TFA Chi-NWI is seeking a Managing Director, Development Acquisition to oversee the recruitment of new individual and corporate supporters, as well as manage donor-facing events and stewardship. The Managing Director will set the vision and strategy for how new prospective supporters are identified, cultivated and solicited, including engaging board members in raising new money and designing stewardship vehicles. This individual will be the primary external relationship owner and solicitor for this portfolio of prospective individual and corporate supporters, but will also set up the VP, External Affairs and Executive Director to steward prospective donors as appropriate. The Managing Director is responsible for defining the strategy for and ensuring the sound execution of supporter-facing events, stewardship vehicles and systems. The Managing Director reports to the VP, External Affairs and manages the Director, Stewardship and the Coordinator, Stewardship.
Set vision and strategy for acquiring new and lapsed corporate and individual donors, and for donor-facing events, stewardship vehicles and stewardship systems (10%)
- Determine new, lapsed and upgrade portfolio composition, segmentation, and engagement strategy
- Determine role of connectors and influencers, such as the advisory and auxiliary boards, in acquiring new supporters
- Define strategy and goals for Teach For America’s annual giving vehicle, the Collective Impact Circle, in which donors are matched with second year teachers
- Define strategy and goals for Teach For America's Young Professional’s Auxiliary Board
- Support Director, Stewardship in defining an events and stewardship calendar
- Support Director, Stewardship in defining the vision and strategy for Teach For America’s annual Benefit Dinner
Manage team execution (25%):
- Coach and develop team on an ongoing basis
- Ensure effective cross-team information sharing and collaboration happens for events and stewardship
- Support Director, Stewardship in ensuring that comprehensive event and mailing execution plans are created and followed faithfully
- Support Director, Stewardship in recruiting, training, matching and managing Collective Impact Circle participants
- Support Coordinator, Stewardship in developing proactive systems for executing donor engagements such as school visits, and connecting with corps members and alumni (Collective Impact Circle, first-year corps member dinners)
- Support Coordinator, Stewardship in defining acquisition and stewardship systems to create or improve
- Partner with Coordinator, Stewardship to engage Young Professionals Board and execute Corps Member and Alumni Giving Campaign
Identify, steward and solicit a portfolio of corporate and individual prospects and supporters (40%)
- Partner with connectors and influencers (advisory board members, auxiliary board members, other local philanthropic networks) to identify new donor prospects for Teach For America
- Connect donor prospects to engagement opportunities that best align with their motivations and interests
- Manage the ongoing stewardship and solicitation of new individual and corporate giving prospects, both directly and through VP, External Affairs and Executive Director
Design and execute a pilot series of engagements targeting mid-career professionals, aimed at inspiring them to support Teach For America philanthropically (10%)
- Gather data and best practices to set goals and define a strategy
- Partner with existing supporters to recruit participants
- Execute engagements and solicitations
- Evaluate success and determine go-forward strategy
Participate in all Team Responsibilities (5%)
- Prepare for and lead check ins with your manager around progress towards goals and your ongoing development
- Prepare for and participate in XA team meetings and retreats
- Collaborate with and support XA colleagues’ work and development
Collective responsibilities (10%)
- Fulfill foundational responsibilities that allow our region to do our work, make decisions, grow as professionals, and strengthen our team culture, including but not limited to attending regional meetings, operating with our Core Values and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness, completing our performance management cycle, and upholding our data management, office operations and fiscal responsibilities
- Make a direct impact on the organizational mission of enlisting, developing and mobilizing leaders to strengthen the movement for educational equity by participating in selection (6-10 days total plus preparation and close out time), matriculation (up to six windows across the year), regional recruitment activity, member facing events (including Leadership Summits and Summer Training), our alumni giving campaign, alumni survey, and at least one regional or national committee/working group, and other initiatives that impact our members and partners
- 8+ years professional experience working in a non-profit or educational context
- Previous experience working with external stakeholders required; previous development experience strongly preferred
- Previous management experience preferred
- Highly entrepreneurial and self-motivated
- Able to identify supporter motivations and tailor stewardship appropriately
- Conversationally fluent in at least one organization’s case for support
- Curious, eager to learn and talk about education landscape in Chicago
- Effective at delegating, managing and coordinating across management lines