Associate Director
The Role
The Associate Director is a pivotal leadership role charged with stewarding the organization’s growth through strategic fundraising and marketing. This position leads revenue generation, shapes the organization’s narrative and public presence, and builds the internal systems needed for long-term sustainability, ensuring all efforts remain aligned with mission and values.
As Associate Director you are the organization’s lead strategist and operator for philanthropy and communications. You will set direction with the ED, drive results, and ensure that impact, messaging, and fiscal viability are deeply aligned. You will partner closely with the ED to support growth, visibility, and long-term financial health for Hearty Roots to show up in the world with clarity, heart, and credibility.
Core Responsibilities
Strategy & Leadership
- Serve as a senior organizational leader, contributing to strategy, advancement, and public relations
- Embed a relationship-based and inclusive culture of philanthropy: All donors are partners investing in a shared mission
- Translate organizational vision into clear fundraising and marketing priorities that support long-term growth and impact
- Build scalable systems for development and marketing (CRM, workflows, reporting)
Fundraising
- Design and implement a comprehensive development strategy to build and cultivate a reliable base of individual donors and corporate sponsors
- Manage the full grant life cycle, including prospecting, proposal development, and funder stewardship
- Craft and implement major campaigns, appeals, and fundraising events
- Establish performance metrics and accountability across all fundraising activities throughout the organization
Marketing & Communications
- Refresh Hearty Roots’ narrative and brand as a differentiated, trusted leader in youth mental health across all channels within Maine and eventually, regionally and nationally
- Develop and ensure consistent, compelling storytelling that reflects mission, values, and impact
- Expand and maintain digital fundraising systems, communications calendars, and core marketing assets for the current and planned geographic markets
Hearty Roots is an award-winning, outdoor-based youth development organization advancing youth mental health through programs rooted in adventure, connection, and reflection. Guided by a credentialed team of professionals, our innovative, year-round programs served more than 1,000 Midcoast Maine kids and teens in 2025.
Next to campfires, deep in the forest, and out on the water, these young people build healthy relationships, rediscover their strengths, and experience a sense of belonging in a rapidly changing world. As we enter our ninth year and a new phase of growth, Hearty Roots seeks a senior leader to steward the strategies, systems, and storytelling that will fuel our impact and long-term sustainability.
Who You Are:
You are a senior-level leader who is also a scrapper. You are both strategic and ready to roll up your sleeves. It excites you to think about hearing reflections from young people outdoors in ‘the field’ because you get to share the testament of the work. You appreciate mud season in all its glory. You think black flies are a state of mind. You can get down with all that comes with a lean, nimble, and responsive nonprofit that puts young people first. Your values-driven leadership will cohere with our unique staff team culture that radiates joy, authenticity, and grit.
- Preferred 5+ years of senior-level experience in nonprofit development
- Demonstrated success leading fundraising strategy and driving revenue growth
- Experience overseeing organizational marketing and communications
- Exceptional storytelling and communication skills
- Experience scaling systems and teams in growing organizations
- Comfort making decisions, setting priorities, and creating structure in a growing organization
Why Hearty Roots
- Senior leadership impact: This is an opportunity to shape a rapidly evolving organization’s funding, voice, and future.
- Real ownership: You take charge of fundraising and marketing—end to end.
- Mission that matters: Your work directly supports youth mental health and access to healing experiences in nature.
- Growth-oriented: This role is designed to expand in scope and influence as Hearty Roots grows.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range: $70,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience
- Hearty Roots has an ICHRA reimbursement model to support healthcare expenses. Please note that our goal is to offer a more comprehensive healthcare package in 2027.
Hearty Roots is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences to apply. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve.
Interested candidates should please send a cover letter and resume to ED Haley Bezon: haley@heartyroots.org