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Development Officer Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

Special Kids, Inc.

Development Officer

Chattanooga, TN · On-site

The Development Officer is responsible for oversight, proactive planning, and successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising and development plan to position Special Kids for future success ...

Special Kids Inc

Development Officer

Chattanooga, TN · On-site

Description The Development Officer is responsible for oversight, proactive planning, and successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising and development plan to position Special Kids for future ...

Evolve

SBA Business Development Officer

Memphis, TN · On-site +1

$74K - $103K/yr

The SBA Business Development Officer (BDO) will work closely with the National Sales Manager and SBA Loan Coordinator to effectively develop and process SBA 7a, 504 and USDA loan opportunities in ...

Stewart

Business Development Officer / Closer

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$79K - $109K/yr

At Stewart, we know that success begins with great people. As a Stewart employee, you'll be joining a company that was named a 2024-2025 Best Company to Work For by U.S. News & World Report, and a ...

Kaizen Lab Inc.

Director of Major Gifts

Nashville, TN · On-site

$75 - $100/hr

Chief Development Officer Our Mission Siloam Health's mission is to share the love of Christ by serving those in need through health care. Our patients come from more than 80 countries and speak over ...

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Development Officer information

See Tennessee salary details

$35.4K

$67.6K

$108K

How much do development officer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for development officer in Tennessee is $67,570.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,100.00 and $76,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a development officer?

A development officer often works for a non-profit organization, charity, college, or university. Your role in this career focuses on fundraising and donor relations. Your responsibilities revolve around building revenue for the organization through donations and fundraising efforts, so your daily job duties may include planning major fundraising campaigns, utilizing social media to create awareness of a need, planning events to raise funds, finding volunteers for various projects and events, and communicating with executives about revenue and expense reports. Development officers may also write persuasive materials for publication in local newspapers, on websites, or in newsletters.

What is a development officer?

A Development Officer is a professional responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing fundraising initiatives and donor relations for an organization, often within the nonprofit sector. They work to secure financial support through grants, donations, and other fundraising activities to help the organization achieve its mission. Development Officers also build and maintain relationships with donors, prepare fundraising materials, and track contributions. Their role is crucial in ensuring the financial sustainability and growth of their organization.

How does a development officer typically collaborate with other departments to achieve fundraising goals?

Development Officers frequently work cross-functionally, partnering with marketing, communications, and program teams to align fundraising initiatives with organizational objectives. They often coordinate with event planners for donor events, work closely with finance to track donations, and collaborate with executive leadership to identify and cultivate major gift prospects. Successful collaboration ensures that fundraising campaigns are cohesive, donor communications are consistent, and organizational needs are clearly communicated to supporters. This teamwork helps maximize fundraising effectiveness and supports the overall mission.

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

To thrive as a Development Officer, you need expertise in fundraising, donor relations, and grant writing, typically supported by a relevant degree such as in communications, nonprofit management, or a related field. Familiarity with donor management systems (such as Raiser's Edge or Salesforce), event planning tools, and fundraising platforms is often required. Strong interpersonal skills, persuasive communication, and strategic thinking help build lasting relationships and effectively convey an organization's mission. These skills are crucial for securing financial resources and fostering partnerships that sustain nonprofit initiatives and growth.

What skills do you need to be a development officer?

A development officer needs strong communication, interpersonal, and fundraising skills to build relationships and secure funding. They should have project management abilities, knowledge of nonprofit or organizational operations, and often proficiency with databases or CRM software. Additionally, skills in strategic planning and grant writing are valuable for success in this role.
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Development Officer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Development Officer job openings in Tennessee as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $67,570 per year, or $32.5 per hour.

Development Officer

Chattanooga, TN • On-site

Special Kids, Inc.
51 - 200 employees
Learn more about Special Kids, Inc.external

Full-time

PTO

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

The Development Officer is responsible for oversight, proactive planning, and successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising and development plan to position Special Kids for future success, growth, and sustainability in coordination with the Executive Director and Board of Directors. The Development Officer performs a key role in ensuring the organization fulfills its mission, a value-based organization culture, promotes a culture of giving and accomplishment of its financial goals. The Development Officer oversees the development of support materials in the areas of marketing, communications, and public relations staff, and coordinates strategic and tactical functions with other areas of the organization.
Full-time, 32 hours per week (M-Th), benefits, holidays and paid time off.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
  • Lead evaluation of Key Performance Indicators and fundraising trends, resulting in informed data driven, and investor centric strategies.
  • Collaborate with the team in the creation, implementation, review and revision of the annual development and fundraising plan.
  • Ensure attainment of department financial results by monitoring forecasted revenue and budget.
  • Design strategies and tactics for growth, increased revenue and investor longevity and retention.
  • Attends meetings and conferences and participates in other activities to promote professional growth.

Development and Philanthropic Communications: Develop a development focused communications strategy integrating growing the awareness of Special Kids, the impact of support and role in the communities we serve. Coordinate with marketing in the implementation of these communications through social media, e-news blasts, direct mail, and other avenues.
  • Manage donor communications for high level strategic fundraising opportunities for major gifts, endowment and legacy giving.
  • Create approaches consistent with the investor stewardship plan and aligned with communication strategies to communicate with all levels of donors, sponsors, vendors, in-kind donors, and volunteers.
  • Encourage consistent follow up and asking donors, sponsors, and volunteers to contribute more than one time annually and convert donors to monthly donors.
  • Consistently communicate fundraising goals to the team and empower team members to participate in attainment of those goals.

Annual Planning: Coordinates and implements the annual grant and funders application and reporting plans with leadership staff for funding support of Special Kids programs and services.
  • Identifies and researches potential corporate and foundation sources of funding that meet the funder priorities and the needs of Special Kids.
  • Develops annual requests with Special Kids organization wide to determine funding needs on an annual basis and quarterly basis or as needed.
  • Collaboratively, writes, edits, proofreads, and obtains organization approval for grant and funding applications prior to submittal.

Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience
Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university in Business, Marketing, Mass Communication, or other related field and 3-5 years related experience and/or training in not-for-profit fundraising. A minimum of 2 years leadership experience required and experience within a not-for-profit setting preferred. Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) preferred.
Computer Skills To be successful in this job, an individual should have basic computer skills, including strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word, with the ability to learn new software and web-based applications.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) preferred. CPR certification recommended.
Additional Qualifications
  • Compassion
  • Willingness
  • Courage
  • Faith

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