The SMD, Development Partner will lead the learning and development for a cohort of fourteen regions, with a focus on executive directors and heads of development. The Development Partner will design and lead a robust set of adult learning experiences in their cohort with the goal of driving the learning, growth, and progress of the EDs’ and HOD’s development skills and, over time, producing significant and sustained development results in their regions.
The ideal candidate is an exceptional strategic thinker and relationship builder with strong client management and people instincts. This is a great opportunity for an exceptional leader who has significant fundraising experience and expertise; sophisticated strategy and design skills; exceptional facilitation and adult learning skills; exceptional relationship building and communication skills, and who has a deep understanding of and belief in TFA’s theory of change. The Senior Managing Director is highly organized and thrives in fast-paced, goal-oriented environment; is an adept listener and problem solver, able to effectively identify and marshal resources towards areas of opportunity and challenges; and is a team-builder who operates and leads with Teach For America’s core values and commitment to diversity.
The Senior Managing Director will report directly to a Regional Operations Regional Field Executive and manage one staff member, a Development Coach. The Senior Managing Director works closely with peers across Regional Operations, the National Development team, as well as regional Executive Directors and heads of development.
Strategy & Design (30%)
- Work in collaboration with your fellow Development Partners to create and drive an unparalleled vision and plan for ensuring that regional development teams are learning, growing, and making progress over time, ultimately becoming strong and financially sustainable.
- Create, plan, and execute all aspects of a learning agenda, e.g.:
- Design curriculum for training EDs and HODs on setting annual and quarterly goals, tracking and analyzing quarterly progress, and managing teams to achieve those goals.
- Work in collaboration with Partners across functional areas at Teach For America (e.g. Teacher Preparation & Support) and Teach For All to define best practices in learning and development.
- As a member of the Development Team Operating Committee, contribute to the identification and resolution of key strategic questions for the team and the organization, including the strategic planning process, overall priorities, Development Team culture, and results.
Facilitating Learning Experiences (40%)
- Develop and lead a robust set of adult learning experiences and resources that go beyond traditional professional development and produce significant and sustained development results.
- Exercise excellent analytical skills and judgment to assess the unique needs of executive directors and heads of development in your cohort who are at varying stages of proficiency and embedded in different regional contexts to ensure that you adapt learning experiences to meet those unique needs.
- Foster strategic innovation by piloting and test new ideas, tracking performance, learning from and scaling what works, and adjusting course rapidly.
- Quickly build relationships with EDs, HODs, EVPs, and other key stakeholders that engender trust and action that sets you up to drive learning, growth, and progress.
Portfolio support (10%)
- Work closely with regions in your cohort and with the frontline fundraisers on the Development Team (i.e. Leadership Gifts, Foundations, and Corporate Partnerships) to identify opportunities to maximize donor giving to regions and the national organization.
Development Management (10%)
- Work closely with home team leadership to manage and track progress of regional development goals.
Management (10%)
- Manage an MD, Development Coach, providing direction, feedback, and ongoing professional development.
Prior Experience
- Preferably 8 or more years of fundraising experience, with at least three designing and leading professional development for adults
- Deep knowledge of fundraising content.
Skills
- Ability to establish credibility quickly, develop strong relationships with diverse individuals and various teams, and influence and motivate others
- Proven record of results for dramatically improving outcomes for adults.
- Highly sophisticated strategy and design skills
- Ability to identify professional development needs and design appropriate learning experiences that align to those needs
- Ability to design and facilitating effective learning experiences for a diverse audience
- Ability to establish credibility quickly, develop strong relationships with diverse individuals, and influence and motivate others
- Ability to operate independently and effectively in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, results-oriented culture