Posted on July 6, 2012

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Development Manager

Minds Matter of NYC, Inc. (Minds Matter) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to transform the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families by broadening their dreams and preparing them for college success. The organization’s innovative program model improves the lives of its high school student mentees by (a) assigning two highly devoted volunteer mentors to each mentee and guiding these teams through a proven syllabus (b) providing ACT/SAT test preparation and writing instruction, (c) exposing students to college life through attendance at highly competitive summer academic and leadership programs, and ultimately (d) supporting mentee applications to leading 4-year colleges, financial aid, and scholarships. For the last 20 years, every Minds Matter program graduate has been admitted to a 4-year college.

Founded in New York City in 1991, Minds Matter has since established a national presence through the launch of chapters in Boston, Denver, Chicago, Portland, Cleveland, Philadelphia San Francisco, Los Angeles, and most recently Minneapolis. The Minds Matter of New York City chapter currently serves over 150 students with 400+ volunteers. We are planning for future growth and are currently seeking a Development Manager to join our dynamic team.

Position Overview

The Development Manager’s overall responsibility is to ensure that Minds Matter achieves its annual fundraising goals by enhancing existing strategies, building and maintaining relationships with the funding community, and creating a strong support base for our organization. S/he leads Minds Matter’s fundraising initiatives and is responsible for working with the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, our volunteer fundraising committees, and the Advisory Board to raise the annual budget. The Development Manager maintains an efficient, professional fundraising program to generate individual (including alumni), foundation, and corporate support, and cultivates donors to ensure consistent annual giving. S/he coordinates annual fundraising events, tailored solicitations, and the expansion of fund development networks. The Development Manager will report to the Executive Director.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Board of Directors/Advisory Board and volunteer committees to shape Minds Matter’s development strategy and ensure successful execution.
• Identify and solicit new foundation, corporate and individual giving prospects for major gifts, and develop an annual personal action plan for the Executive Director, Board of Directors/Advisory Board and volunteer committees.
• Develop a fundraising plan to secure financial support from individuals, corporations and foundations; substantially grow our donor base in coming years by launching innovative campaigns and developing new strategies to engage high net worth individuals.
• Research and actively reach out to potential donors while building, expanding, and cultivating existing partnerships.
• Create and manage a systematic grant-writing process.
• Plan, organize, and attend fundraising events, including the implementation of special events as a way to educate and cultivate prospects, especially with regard to identifying honorees and securing sponsorships.
• Design gift acknowledgement strategy, develop and execute a new donor stewardship program.
• Meet potential donors as needed; provide them with performance-related statistics; and communicate program data persuasively.
• Work with the Program and Development Assistant to ensure proper management of our donor database including accurate gift processing.
• Develop and maintain a monthly tracking report of contacts and prospects; prepare briefing materials as needed.
• Actively participate with major and planned giving colleagues in the Association of Fundraising Professionals and other groups; stay abreast of best practices and collaborative funding opportunities.
• Complete other tasks as requested by Executive Director.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum of 5 years work experience required, with at least three years of development experience and a proven track record of fundraising success. Foundation and/or other nonprofit experience very helpful.
• Ability to take initiative and actively seek to deepen current donor relationships and to forge new ones.
• Exceptional communication skills; articulate, with proven ability to write effectively and speak persuasively.
• Skilled at establishing and cultivating strong relationships with key stakeholders (internally and externally).
• Ability to provide convincing arguments when presenting new ideas and to create a win-win situation, responding appropriately to the interests of Minds Matter and key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage and motivate individuals to achieve program goals.
• Outstanding organizational skills and the ability to manage event and project logistics.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including 2-3 weeknights per week and occasional Saturdays during the school year (offset by a weekday off and flexible day time schedule).
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial and growing nonprofit organization.
• Comfortable as an entrepreneurial self-starter with creativity and flexibility.
• Ability to prioritize multiple and varied responsibilities and meet deadlines.
• Strong computer skills including database management and Microsoft Word and Excel. Familiarity with Blackbaud (Kintera) a plus.
• Passionate belief in Minds Matter’s mission, vision, and high standard of excellence.

Application Instructions

Please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter with salary requirements, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. Also indicate how you heard about this opportunity. All materials should be submitted in Word format and sent to Chymeka Olfonse at info@mindsmatter.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Minds Matter is an Equal Opportunity Employer.