The Director of Development will play an essential role on Teach For America – Houston’s regional development team, collaborating with a dynamic development team to tell the story of Teach For America in Houston. Together this team will raise over $7M each fiscal year by building champions that support us financially and advocate for us in the community. This revenue will allow us to continue to grow and strengthen the corps in Houston, engage and activate our alumni, and put Teach For America in the best position to meet our partners’ demand for our teachers and leaders across our community. You will be directly responsible for raising over $1M each fiscal year by developing a diverse and sustainable investor base among Houston area foundations, corporations and individuals.
You will execute portfolio management, including researching current and prospective supporters and implementing a comprehensive cultivation and stewardship plan. You will also be in charge of writing regional grant proposals and reports, assisting with event planning and execution, and supporting the creation of fundraising collateral. You will report directly to the Senior Managing Director of Development and External Affairs.
Manage the Strategy and Execution of a Portfolio of Investors (85%)
- Set a comprehensive strategy focused on inspiring and activating investors who give up to $15K annually
- Develop and implement strategies and tactical plans to achieve goals for different investor groups
- Write compelling and high-quality grants, proposals, pitches, progress reports, and final reports for all partners that incorporate investor motivations, accurate data, and inspiring stories that reflect our unique mission and work
- Deliver compelling verbal pitches that incorporate investor motivations, accurate data, and inspiring stories that reflect our unique mission and work
- Respond quickly and comprehensively to requests for follow-up, clarification, and additional information with the aim of demonstrating the appreciation and value we place on our investors support
- Personally take meetings, and prepare the Senior Managing Director and Executive Director to take meetings, with individual investors
- Expand the donor pipeline and cultivate new donors through research, relationship building, and managing the SMD and ED to build relationships
- Execute successful stewardship activities
- Efficiently track and monitor all communications, actions, events, and commitments for each partner in the portfolio in Salesforce to ensure a positive and consistent investor experience
- Prepare materials for board and board committee meetings to ensure our regional board members are informed of progress to goal and key strategies
- Support in the execution of our annual benefit dinner by securing underwriters, ensuring the attendance of guests, and providing some operational support
- Support our Director of Events with the planning and execution of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship events
- Work with our Director of Communications to design and maintain regional fundraising collateral, including but not limited to pitch decks, one-pagers, invitations, e-mails and marketing materials
Fulfill Critical Regional Team Responsibilities (15%)
- Carry out foundational activities that ensure everyone in our region is rooted in our organization’s foundations and our regional strategy and has the opportunity to give input on major decisions, grow as professionals, and strengthen our team culture by:
- Attending regional and development team retreats and meetings;
- Preparing and leading check-ins with your manager around progress toward goals;
- Leveraging national resources (e.g. weekly newsletters, daily gift reports, etc.);
- Preparing for and engaging in our performance development program; 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 interviewing applicants to Teach For America; communicating regularly with incoming corps members; and assisting with member facing events, our alumni giving campaign, alumni survey, and other initiatives that impact our members and partners.
To be the most successful candidate, you must be passionate about the potential of our corps members and alumni to transform our current education system such that every child has the opportunity to realize their fullest potential. Furthermore, you must be compelled to share this story of our impact broadly and garner support for our efforts. More specifically, you will be:
- Passionate about Houston and educational equity. You are passionate about issues related to educational inequity in Houston. You are committed to Houston and are determined to leverage and build upon its assets to ensure we realize educational equity in partnership with the thousands of talented partners and leaders here. You are incredibly optimistic about what we can achieve when we embrace the strengths that are omnipresent in Houston and partner with others to solve our most pressing challenges, namely in education.
- A conscious leader. You have a strong understanding of the dynamics of race and class in America and a history of operating in the spirit of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. You have a pattern of modeling self-reflection, curiosity and exploration, and an ability to connect and empathize with people. You lead, and believe others must lead, through a culturally competent lens and in a way that empowers supporters, staff, corps members, alumni, students and communities.
- A team player. You strive towards outcomes in development by working collaboratively with others on the team, knowing your outcomes are improved by working in partnership. You bring a clear opinion to all meetings, especially when we make decisions. And, when a decision is made, you are a champion of the team’s decision.
- Obsessive about outcomes. You have an incredibly strong record of achieving ambitious goals despite obstacles. Your decisions are data-driven, and you stay laser-focused on your goals regardless of any day-to-day chaos or distractions.
- Motivated by relationships. Whether working with your teammates, external stakeholders, or our corps members and alumni, you cultivate and manage strong and lasting relationships with ease. Additionally, you have strong gravitas, presence, and maturity that engender respect and facilitate strong partnerships.
- Self-driven. You have superior organizational skills, attention to detail, integrity, and great follow-through on all facets of your work. You demonstrate an uncommon level of personal responsibility for achieving results, define broadly what is within your control, persevere in the face of challenges and you’re exceptionally optimistic about what is possible. You take initiative to do what it takes to achieve success. You are obsessed with learning and growing and consistently act on feedback to improve your performance, outcomes and impact on others.
- A compelling and strategic communicator. You work across multiple stakeholders to ensure consistency and quality of internal and external communications. You craft compelling, inspiring stories about our mission and can tailor them to different audiences across a wide variety of communication channels. You keep your manager regularly updated as a critical partner in your work.
- Innovative and strategic. You seek to chart a new course and create something where something does not yet exist. When you face a large problem, your first instinct is to break it down into smaller, manageable pieces and ruthlessly prioritize what is most important.
Prior Experience:
- Have two to four years of work experience
- Have experience leading million dollar fundraising campaigns (ideal, not required)
Work Demands:
- Be able to work weekends and evenings, as necessary
- Be able to travel up to 2 times per year for conferences and professional development
Skills:
- Experience using Salesforce (ideal but not required)
- Proficient in MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint (advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint ideal)