Posted on October 29, 2012

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Regional Development Director

A national non-profit founded in 1993, College Summit partners with school districts and states to increase their college-going rates by fostering a culture where going to college is the expectation of every student, not the exception. College Summit is the country’s largest high school college-going culture provider, currently equipping 180 low-income high schools across 12 states and the District of Columbia, and serving approximately 50,000 students. The College Summit intervention helps high schools close the achievement gap in college-going by more than half. According to an independent evaluation, high schools that implement College Summit school-wide raise their college enrollment rates by 16%. College Summit equips its partners with a systemic, data-driven approach to increasing high schools’ college-going rates, including professional development services, student peer leadership training, and postsecondary planning curriculum.

College Summit was recognized as the 2008 United States Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the World Economic Forum. The organization has been recognized by The Manhattan Institute, the Aspen Institute’s Public Education Fellowship, the Kennedy School of Government’s Civic Entrepreneurship Fellowship, and has been featured in media and publications including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Education Week, Fast Company Magazine, In Style Magazine, and PBS’s NewsHour and NOW programs.

College Summit team members share a passionate desire to open the doors of opportunity. For more information, visit www.collegesummit.org.

Position

The Development Director provides planning, management, and coordination of the region’s philanthropy and related activities, including communication and outreach to prospects and funders, donor stewardship, and other development-related activities. S/he is responsible for the region's fundraising activities, including all phases of fund development, corporate relationship management, foundation grant and relationship management, major gifts, and annual appeals. In collaboration with the national grants team, the Development Director provides leadership for the development of funding requests, and manages the timely reporting to funders. This position coordinates the day-to-day management of regional funder relationships and is responsible for managing an assigned portfolio of program funding. This regional office currently serves approximately 9,000 students in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, with an emphasis on strategic development in the Pittsburgh area.

This position reports to the Executive Director of the region, and can be based anywhere between Charleston, WV, and Pittsburgh, PA.

Responsibilities

Planning and Strategy: Formulate and execute a 5-year development plan for the region. Collaborate with the management team to identify needed funds, strategic approaches, and preferred funding targets, including foundations, corporations, individuals, etc. Strategically assess funding requests and probabilities in order to set and realize annual goals.

Prospect Research: Research and qualify prospects for funding and collaborate with the appropriate national development staff to gain accurate prospect information.

Fund Development: Conduct research, engage in prospecting, and develop applications to multiple donor sources on a continuous basis. Manage a substantial and constantly growing portfolio of prospects that will enable growth and financial goal attainment. Execute on-site meetings, presentations, communications, and negotiations with qualified prospects. Network, prospect, and assist in presentations at all internal and external regional events. Craft funding proposals and related materials.

Stewardship: Build a robust donor base by developing and maintaining key long-term relationships with funders. Engage and manage current and potential funders with the goal of increasing future funding levels through community outreach, media, clear and compelling funding requests, accurate reporting, and branding and marketing activities. Coordinate with regional and national staff on corporate volunteer needs.

Advisory Board: Leverage regional Advisory Board members in all aspects of regional development activities and take an active role with the regional Advisory Board’s Development Committee. Serve as recorder and provide additional support as needed for all regional Advisory Board meetings.

Reporting and Tracking: Maintain prospect management report system, Salesforce.com, and other provided tools, which outline weekly activities and potential funding. Maintain a calendar of reports to funders on current status of funding activities. Coordinate with national finance staff on timely and accurate accounts payable collection.

Marketing and Public Relations: Coordinate public relations activities, such as social media, regional website, and press coverage, and provide updates to College Summit's national staff for publications. Develop and circulate region's quarterly electronic newsletter.

Internal Collaboration: Share regional market information and resources with national development staff to enhance the effectiveness of coordinated fundraising efforts. Collaborate with national development, finance, marketing, and other College Summit national and regional staff to further regional and national goals, and adhere to all internal development processes.

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm for College Summit’s mission of helping low-income students enroll in college.
• Minimum 5-7 years of fundraising, business development, or sales experience required.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Ability to aggressively and consistently follow up and follow through, with determined self-motivation and autonomy.
• Experience in planning, leading, and managing development projects, including coordinating with peers to achieve desired outcomes, and tracking and reporting on progress to senior management. Highly skilled in upward management.
• Proven ability to create and successfully execute a multi-year strategic development plan to meet annual income targets.
• Ability to maintain high level of organization, to create processes, to manage several projects at once, and to meet deadlines.
• Skill in networking and communicating a passion for the mission of College Summit and the region.
• Experience in creating and delivering powerful, compelling written and oral communications.
• Ability to convey complex ideas through brief, simple materials.
• Success in conveying experience, credibility, and confidence when engaging external audiences.
• Highly skilled in cultivating relationships with donors.
• Excellent computer and Internet skills, including Microsoft Office software, iMIS, and Salesforce.com.
• Evidence of sound judgment, discretion, and highest ethical standards.
• Willingness and ability to travel regionally, up to 50%.

College Summit is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Application Instructions

To Apply

Submit your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements via http://www.collegesummit.org/careers.