Director of Development

Posted on 02/18/2020

Grounded Solutions Network

Washington, DC

About the Position

We are seeking a dynamic, experienced Director of Development who is inspired by the opportunity to join our movement to advance housing justice at scale leading to more inclusive communities across the nation. This is a newly created position and an exciting opportunity for someone to help create and shape organizational fundraising culture. For the past several months, we have been working with a Title: Director of Development Reports to: Chief Executive Officer Department: Fundraising Status: Full-time, Exempt consultant to assess our needs and create a strategic fundraising plan to sustain and grow an organization that currently raises $4 to $5 million in annual revenue. We are seeking a Director of Development, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, who will create and implement a comprehensive fundraising program to diversify and grow fundraising efforts. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in non-profit fundraising operations, enjoy combining high-level strategy with hands-on implementation, be willing to “roll up their sleeves” to achieve measurable goals and be energized by the opportunity to serve as a public-facing representative to the organization.

Building on Grounded Solutions Network’s history of securing six- and seven-figure support, the Director will focus on cultivating and expanding relationships with a diverse set of national and local foundations and corporations. The Director will also develop a new program to grow revenue from individual donors by implementing an integrated path to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with individual donors at every level. This position closely collaborates with the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Leadership Team to implement organization-wide and program-specific development strategies. The Director will also partner with the Board Chair, Board of Directors fundraising committee, and key stakeholders to help formulate overall strategy and direction for the organization. The candidate will join a highly collaborative team of 20+ colleagues who have a shared passion for the organization and its mission.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

  • Establish and achieve annual fundraising goals.
  • Lead the development of departmental fundraising strategies and play a key role in shaping organization-wide fundraising strategy making.
  • Work with the executive team to continually refine strategy, protocol, and procedures related to the fundraising program; communicate priorities internally to staff.
  • Serve as the liaison to the executive team and other leaders for all fundraising activities, reporting on fundraising status for current programs as well as encouraging the identification and support of emerging priorities.
  • Implement fund development plans in accordance with ethical fundraising principles.

Resource Development

  • Identify, research, and evaluate prospective individual, corporate, and foundation donors to build upon the existing prospect pipeline.
  • Manage and coordinate a cultivation and stewardship program that includes one-on-one meetings, cultivation events, regular communications and reports, and other initiatives to engage and inform prospective donors.
  • Conduct in-person cultivation, briefing and solicitation meetings, independently and in partnership with Grounded Solutions’ executive and volunteer leadership and senior staff.

Development Operations

  • Oversee the customization (as needed), and administration of a Salesforce donor database that respects the privacy and confidentiality of donor information.
  • Oversee and coordinate efforts to acknowledge, recognize, and record all gifts to Grounded Solutions in a consistent and timely manner.
  • Prepare regular reports on progress related to fundraising and the management of the fund development activities.
  • Monitor and analyze budget reports on fund development revenues and expenditures and recommend changes as necessary.
  • Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications for Entry into this Position

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Eight to ten years of progressive development experience, preferably with an affordable housing, social justice, civil rights, policy, and/or membership association nonprofit.
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university; graduate degree preferred.
  • Successful track record of soliciting and closing corporate, foundation, and/ or individual gifts at all levels with an emphasis on six- and seven-figure gifts.
  • Passionate about organization’s mission to advance housing solutions with lasting affordability.
  • Experience in growing and managing a portfolio of corporate, foundation, and individual donors.
  • Experience managing donor engagement, cultivation, and stewardship.
  • Familiarity with fundraising administration (best-practices, protocol, procedures, and record/ data management).
  • Strong supervisory skills and ability to work with staff located remotely across the country
  • Strong proficiency required in MS Office Suite; and experience with a CRM system, Salesforce preferred.
  • Excellent diplomacy, verbal and written communication skills, time management, and attention to detail.
  • Highly self-motivated and history of achieving results while working autonomously and remaining accountable.
  • Ability to implement an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising with the capacity to identify the best opportunities and the flexibility to maximize their potential.
  • Experience in fostering collaboration across a national decentralized organization preferred.
  • Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification a plus.
  • Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends, as required.

Travel required

  • Occasional out-of-state travel approximately 5 to 10 trips per year, to attend meetings, conferences and fundraising events.

Location

The position is required to primarily work and be based full time in the Grounded Solutions Network Washington, DC office. However, the organization also has a secondary office in Oakland, CA and various departmental staff may be based and working remotely anywhere in the contiguous 48 states. All staff are expected to demonstrate the ability to work remotely while maintaining high levels of efficiency and productivity and communicating effectively with their direct supervisor and colleagues.

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