Employment/FLSA Status: Full-Time/Exempt

Target Salary: $85,000 to $115,000/yr. + discretionary bonus opportunity

About Besa

Besa is on a mission to transform the volunteer experience by bringing the community together in meaningful, impactful ways. Besa is an Albanian term that means "to keep the promise," and more than a decade into its work, Besa is keeping its promise to Central Ohio. Since launching in 2012, our team has rallied 98,000 volunteers, giving 245,000 hours through 15,000 service projects, and has facilitated $97M in community impact. By connecting individuals with opportunities to give back, we strengthen the very fabric of our community - building lasting relationships and contributing to the overall well-being and resilience of Central Ohio.

About the Role

Besa launched 13 years ago with an operating budget of $25,000. We’ve since scaled to a $2M+ organization with 15 team members, and now we're looking to set the stage to scale again. To get there, we need to build new funder relationships - both with traditional philanthropic donors and through our social enterprise with businesses looking to engage their workforce in volunteer programs - while nurturing the relationships that have brought us this far.

The Sr. Director of Advancement is central to making this happen. In this role, you'll manage a portfolio of funders, cultivating current relationships while bringing new ones to the table through in-person visits and strategic asks. Key to success: balancing traditional philanthropic fundraising with business partnership development, making asks from small to large, converting connections into committed partners, and staying focused on nurturing transformational relationships alongside a visionary founder and team who care deeply about how we show up for the community.

Primary Responsibilities

• Portfolio Management & Fund Development
  • Manage a portfolio of individual donors and business partner prospects, including those with capacity for gifts of $10,000 and above
  • Practice moves management through the full donor lifecycle: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and renewal
  • Make in-person visits with current, past, and prospective funders primarily in the Central Ohio region
  • Qualify and assign prospects from the donor pool into appropriate portfolios
  • Document all funder interactions and activities in HubSpot
• Fundraising & Relationship Development
  • Make direct asks for financial contributions, sponsorships, and business partnerships - from small gifts to six-figure commitments
  • Develop proposals and close business partnership agreements that align corporate engagement goals with Besa's mission
  • Partner with the program team to steward business partnerships through regular check-ins from onboarding through renewal
  • Engage funders through Besa volunteer events and cultivation activities
  • Nurture relationships across board leadership and staff to support advancement goals
• Campaign Execution & Strategy
  • Supervise and support the Sr. Advancement Coordinator, providing day-to-day guidance, coaching, and accountability to ensure strong performance and professional growth
  • Collaborate to strengthen workflows, documentation, and systems that support sustainable growth

  • Undertake additional duties as assigned, contributing flexibly to the dynamic needs of the organization

Our Ideal Candidate

• Experience & Track Record
  • 5+ years in nonprofit fundraising and/or social enterprise, with a proven track record of achieving revenue goals
  • Experience working in growth-oriented organizations with $1M-$5M budgets
  • Demonstrated success in making asks and securing financial commitments - from small donations to six-figure investments
  • Background in earned revenue models, sales, or social enterprises, with a strong ability to cultivate business partnership relationships
• Skills & Capabilities
  • Experience leading or mentoring direct reports, with a commitment to developing others and building a high-performing team
  • Exceptional relationship-building skills with donors, businesses, and key stakeholders - you know how to deepen current relationships while building new ones
  • Strong project management abilities, with the capacity to balance multiple initiatives simultaneously
  • Exceptional storyteller and communicator - you craft narratives that bring Besa's impact to life in proposals, reports, and donor communications
  • Proficient in HubSpot, Kindful, or similar CRMs, leveraging data to enhance donor and partner engagement
  • Experience preferred with EOS Traction framework for goal-setting, accountability, and organizational alignment
• Mindset & Approach
  • Focused on relationships and the game we play, not just the scoreboard
  • Takes "no" with grace and resilience, ready to always get back on the bike
  • Collaborative leader - you're energized by partnership
  • Committed to strengthening systems and processes that support sustainable growth

  • All in on Besa's mission to strengthen our community through volunteerism

• Regularly use a computer and engage with co-workers in both office and virtual environments.
• Frequently stand or sit to complete work, with occasional lifting and movement of up to 40 pounds.
• Reliable transportation is required due to occasional local travel, including a valid Ohio Driver’s license.
• Responsible for providing a phone and ensuring an adequate workspace for completing all work.

At Besa, we're building community infrastructure that connects people to meaningful service and transforms how our region shows up for one another. We are guided by four core values: lead with heart, be fearless, bring people together, and serve with kindness. Joining Besa means contributing to a mission-driven organization where your work directly mobilizes thousands of volunteers, strengthens hundreds of nonprofit partners, and makes a positive impact on the world, one connection at a time.

What We Offer

• Energetic and collaborative team environment passionately dedicated to transforming the volunteer experience and bringing people together in service
• Headquarters located in Columbus, Ohio's Brewery District, within a collaborative and inspiring workspace
• Generous PTO policy, Summer Fridays, and an additional 10 paid holidays.
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits, retirement plan with employer match of up to 3% of salary, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability benefits, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Investment in your growth through coaching, professional development opportunities, and access to sector learning (conferences, workshops, training)
• Regular volunteer opportunities, team retreats, and a culture rooted in our values