Associate Director of Development

About More Than Words

More Than Words (MTW) is a social enterprise that empowers youth, ages 16-24, who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. By working as a team to manage their own retail and online used book business and community space, youth develop the employment skills, leadership, and self-confidence they need to successfully transition to adulthood.

MTW is an exemplary organization that has continually held up a mirror to identify areas for improvement and accountability; that ethic is part of the culture and fabric of MTW, and it extends to our commitment to ensuring our staff and board reflect the racial and ethnic diversity and lived experiences of the young adults we are privileged to serve. People of color are highly encouraged to apply

The Opportunity

More Than Words (MTW) seeks an Associate Director of Development to lead the organization to engage a wide range of stakeholders with a focus on individual donors. The Associate Director manages the annual fund, leads mid-tier donor relationships, and engages the community through volunteering, with a goal of raising $550,000+ from these sources in FY 2026 and achieving annual growth goals. The Associate Director also manages fundraising and cultivation events, including the annual fundraiser and cultivation events that are part of supporting the organization’s overall goal of $5M in philanthropic support. The Associate Director directly supervises the Volunteer & Marketing Coordinators at each site (program alumni roles) and has dotted line oversight of a Grants & Giving Manager to supervise donation processing. This role reports to the Chief Advancement Officer and works closely with the events, marketing, and business teams.

Key responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

Annual Fund & Individual Donor Cultivation (50%):

• Manages portfolio of ~150 mid-tier individual donors, stakeholders, and prospects
• totaling $400,000, and engages them in MTW through personalized connections including update emails,
• invitations to events, and scheduling individual meetings or calls.
• Creates customized engagement plans for donors and maintains an individual cultivation calendar, ensuring proactive communication and outreach at least every 6 months and ideally quarterly.
• Supported by Grants & Giving Manager, ensures accurate recording of all incoming individual donations and reaches out in a timely manner with thanks for gifts and opportunities for connection.
• Manages creation of
• Annual Report and Appeal, including scheduling photoshoots, coordinating with design and writing contractors, managing internal reviews, and planning mailings.
• Proactively seeks new prospects for mid-tier donors and major gifts, including researching annual fund and book donors, sending outreach letters, engaging volunteers, attending events, giving presentations, etc.
• Develops and implements
• strategies for engaging younger generations of donors
• through social media and crowd funding efforts, marathon bibs, customized volunteering opportunities, etc.

Events (20%):

• Creates and manages event workplans and calendars to meet established donor cultivation and fundraising goals and objectives, as well as donor education objectives, including house parties, Talk More Learn More sessions, luncheons, off-site events, etc.
• Proactively leads development, planning, and implementation of annual More Than Dessert fundraising event to net $125,000 in FY26, including planning invitations, confirming sponsors, coordinating restaurants/AV/catering, and planning programming.
• In collaboration with Grants and Giving Manager, support
• the annual BCFC fundraising event through cultivation activities and preparing youth speakers for the event.
• Takes a leading role in preparing and engaging staff and youth in development activities, including presentations, events and public speaking.
• Collaborate and take a leadership role in department efforts to ensure strategic and sensitive storytelling for youth with a racial equity lens.

Volunteering Program (10%):

• Supervises staff or service members who manage the volunteer program. Supports
• these direct reports to handle questions related to volunteer recruitment, interviewing and intake, security and training, engagement, and appreciation efforts.
• Proactively uses volunteering program as a way to deepen corporate partnerships and source new individual donors, with a goal of raising $50,000 annually.

Leadership within Department (10%):

• Advances racial equity and equitable fundraising and funding practices by educating institutional and individual supporters, using asset-based framing, speaking frankly about racism, and collaborating with Chief Advancement Officer to give feedback to stakeholders as needed.
• Operates as a leader within the Advancement Department by identifying opportunities and risks, leading ad hoc projects, advancing equitable fundraising practices, participating in goal setting processes, and supporting staff and service members.
• Flexibly collaborates as part of the development and community engagement team by participating in meetings and public-facing opportunities to support community engagement and fundraising goals. Speaks in public and prepares MTW staff and young people to speak.
• Stays up to date and engages with the organization as a whole to inform conversations.

Key Qualifications:

• Growth-oriented leader with a track record of success
• in public facing roles and project management
• Experience in nonprofit fundraising, event planning, and/or volunteer management
• Strong communicator in person and over email with strong planning
• and follow-through skills
• Motivated by the MTW mission and being accountable for ambitious goals
• Lived experiences similar to the young people we serve is desirable
• Ability to support evening and weekend work with advance planning (e.g., attending More Than Words events and partner events likely 2-3 times/month)
• Ability to sit and type at a computer for long periods of time
• Ability to lift and move items weighting up to 25 lbs to set up for events
• Responsible, flexible, hardworking, ethical, and committed to personal growth in racial equity

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST with a few evening events per month (with advance planning).

All of MTW’s sites are commuter friendly and are conveniently located near public transportation.

Background Checks

More Than Words requires all staff, service members, volunteers, board members and youth over 18 years of age to undergo background checks. More Than Words is a CORI friendly organization and reviews CORIs on a case-by-case basis.

MTW EEO Statement

MTW is an equal opportunity employer, fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces and encourages applicants of every background. The organization's policy regarding equal employment opportunity means that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, benefits, wage and salary administration, scheduling, disciplinary action, and termination will be made without unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to HR@MTWyouth.org.