify special funding available through government grants; in cooperation with the Program Director and Grants Manager, obtains and completes grant applications to acquire funds; reviews and monitors grant stipulations and requirements to determine if The Salvation Army is eligible to receive funds; monitors the use of resulting funds to ensure compliance with government regulations.
- Research grant-making foundations, endowments, and corporations through library, internet, and software resources; identify potential grantors based on interests and application requirements as well as program and budget needs.
- Solicits grantors for guidelines and background information; reviews same information and determines whether or not grantor's goals match Salvation Army program goals; targets grantors most likely to award funds to The Salvation Army; compiles comprehensive data on grantors to develop a database and annual grants calendar.
- Researches program and financial needs within the organization; research program and service statistics and details for inclusion in the grant application and proposal materials
- Composes compelling program summaries as justification for grant requests, detailing a persuasive plea for support while entailing a fully documented course of data on the organizations' operations.
- Provides thank you recognition, donation acknowledgment, and tax documentation for all gifts raised; maintains contact with donor over course of the year with cursory and direct mailings informing them of program and organizational needs.
- Researches, identifies, and cultivates large donors; corresponds with potential donors, keeping them abreast of organizational activities and program funding needs.
This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Advertising, Public Relations, Business Administration, or other related field,
Five years experience performing development and fund-raising activities,
or
Any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of the principles and practices of non-profit community relations and development functions.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of grant research, applications, and administration.
Knowledge of donor cultivation methods and techniques.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of budgeting and financial planning.
Knowledge of the effective principles and practices of donor database management.
Knowledge of fundraising and special event planning, techniques, and practices.
The Salvation Army
Director Of Development
Nashville, Tennessee
Added 3d ago5,001-10,000 employees
Job functions:
$80k - $95k/yr
Bachelor's degree in public relations
Job Description
JOB SUMMARY:
Administers, leads, and supervises the Development Department and monitors an aggressive Direct Fund Raising Program under the direction of an Area Commander; develops and secures funds to reach/surpass fund-raising goals through a variety of financial development vehicles including 1) individual gifts and individual donor upgrading, 2) corporate gifts and sponsorships, 3) foundation support for specific programs and projects, 4) government grants, and 5) capital campaigns, and 6) special events; plans and administers an annual development budget; performs public speaking to promote awareness and financial support for Salvation Army programs.
- Plans develops, implements, administers, and sustains an aggressive Financial Development Plan, which includes all areas of development operations, including public relations/marketing, direct mail, grant writing, donor cultivation, major gifts, and board development. Supervises development team, giving them direction and setting goals.
- Meets with Area Commander to identify program funding needs; prepares strategic plan with short and long-range goals to meet The Salvation Army’s funding objectives; enlists support from the Army’s staff, board, supervising headquarters, and volunteer organizations.
- Supports and oversees the Development and Communications Relations Manager in all activities during the course of any special event, including solicitation of donors and attendees to all special events; monitoring the writing, designs, and arranging of production mailers, envelopes, donor cards, return envelopes, advertising, incentives, promotional supporting materials, and programs; develops and manages mailing list database; manages all incoming response mail and donations; coordinating volunteer leadership and workers in completing special events.
- May supervise secretarial support personnel; ensure the efficient and productive workflow of the financial development office; instruct and train personnel in the proper methods and procedures; plans, schedules, and assigns work; review, monitor, and inspect work in progress and upon completion; motivates and evaluates employee performance.
- Develops the annual Financial Development Program budget; administers the affairs of the position within the approved budget; prepares special financial reports as requested.
- Coordinates the operation of fund-raising appeals and activities, including preparation of appeal letters, selection of donor criteria, development of methods for increasing direct mail appeal response, and working closely with mailing service firms to ensure productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency.
- Researches and initiates a fund-raising strategy to develop corporate gifts and sponsorships for special programs and projects; contacts corporations to identify corporate representatives responsible for donor solicitation; cultivates and maintains an effective working relationship with corporate officials
- Maintains awareness of current government legislation; reviews government publications to identify special funding available through government grants; in cooperation with the Program Director and Grants Manager, obtains and completes grant applications to acquire funds; reviews and monitors grant stipulations and requirements to determine if The Salvation Army is eligible to receive funds; monitors the use of resulting funds to ensure compliance with government regulations.
