Teach For America is seeking leaders with experience in fundraising, prospect research, and donor cultivation to craft and implement innovative development strategies within the Idaho region. As the primary development director for our region, you will play a key role in creating a compelling vision for stewardship, and investing internal team members and external stakeholders in that vision.
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 Director, Development sets ambitious goals, constantly pausing to assess progress and adjust as needed. You understand the power of our region’s story and can communicate it effectively to a wide and diverse audience.
This 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. You will have a heightened awareness of the systemic challenges facing Idaho communities where educational inequity persists. You demonstrate an orientation and commitment to individual and collective growth in identity development and critical consciousness. You are also a skilled manager of people and operations that empowers the leadership of everyone around you.
Management of a Donor Portfolio (75%)
- Through prospect research and field work, identify and qualify new potential individual, foundation, and corporate donors
- Design stewardship and cultivation strategies to maintain strong connections and ongoing communication with existing donors and consistently engage new prospects
- Manage a portfolio of corporate, foundation, and individual prospects and donors through meetings, events, and sharing compelling stories of impact and opportunity
- Develop letters, proposals, and reports for funders, as necessary
- Design, implement, and manage the One Day annual giving campaign
- Prioritize the right actions for the Executive Director and Chief of Staff to take in order to cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with the Board of Directors, key stakeholders, and community leaders
- Creatively engage Board members to leverage their networks in support of fundraising efforts
Fundraising Team Planning and Management (15%)
- Collaborate with the Chief of Staff to create the long-term regional fundraising vision and annual strategic and operating plans for all donor streams
- Maintain the donor database records and pull associated reports
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and Chief of Staff to report to the Board fundraising activities and progress against goals
- Work closely with the Assistant to the Executive Director to prepare the Executive Director for meetings, record meeting downloads into our donor database, track and ensure the completion of next steps
- Regularly assess progress-to-goal, identify what is driving and impeding success, and develop strategies to expand opportunities and overcome barriers
- Work with TFA national colleagues to ensure validity of our internal metrics and fiscal compliance
Regional Team Responsibilities (10%)
- Support, attend, and/or participate in regional team activities, including regular staff meetings, retreats, and social events
- Participate in Selection phone interviews and/or in-person interviews with corps member applicants for up to three days each selection window (about 6-10 days total throughout the year depending on your role)
- Staff large-scale regional events (such as All-Corps, CM Orientation and Summer Training) often times for a whole day or multiple days at a time
- 3+ years of experience required, including concrete experience managing fundraising efforts and external portfolio management
- Teach For America corps member experience preferred but not required
- Teach For America staff experience preferred but not required
- A track record of achieving ambitious, measurable outcomes
- Deep commitment to Teach For America’s core values, mission, and theory of change.
- High level of attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines, can skillfully manage themselves and others to execute complicated, time-sensitive tasks
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, specifically in service of compelling individuals and groups to invest in our mission
- Ability to build strategic relationships and foster partnerships across networks, and compel others to action through a mutual alignment to our mission
- Understands and is committed to the local community, is able to motivate and develop others in support of educational equity
- Strong self-awareness and ability to independently self-reflect
Work Demands
- Ability to travel frequently within the region, including within southwestern and south central Idaho, to meet with key stakeholders
- Occasional overnight travel required for attendance at various conferences and events
- Occasional weekend and evening work required