Teach For America is seeking leaders with experience in fundraising, donor cultivation, and team management to craft innovative development strategies with regional teams across the country. As Head of Development, you will be responsible for not only creating a compelling vision for stewardship, but investing a fundraising team 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 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 the Development team 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.
Management of a Major Gifts Portfolio
- Through research and field work, identify individuals and institutions who have the potential to invest in our work, and then identify and build consensus around philanthropic opportunities most strategic to pursue
- Build donor investment in our mission with a focus on upgrades and multi-year commitments for long term supports
- Prioritize the right actions for the Executive Director to take in order to cultivate, solicit and steward major donors and prepare Executive Director to execute
- 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
Partnerships with Board, Foundations and Corporate Funders
- Collaborate with Executive Director to prepare for and participate in board meetings and lead board members in regional planning activities and special projects
- Through grant writing and strategic relationship building, develop a sustainable corporate and foundation investor base that increases annually
Fundraising Team Planning and Management
- Create the long-term regional fundraising vision and annual strategic and operating plans for all donor streams to meet goals and diversify donor base
- Directly manage team members who may include: Director, Foundations and Corporate Partnerships; Manager, Individual Giving; and Associate, Operations and Events
- Regularly assess progress-to-goal, identify what is driving and impeding success, and develop strategies to expand opportunities and overcome barriers
- Design stewardship strategy to maintain strong connections with supports and engage new prospects; invest team in strategy and support execution
- 5-7 years of work experience required, with team leadership and concrete experience managing fundraising efforts highly preferred
- A track record of achieving ambitious, measurable outcomes
- High profile external portfolio management experience in similar sectors such as political campaigns, sales, and fundraising required
Skills
- Ability to set an inspiring vision and motivate others to reach goals in support of that vision
- 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
Work Demands
- Ability to travel frequently within the region to meet with key stakeholders
- Occasional overnight travel required for attendance at various conferences and events
- Occasional weekend and evening work required