Role: Senior Director of Development
Reports to: CEO
Location: This position may telecommute from anywhere in the United States
About Us
Chiefs for Change is a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education chiefs. With more than three dozen members, our work is focused on advocacy, leadership development, and member supports.
We are positioned to rapidly spread bold policies and practices, as we have:
- National reach: Our members lead education systems with more than 7 million students, 454,000 teachers, and 14,000 schools.
- Diverse contexts: Our network is diverse in terms of race, gender, political affiliation, and geography.
- A model for disseminating promising ideas: We work with our members, excellent technical assistance providers, and top-tier research institutions to scale innovative approaches designed to improve student learning.
To learn more about Chiefs for Change, please visit https://chiefsforchange.org/
Job Summary
Chiefs for Change (CFC) is seeking a highly motivated individual with extensive fundraising experience and a deep commitment to educational equity to serve as senior director of development. The person will oversee the development team, including the senior associate and coordinator, and report to the CEO. This is a remote position.
As senior director, the individual will be responsible for cultivating new funding opportunities while managing stewardship initiatives for CFC’s existing portfolio of funders. The person will be a strategic thinker who draws on their excellent writing, interpersonal, and managerial skills to execute the organization’s strategic development plan.
With a record of results in meeting robust fundraising goals and proven success in cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with funders and partners, the senior director will be a clear and persuasive communicator who can see the big picture in the details. The person will have a nuanced understanding of CFC’s mission and a passion for advancing our work.
Strategy and Stewardship
- Work with the CEO to craft a strategic development plan; manage the development team’s work to execute the plan and ensure the organization is on track to meet its fundraising goals
- In partnership with the CEO, identify new revenue opportunities and develop compelling written content that communicates the organization’s strategic priorities and impact
- Work with the CEO to establish, expand, and maintain positive and productive relationships with new and existing funders and other important partners
- Collaborate across teams to support CFC’s development strategy; partner with the communications team to promote the organization’s work in ways that will generate interest in the funding community
Grants Management and Reporting
- Develop a nuanced understanding of CFC’s mission, work, and impact to inform the development of compelling communications for potential funders
- Oversee CFC’s grant process, from initial proposal to final reporting and renewal
- Write all external fundraising communications in partnership with the CFC leadership team; oversee all development-related communications including proposals, letters of inquiry, reports, and briefs
- Manage the senior associate of development
- Research and identify national and regional grant opportunities aligned to CFC’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities
Tracking and Systems Management
- Provide regular reports and updates to the CFC leadership team related to grant research activities, applications, and awards
- Oversee the development and maintenance of new systems and processes to support fundraising, grant reporting, stewardship, and other revenue-generating initiatives
- Ensure accurate tracking of prospects and funders to support effective cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, engagement, and stewardship activities
- Support the coordinator of development in efforts to maximize CFC’s donor management system and ensure the organization meets all development goals; ensure data integrity in the use of Salesforce
- Oversee the grants calendar to ensure timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposals, and reports
Requirements
Candidates must have 10 or more years of related professional experience culminating in a role in strategic development and grants management. A bachelor’s degree is required, with a master’s preferred. Experience can be substituted for an advanced degree. In addition, the ideal candidate will be:
- A fundraising leader with experience overseeing team members who are responsible for development across revenue streams
- Comfortable working in databases, specifically Salesforce, that involve complex spreadsheets and financial information
- Skilled in crafting thoughtful and engaging written communications and in explaining financial information with varying degrees of complexity to staff and partners
- An adept researcher with proven analytical and strategic planning skills
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with critical deadlines
- Able to handle confidential information with discretion
- An excellent manager with a history of developing and cultivating effective, results-oriented teams
- An exceptional negotiator with strong organizational skills
- Proficient in Google Apps—i.e., Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms, etc.—as well as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Salesforce
To Apply: Please submit your resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. As we are a small team, we are not able to respond to each inquiry. We will reach out directly to those candidates who we select to move forward in the interview process. We believe diversity is a source of strength and welcome applicants of all religions, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.