Teach For America is seeking a leader with experience in fundraising, donor cultivation, and team management to craft an innovative development strategy in Dallas/Fort Worth towards the goal of raising $10M annually. By successfully raising $10M, the development team enables TFA-DFW to reach over 75,000 students on a daily basis in North Texas. As Head of Development, you will be responsible for not only creating a compelling multi-year vision, but investing a fundraising team and external stakeholders in that vision. You will also serve on the DFW Senior Leadership Team.
The ideal candidate is passionate about our mission and able to compel others through written and verbal messaging to invest in our work. A critical thinker adept at strategic planning, the Head of Development sets ambitious fundraising goals and manages themselves and others toward those goals, constantly pausing to assess progress and adjust as needed. A successful Head of Development understands the power of their region’s story, and can communicate it effectively to a wide and diverse audience.
This regional senior leadership position provides an excellent opportunity for individuals with strong experience in high profile external portfolio management, annual and major giving, and the fundraising acumen to identify, cultivate, secure, and steward high-capacity prospects and donors. The Head of Development has a heightened awareness of the systemic challenges facing communities where educational inequity persists. They demonstrate an orientation and commitment to individual and collective growth in identity development and critical consciousness. They are also a skilled manager of people and operations who empowers the leadership of everyone around them.
- Setting Vision & Direction (35%). Create the long-term regional fundraising vision and annual strategic and operating plans for all donor streams to meet goals and diversify donor base. Regularly assess progress-to-goal, identify what is driving and impeding success, and develop strategies to expand opportunities and overcome barriers. Donor experience and campaign design: analyze and synthesize trends in the motivations of our supporter base to develop compelling narratives and engagement strategies, and operationalize them using a mix of media and event strategies.
- Management (40%). Manage, coach, and develop four direct reports: (1) Senior Managing Director - Major Gifts Officer, (2) Managing Director - Individual Giving, (3) Managing Director - Institutional Giving, and (4) Associate - Development Operations. Oversee a full team of eight team members, ensuring progress toward goals and developing them as professionals. Help the team prioritize the right actions for the Executive Director to take in order to cultivate, solicit and steward major donors and prepare the Executive Director to execute.
- Organizational Leadership (20%). Work with the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Leadership Team to set ambitious yet feasible revenue, donor retention and acquisition benchmarks to achieve both immediate (current fiscal year) and long-term (next 3-5 years) goals for growth and sustainability of the region. Oversee the process of non-payroll budget processing, tracking and manage decision making around budget, the refinement and development of the budget. Participate in weekly leadership meetings to help drive the region’s vision and culture.
- Regional Team Activities (5%). Actively participate in and support all-staff responsibilities, such as corps member selection and matriculation, corps member professional development Saturdays (2-3 per year), staff meetings, functional team meetings and retreats, and Summer Institute.
- You are an expert client-relationship manager who leverages a keen understanding of the beliefs, motivations and contexts of others as well as the power of networks to influence key stakeholders towards meaningful outcomes.
- You are a long-range strategic and creative thinker who develops a strong charge for the role of Development and specifically our donor network in achieving the regional vision and designs a set of strategies & priorities to achieve it.
- You are a skillful manager of people and operations who empowers the leadership of staff members. You’ll be adept at managing up to the Executive Director, board members and other champions to execute.
- You can develop systems to track progress, streamline communication and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of team execution.
- You are an effective communicator who crafts a compelling, inspiring story about our mission and work and can tailor cases for support to different audiences across a wide variety of communication channels (i.e. emails, grants, speeches, presentations, meetings, etc.).
- You possess an uncommon level of personal responsibility for achieving results, can broadly define what is within your control, persevere in the face of challenges and are exceptionally optimistic about what is possible.
- You are committed to the local community, possess a thorough understanding of the local and national education reform movement, and are motivated by developing and mobilizing an external network in support of educational equity.
- You have a demonstrated pattern of learning and continuously improving to grow and better self, teams and organization.
- You must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Salesforce proficiency is ideal.
- Commitment to Teach For America’s mission and core values.
- Minimum of 7 years of work experience and 4 years of team management experience.
- Knowledge and familiarity of the fundraising industry or experience in similar sectors such as political campaigns and sales required.
- A track record of meeting fundraising/sales goals preferred.
Work Demands:
- Ability to travel around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
- Occasional work required on nights and weekends.