- Research grant-making foundations, endowments, and corporations through library, internet, and software resources; identify potential grantors based on interests and application requirements as well as program and budget needs.
- Solicits grantors for guidelines and background information; reviews same information and determines whether or not grantor's goals match Salvation Army program goals; targets grantors most likely to award funds to The Salvation Army; compiles comprehensive data on grantors to develop a database and annual grants calendar.
- Researches program and financial needs within the organization; research program and service statistics and details for inclusion in the grant application and proposal materials
- Composes compelling program summaries as justification for grant requests, detailing a persuasive plea for support while entailing a fully documented course of data on the organizations' operations.
- Provides thank you recognition, donation acknowledgment, and tax documentation for all gifts raised; maintains contact with donor over course of the year with cursory and direct mailings informing them of program and organizational needs.
- Researches, identifies, and cultivates large donors; corresponds with potential donors, keeping them abreast of organizational activities and program funding needs.
This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Advertising, Public Relations, Business Administration, or other related field,
Five years experience performing development and fund-raising activities,
or
Any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of the principles and practices of non-profit community relations and development functions.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of grant research, applications, and administration.
Knowledge of donor cultivation methods and techniques.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of budgeting and financial planning.
Knowledge of the effective principles and practices of donor database management.
Knowledge of fundraising and special event planning, techniques, and practices.
See All 66 Development Director Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Development Director JobsDevelopment Director Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Memphis
7 jobsFranklin
3 jobsKnoxville
3 jobsChattanooga
3 jobsPowell
1 jobClinton
1 jobJackson
1 jobNewport
1 jobWaverly
1 jobBrentwood
1 jobKingsport
1 jobMount Juliet
1 jobDevelopment Director Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Education
- Non-Profit & Social Services
- Chemicals & Materials
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in development director jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field required
- Proven fundraising experience with major gifts, corporate sponsorships, or grant procurement
- Demonstrated ability to build and manage a donor portfolio and donor database systems
- Experience leading and supervising development staff, volunteers, and campaign committees
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for donor outreach and board presentations
- Familiarity with fundraising platforms such as Raiser's Edge, Salesforce Nonprofit, or similar CRM
Development Director Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a development director in Tennessee?
Most development director roles in Tennessee require a bachelor's degree, typically in nonprofit management, communications, business, or a related field, along with progressive fundraising experience. While Tennessee does not issue a state license for this role, many employers favor candidates who hold the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential, administered by CFRE International. Building a record of successful major gifts campaigns or grant management at Tennessee nonprofits, universities, or healthcare systems is the most direct path to a director-level position.
Which companies hire development directors in Tennessee?
Employers hiring development directors in Tennessee right now include Vanderbilt University, OneOncology, and Lipscomb University, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Tennessee's dense network of nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and academic medical centers means hiring is spread across the state, not limited to a single sector.
Which Tennessee cities have the most development director jobs?
Nashville, Memphis, and Franklin have the most development director openings in Tennessee. Nashville dominates due to its concentration of large nonprofits, hospital systems, and universities, while Memphis draws hiring from its anchor institutions in healthcare and community development, and Knoxville benefits from the University of Tennessee and a growing regional nonprofit sector.
Are there remote development director jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, though they're less common than in purely desk-based fields because development directors often attend in-person donor events, board meetings, and fundraising galas. About 59% of development director openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements more prevalent than fully remote. Grant writing and donor communications work tends to be the most location-flexible portion of the role.
How can I get hired as a development director in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is starting as a development associate or annual giving coordinator at a Tennessee nonprofit, university, or hospital foundation, then building toward a director role over several years. Large Tennessee institutions such as Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the Tennessee State University Foundation, and United Way of Greater Nashville regularly hire entry-level development staff. Earning the CFRE credential or completing a Certificate in Nonprofit Management through a Tennessee university can accelerate advancement, as can lateral moves from marketing, communications, or grant writing roles.
Where can I find and apply to development director jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to development director jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings across nonprofits, healthcare systems, universities, and community organizations. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly without creating an account or signing up.
See All 66 Development Director Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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