Posted on July 11, 2012

print

Director of Development

The role of the Director of Development is a unique opportunity for an experienced Development professional to help lead a dynamic and entrepreneurial organization through an exciting period of growth. The Director will deliver impact to LIFT as both a “player” and as a “coach.” As a player, the Director will (1) serve as the key support for the Chief Development and Marketing Officer in building and executing the development strategy for LIFT and (2) envision and execute a creative donor relations program that ensures donors (individuals in particular) experience LIFT’s work in deeply meaningful ways. As a coach, the Director will be a senior member of the Development staff and should have the skills necessary to lead and support colleagues through a combination of direct management, collaboration and influence. Successful candidates for this role will have a positive and entrepreneurial orientation and be:

• Highly-organized, detail-oriented and self-disciplined;
• Driven to achieve success for themselves and for the Development team; and,
• Motivated by LIFT’s ambitious vision and the revenue growth targets necessary to achieve it.

The Director of Development will report to the Chief Development and Marketing Officer (CDMO) and will be based in Washington, DC.

Key Responsibilities

Development

• Play a lead role in getting the National Development team to meet or beat its revenue target.
• Develop and execute a best-in-class donor relations strategy in support of the National Development team and the regional Executive Directors.
• Manage a personal prospect/donor portfolio to drive and deepen support from donors by stewarding strong relationships, including preparation of related pitch support materials.
• Revitalize, plan, and coordinate LIFTs Annual Fund appeal in collaboration with colleagues on the Communications and Development teams.
• Collaborate with the CDMO and the Director of Communications on campaigns to build a pipeline of prospective donors and, ultimately, drive revenue.
• Ensure the highest quality in fundraising materials, including proposals, correspondence, and pitch decks.
• Work with the CDMO to support the regional Executive Directors in their revenue strategy, planning, forecasting, and execution.
• Support the CDMO with the management of the National Board of Directors.

Management and Administrative

• Support National Development staff through a combination of direct management, collaboration, and influence.
• Oversee management of critical Development systems and processes, including:
  • Adoption of Salesforce at both the National and regional levels;
  • Regular reporting on revenue and prospect/donor activity;
  • Timely grant and report writing;
  • Efficient gift processing; and,
  • Prospect research.
  • Provide regular updates to the CDMO on National portfolio fundraising activity, including progress to revenue goals, pipeline building, and revenue forecasting.

Qualifications

• Passion for LIFT’s mission with a strong commitment to its core values.
  • 8+ years of related experience required (4+ at management level), previous experience in non-profit development strongly preferred.
  • A track record of meeting or beating ambitious revenue growth targets.
  • Proven skill in identifying, cultivating, and stewarding individual donors.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills with the ability to support/manage/facilitate a team, and the ability to work closely with a wide range of constituents, including staff, board members, external partners and donors.
  • A strong appetite to work in start-up environment, including comfort with a degree of ambiguity.
  • Demonstrated success managing standard development-related databases and systems; experience with Salesforce preferred.
  • Experience creating and tracking operating budgets and reporting on revenue progress.
  • A sense of humor and supportive working style that brings out the best in colleagues.
  • Bachelor’s degree required; Advanced degree preferred.

Application Instructions