Posted on February 3, 2013

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Global Business Development Associate

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.

We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia – countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since our inception, Room to Read’s worldwide team has impacted over 6 million children by constructing more than 1,500 schools, establishing over 13,000 libraries, publishing 700 new children’s book titles in 11 local languages, and rewarding over 16,000 girls with long-term, holistic scholarships.

Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$44 million and our global staff numbers over 600. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have smaller fundraising offices in Delhi, New York, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Sydney, and Tokyo. We have an Asia Regional Office located in New Delhi, a Southern Africa Regional Office in Pretoria, and program offices in Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a dynamic Associate focused on the identification and cultivation of corporate and foundation prospects throughout the Western U.S. and global markets. This position is based in San Francisco.

The Associate is an integral part of Room to Read’s Global Business Development team and reports directly to the Senior Global Business Development Associate. The Associate is responsible for raising between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000 annually from foundation and corporate relationships, as well as coordinating Room to Read’s global in-kind donation program.

The Associate directly contributes to Room to Read’s ability to grow and implement its programs by helping the organization to meet its goal of raising approximately $15,000,000 from institutional donors around the world. The Associate is highly focused on developing relationships, renewing and upgrading annual gifts, and providing strong customer service to our donors.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with corporations and foundations giving between $5,000 and $75,000 per year, including overseeing proposal writing, grant reporting, and relationship stewardship (including presentations and in-person meetings) for a portfolio of approximately $1,000,000-$1,500,000.
• Support the Global Business Development team by conducting initial exploratory meetings with prospects to determine capacity and interest in supporting Room to Read, answering questions from international fundraising staff, and sharing resources.
• Independently or in cooperation with a team member write, edit and/or coordinate clear, compelling written materials including concept papers, letters of inquiry, general correspondence, proposals, fact sheets, presentations, reports, meeting briefs, and additional materials as needed. Work closely with Finance Department to ensure proposal budgets and financial reports are appropriately represented.
• Source $5,000,000 annually in in-kind donations by cultivating and stewarding relationships with major U.S. and international publishing houses, publishing intermediaries, and other corporate donors.
• Manage all donated book shipments from the publishing houses to their final destination in Asia and Africa. This includes arranging the shipping and logistics details, tracking the shipments and notifying the appropriate parties of their status, and coordinating with in-country teams to facilitate customs processing upon arrival.
• Represent Room to Read to internal and external constituents as necessary.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Excellent writing, editing, verbal and written communication skills in English
• Proven ability to design, implement, and direct fundraising initiatives, including individualized cultivation, solicitation, and recognition strategies
• History of dedicated volunteer activity and/or commitment to non-profit organizations
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office applications and Outlook
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work thoughtfully and collaboratively with diverse groups of people
• Highly organized, detail oriented and self-motivated
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative
• Strong work ethic and sense of humor
• Legally eligible to work in the United States; no sponsorship provided

Strongly Preferred:

• 3-5 years professional fundraising or sales experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented organization, or similar relevant experience
• Experience working with databases, specifically Raiser's Edge and Salesforce.com
• Experience living or working internationally
• Track record of success fundraising for international programs, including fundraising in geographies outside the U.S.
• Experience developing specific fundraising strategies such as employee engagement programs, annual giving, retail strategy for lower level donors, etc.

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:

• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker – you are not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include health, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits and a 401K match. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through literacy and gender equality in education.

Application Instructions

Please send a cover letter and resume by email, with “Global Biz Dev Associate, CF - FC” in the subject line, (no letters, calls, faxes, or drop-ins) to hiring@roomtoread.org. While all applications will be carefully reviewed, we regret that we are unable to personally reply to all applicants due to high applicant volume. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.

Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing
the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.