Development & Communications Director

Location: Puget Sound, WA
Reports to: Executive Director
Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Who We Are & What We Do
Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) has been restoring marine resources in Puget Sound through tangible, in-water projects, since our founding in 1997. Core programs include restoring living marine habitat and species using structure forming species (Olympia oysters, bull kelp) and habitat enhancing species (pinto abalone); closing loops through seaweed recycling and cockle reconveyance; researching and monitoring Dungeness crab populations; operating our community shellfish farm, and more. Every step of the way, we have worked to build resilience, achieve abundance and revitalize connections to marine resources that have sustained people here for thousands of years. Our work is deeply rooted in collaboration and brimming with celebratory events showcasing the resources we restore.

Puget Sound Restoration Fund fills a unique niche. We work under the water, at the hatchery, and on the tideflats as innovators, oftentimes devising wholly new strategies to address challenges that impair marine resources or our access to them. Our team is a diverse collection of 27 problem solvers – scientists, divers, community builders, and storytellers, who charge forth, with sleeves rolled up. We have built marine restoration and conservation hatchery programs from the ground up, guided by an exceptional Board of Directors, and encircled by a beloved community of supporters and collaborators. Together we rebuild species and habitats of our marine waters and shape the culture and communities that grow from this base of abundance.

A New Position
PSRF is hiring a new position – Development & Communications Director – to grow our funding base and tell our story in a way that honors the resources we restore, and the Tribes, shellfish growers, and communities with whom we collaborate. We have a unique voice, in keeping with our distinctive brand of marine restoration. The stories we tell connect people to our vision of a healthy Puget Sound full of life, capable of sustaining us all. The Development & Communications Director will play a pivotal role in helping PSRF sustain and grow trail-blazing programs, communicate with creativity and clarity across multiple platforms, and nurture and grow our community of supporters.

 The new position is part of a carefully planned transition at PSRF. In July 2024, we celebrated a huge milestone when Jodie Toft stepped into the role of Executive Director and founder and long-time Executive Director, Betsy Peabody, moved into the role of Director Emeritus, remaining actively engaged in building and nurturing support for PSRF. We are now taking a key next step in the transition – hire just the right person with communication pizazz and development expertise who can immerse themselves in the substance and story of our work and help sustain our restoration efforts.

During the first year, the Development & Communications Director will work closely with Jodie and Betsy to establish a strong foundation for the role. A key priority will be expanding funding from foundations, businesses, and individual donors, to ensure a diversified funding base across public and private sources. Our ability to give people opportunities to support and feel personally connected to the living waters around us has helped us thrive and is vital to our future.

Candidate Attributes
To succeed as PSRF’s Development & Communications Director, the ideal candidate will bring exceptional written and verbal communication skills, proven fundraising experience, and a strong track record for developing and nurturing donor relationships. We are looking for someone who is an agile, artful, compelling storyteller, with a passion for the Salish Sea and its resources, and a gift for connecting people to our work. Our goal is to inspire people, grow our community of supporters, and continue to stand out from the crowd. Close communication with PSRF’s staff is an essential ingredient. Our work is multi-faceted, dynamic, and continually evolving. The most effective development and communication activities are interconnected, aligning program needs with funding opportunities and connecting funders with our work. This creates a virtuous circle that drives successful on-the-ground restoration – and inspires continued support.

Salary, Benefits, & Location
This is a full-time, exempt position, with a salary range of $100,000-$115,000/year. Upon hire, the Development & Communication Director will be eligible to receive PSRF’s suite of competitive benefits, including group health insurance (medical, vision, dental); flexible paid time off (including paid vacation; 11 paid holidays, and paid sick leave); optional contributions to PSRF’s SIMPLE IRA retirement savings plan (with 3% matching by PSRF once eligibility requirements are met); and discretionary bonus program. The location of the position is somewhat flexible within western Washington, though regular attendance at PSRF’s main office on Bainbridge Island (8001 Day Road West, Ste. B, Bainbridge Island, WA), and/or Seattle office at Fisherman’s Terminal (3918 15th Place West, Seattle, WA) is preferred. Remote work is acceptable for a portion of time.

Position Responsibilities

Development

• Support ongoing stewardship and cultivation of individual donors and family foundations, in collaboration with Executive Director and Director Emeritus.
  • Build, nurture, and strengthen relationships with existing donors through direct, personalized engagement.
  • Refine and implement a comprehensive stewardship plan to ensure donors feel appreciated, informed, and connected to PSRF.
  • Identify, cultivate, and engage new donors using creative outreach and engagement strategies.
  • Collaborate on the development and implementation of a Major Gifts strategy.
  • Select, implement, and maintain a donor management system/database.
  • Support the development and distribution of Annual Fund (PSRF’s year-end giving campaign) materials and track results.
• Expand private foundation and business/corporate support, working with Executive Director and Director Emeritus.
  • Develop and implement a funding strategy for private and corporate foundations, and key businesses, to include:
    • Researching and prioritizing a list of foundations and businesses/corporations aligned with PSRF’s mission and programs.
    • Identifying and leveraging existing connections through PSRF’s Board, staff, and partners.
    • Aligning funder priorities with program goals and capacity (through specification of roles, deliverables, timelines, and budgets).
    • Preparing and submitting proposals and applications.
• Increase employee giving through Your Cause, Benevity, AGOF, and other programs.
• Generate development reports for internal tracking and board meetings (as needed).
• Support planning and execution of events to engage donors, spotlight PSRF’s work, and celebrate.
  • Collaborate with PSRF’s Special Events Lead to support our existing portfolio of events.
  • Develop new events to attract and cultivate new donors.
  • Support the transition of special events to a new Events lead over the next 1-2 years.

Communications

• Support PSRF’s leadership in communicating our voice, mission, and values to internal and external audiences, to ensure vitality and continuity across print, digital, and fundraising efforts.
• Become steeped in PSRF’s projects, culture, identity, and history, by spending time with the Executive Director and Director Emeritus, and with program staff at the hatchery, in the field, and in conversation.

• Plan, draft, and distribute quarterly newsletters and an annual report in coordination with leadership and other staff; select and manage an email marketing platform, and maintain an up-to-date distribution list/database.
• Create and implement a system to regularly update website content, in coordination with staff.
• Highlight and communicate stories about PSRF’s dynamic, in-water, on-the-go body of work through creating and posting content on social media, in collaboration with staff.
• Develop and manage volunteer and engagement opportunities to connect interested parties to hands-on (or boots-on) restoration experiences.
• Represent PSRF at public events, conferences, and meetings, as needed.

General

• Participate in PSRF’s internal Directors team, comprised of the Executive, Deputy, and Program Directors.
• Attend PSRF Board meetings, as needed, Board and Staff gatherings, and all-staff events and meetings.

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Development, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in communications, development, or outreach roles.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and donor relations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in digital tools (CRM systems, email marketing platforms, social media).
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite and/or Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, Slides).
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to work effectively, both collaboratively and independently.
• Interest in and ability to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Passion for PSRF’s mission and goals.

Welcomed attributes (if applicable, please speak to these in your application)

• Graphic design or video editing experience.
• Experience with fundraising events and campaigns.
• Strong public speaking and presentation abilities.

PSRF recognizes that people build skills through all sorts of experiences and openly considers applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We warmly welcome candidates from backgrounds that are underrepresented in marine science and restoration to apply. PSRF seeks to create an inclusive and equitable work environment within the organization and in our work with partners. We are committed to supporting and retaining staff.

To apply
Please email a resume and a cover letter to hiring@restorationfund.org. First review of resumes will begin on September 29^th, 2025.