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Development Director Jobs in Madison, WI (NOW HIRING)

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Development Director information

See Madison, WI salary details

$40.8K

$93.1K

$156.2K

How much do development director jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for development director in Madison, WI is $93,105.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $70,500.00 and $109,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Development Director do?

A Development Director is responsible for overseeing fundraising and resource development efforts within an organization, typically a nonprofit. They create and implement strategies to secure financial support, manage donor relationships, lead fundraising campaigns, and often supervise development staff. Their goal is to ensure the organization has the funding needed to achieve its mission and objectives. Development Directors also work closely with executive leadership and the board of directors to align fundraising goals with the organization's overall strategy.

What Does a Development Director Do?

A development director is responsible for fundraising strategies and initiatives to help promote the business and operations of nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and hospitals. As a development director, your job duties include reaching out to potential benefactors, maintaining relationships with existing donors, devising new strategies for fundraising, and organizing fundraising events. These events may consist of benefit concerts, dinners, parties, and special events. Collaborating with company management is also a regular part of your job. Depending on the organization, your exact duties may vary.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Development Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Development Director, you need expertise in fundraising strategy, donor relations, and nonprofit management, often supported by a relevant degree or CFRE certification. Familiarity with donor management systems (like Salesforce or Raiser’s Edge) and CRM platforms is typically required. Exceptional communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills set top performers apart in this role. These abilities are crucial for driving organizational growth, securing funding, and building lasting partnerships essential to the nonprofit’s mission.

How does a Development Director typically collaborate with other departments to achieve organizational goals?

A Development Director frequently works cross-functionally with teams such as marketing, finance, and program management to align fundraising strategies with organizational objectives. This collaboration often involves coordinating on campaigns, sharing donor insights, and ensuring consistent messaging across platforms. Strong communication and teamwork skills are essential, as the Development Director serves as a bridge between departments to maximize impact and foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.

What is the difference between Development Director vs Fundraising Manager?

AspectDevelopment DirectorFundraising Manager
Primary FocusOversees overall fundraising strategies, donor relations, and development initiativesExecutes specific fundraising campaigns and manages donor outreach
ResponsibilitiesStrategic planning, team leadership, major gift cultivationEvent planning, donor communication, campaign execution
CredentialsBachelor’s or Master’s in Nonprofit Management, Fundraising, or related fields; experience in leadership rolesBachelor’s degree; experience in fundraising or development roles often preferred
Work EnvironmentNonprofit organizations, charities, educational institutionsNonprofit organizations, charities, fundraising agencies

The Development Director typically holds a strategic leadership role, overseeing the entire development department and long-term fundraising goals. In contrast, the Fundraising Manager focuses on executing specific campaigns and managing day-to-day donor activities. Both roles require similar credentials and work in similar environments, but the Development Director has broader responsibilities and higher-level oversight.

What are the most commonly searched types of Development jobs in Madison, WI? The most popular types of Development jobs in Madison, WI are:
What cities near Madison, WI are hiring for Development Director jobs? Cities near Madison, WI with the most Development Director job openings:
Infographic showing various Development Director job openings in Madison, WI as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 81% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $93,105 per year, or $44.8 per hour.
WCIC Business Development Director

WCIC Business Development Director

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Middleton, WI • On-site

$100K/yr

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Posted 11 days ago


University Of Wisconsin-Madison rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 55 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

109th of 539 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.
Job Category:
Academic Staff
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Res Prog Assoc Dir (B)
Job Summary:
The Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center (WCIC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking an experienced Plant Scientist to serve as the Center's scientific and business ambassador. The WICIC Business Development Director will leverage technical expertise, professional networks, and industry presence to establish partnerships and expand externally funded projects. They will develop and maintain strategic relationships with biotechnology companies, academic researchers, non-profits, and industry partners to generate new business opportunities and service contracts. Additionally, they will attend and present at scientific conferences and industry events to promote organizational capabilities and expand client engagement. The Business Development Director is also responsible for moving opportunities through to executable projects by developing project scopes, technical approaches, timelines, and associated budgets.
WCIC is a ~100,000 square foot state-of-the-art agricultural biotechnology complex, housing laboratories and greenhouses dedicated to the production and analysis of transgenic and gene edited plants. This facility is the largest publicly held plant transformation facility in the United States and is aimed at improving crop plants for humans, livestock, and the environment. The facility is located approximately 8 miles from the central UW Madison campus.
Key Job Responsibilities:
  • Serves as a unit liaison to internal stakeholder groups to foster cross-unit partnership efforts regarding research programs and activities
  • Collaborates with project directors and the full range of clients whose knowledge and expertise varies
  • Manages large research projects for a center or program
  • Serves as a consultant to project directors and provides technical expertise to research and operational personnel
  • Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
  • Assists with planning, implementation, and management of strategic initiatives for a center or program
  • Determines unit personnel needs and the unit personnel resource allocation plan
  • Leads business development activities by cultivating relationships with academic and industry partners, representing the organization at conferences and trade events, identifying emerging opportunities, and securing new research and service contracts

Department:
The Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center
Compensation:
The starting salary for the position is $100,000 annually; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Additional benefits information can be found at: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf
Required Qualifications:
  • Experience in plant biotechnology techniques and workflows
  • Experience supervising, leading, or mentoring staff in a collaborative environment (e.g., coaching, assigning priorities, coordinating workflows)
  • Demonstrated experience managing budgets and financial resources, including project costing, expense monitoring, and/or fiscal planning

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience preparing grant proposals, service proposals, sponsored research agreements or contracts
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Experience developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with academic, industry, and/or non-profit partners
  • Experience presenting scientific or technical information at conferences, industry meetings, or client-facing events

Education:
Required: Bachelor's Degree
Preferred: Terminal degree Plant Biology, Plant Genetics, Plant Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Crop Science, or a closely related field
How to Apply:
To apply for this position, please click on the "I am a current employee" button or "I am not a current employee" button under Apply Now. You will be prompted to upload the following documents.
  • Cover Letter
  • Resume

Please note, there is only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents into the one attachment field. All listed application materials must be received to be considered.
Finalists will be asked to provide contact information (phone and email) for three references, one of which must be a current or former supervisor. References will not be contacted without prior notice.
It's important that your cover letter and resume reflect your experience for this position related to the Qualifications section. Your application materials will be used during our evaluation to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. The most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of the appointment. University sponsorship is not available for this position.
Additional Information:
  • Criminal Background Check may be required.
  • Evaluation Period may be required

Work Schedule:
Normal hours are 8:00 am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. Occasional nights and weekends may be required for this position.
Contact Information:
Sonia Parker, CALS HR Generalist
sonia.parker@wisc.edu
608-890-2547
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.

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About University of Wisconsin

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

The University of Wisconsin, based in Madison, WI, US, functions in the educational industry and is a renowned and respected institution for higher education. Its official website is wisc.edu. Established in 1848, this public research university is recognized globally for its innovative approach to education, research, creativity, and public service. It embodies a strong commitment to academic freedom and academic excellence. As a major contributor to the Wisconsin Idea, it aims to accomplish its mission of generating well-rounded individuals who will contribute substantially to society, the local community, and the global economy.

Industry

Colleges, universities, and professional schools

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Madison, WI, US

Year founded

2005