We have an excellent opportunity for a Development Consultant. Location is flexible within the SouthWest Affiliate provided the location allows for cost effective and efficient travel within the affiliate. The SouthWest Affiliate Consultant is responsible for affiliate-wide consulting to Heart Walk, Heart Ball and Go Red for Women fundraising campaigns. Serves as a liaison in communicating and training on Heart Walk, Heart Ball and Go Red for Women best practices including revenue generation and volunteer structure and management. Provides all material support for Heart Walk, Heart Ball and Go Red income sources. In conjunction with an event’s implementation/management team; assists in tracking, reporting and monitoring campaign revenue and assists in developing strategies and identifying and responding to training needs around closing affiliate campaign gaps. Supports corporate partners and strategic alliances involved in Heart Walk, Heart Ball and Go Red for Women and other cause campaigns as defined by the AHA.
Consult for core AHA products: Active Events (Heart Walk and Cycle Nation), and/or Heart Ball and/or Go Red For Women
- Conduct quarterly strategy meetings with assigned markets to ensure best practices are being followed and timelines are being adhered to. Gaps and potential issues are identified in these meetings and strategies are developed to increase results.
- Regular follow up for all markets based on timeline and market/staff needs. These are scheduled on an ongoing basis and we will work to ensure regular support.
- Play a leadership role in all strategy meetings, keeping them focused on specific actions and plans that will move them to goal.
- With awareness of each market staff dynamic, conduct regular touch points with event staff (primarily) and ED and VP (less often) outside of the strategy meetings to ensure that there is a flow of information and that items from the strategy meeting are being executed. Follow up with the SVP to recap action items, concerns, and focus areas.
- Interact with market and serve as a resource they actively seek out for support and guidance.
- Identify trends and develop strategies to achieve fundraising goals for the Affiliate not just the events in which they work.
Monitor Campaign Revenue
- Regularly (weekly or daily) review reports and indicators to identify trends for overall affiliate progress and/or specific event progress. Trends are communicated within the Development team staff for appropriate next steps in moving this information to staff, EDs, VP, and or SLT members for action.
Create Tools & Resources
- Identify and create tools for staff. Examples include draft communications, job descriptions for volunteers, sponsorship templates, stewardship plans (in coordination with IG team), etc.
- Ensure all affiliate resources are in alignment with national resources and training materials.
Develop & Train Staff
- Along with your team, co-lead the monthly Affiliate Development calls by identifying focus areas for each month, recruiting speakers to share successes, prepping speakers, creating and updating resources to go along with the monthly topic.
- Train new staff in your markets on campaign best practices and managing volunteers.
- Be a resource for new staff and share up to date documents and examples as needed for them to be successful in their role.
- At least 3 years of successful experience in fundraising, 5 years preferred. At least 2 years volunteer and/or staff management preferred
- Strong organizational and analytical skills
- Demonstrated fundraising success
- Knowledge of proven fundraising/sales strategies
- Strong negotiation skills
- Experience in consultation to staff over which there is no reporting relationship
- Ability to form and develop strategic relationships
- Proven ability to understand and navigate corporate cultures
- Ability to learn and follow the strategic direction of the AHA
- Able to plan and conduct meetings
- Strong bottom-line mentality
- Ability to conceptualize, reason through problems, make effective decisions and develop alternative solutions
- Strong skills in organizational communication, process management, team building, conflict resolution, mental flexibility and multi-tasking are critical for success
- Excellent skills in oral and written communication
- Must be willing and able to travel through a 6-state affiliate including overnight stays up to 50% of the time.