Development Manager

Workers’ Dignity Seeking a Development Manager

Workers’ Dignity, a 10-year old multi-racial, multi-lingual worker center based in Nashville, Tennessee is seeking qualified applications for Development Manager. The Development Manager will coordinate and implement Workers’ Dignity’s annual fundraising from both grassroots and institutional donors. 

Workers’ Dignity (WD) is a worker-led center organizing for economic justice and dignity for all! Through a member-led process including assemblies and leadership development, we organize strategic campaigns to build worker power in Middle Tennessee. Currently, our program areas include: Construction Worker Organizing; Participatory Democracy Projects (in partnership with other grassroots organizations); Wage Theft recovery; and, WDYO 104.1FM Radio. WD’s annual budget is about $500,000, of which about 70% comes from institutional donors and 30% from individual donors. 

The Development Manager brings strategic leadership and guidance on WD’s fundraising functions. Reporting to and working closely with the Co-Directors, the Development Manager is responsible for maintaining WD’s current grant portfolio, prospecting new foundation grants, and leading the expansion of our grassroots fundraising (including two semi-annual fund drives and an annual monthly sustainer campaign). The position includes grant writing, donor research, relationship building, managing the donor database and event planning. 

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Fundraising Strategy & Implementation

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive and diverse fundraising program, including but not limited to: grassroots donor program, major donor program, monthly sustainers, and foundation grants.
• Collaborate with co-directors to identify how to support WD’s mission and goals through fundraising.
• Serve as key thought partners with the co-directors and Steering Committee (board) in developing fundraising strategies and take responsibility for the successful execution of these strategies, including through direct engagement in fundraising. 
• Develop annual fundraising goals and long-term targets for WD, in collaboration with the member-led Steering Committee (board) and co-directors. 

Grassroots Fundraising

• Cultivate, maintain and grow individual donor engagement. This includes expanding WD’s pool of major donors. Ensure timely donor appreciation. 
• Create timely and regular data reports and analyze donor and fundraising trends.
• Manage donor database, including entering, acknowledging and recording donations and all donor information. 
• Coordinate the annual anniversary fund drive (which culminates in a WD Anniversary Fundraising Celebration), End of Year Fund Drive, and annual monthly sustainer campaign. This includes supervising, coaching and developing high-performing grassroots fundraising teams involving members, supporters, and staff. Communicate vision, define team member roles and benchmarks, and provide guidance. 
• Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations of staff members involved in grassroots fundraising, and constructive feedback to all volunteers on the fund team. 
• Event Management: coordinate the WD Anniversary Fundraising Celebration and other major fund event(s), including overseeing logistics and post-event evaluation and follow-up. Coordinate and train event volunteers, most of whom are WD members. 

Institutional Fundraising

• Develop strategy and oversee stewardship, prospecting, solicitation, and retention of grants from foundations. 
• Grant narrative and report writing. Grant financial report writing. 
• Collaborate as needed with the co-directors and Steering Committee to prepare for funder stewardship and cultivation activities. 
• Oversee, in coordination with the co-directors, the creation of compelling, timely concept papers and proposals to funders. 
• Collaborate with the Communications team to oversee development of funder-facing material, including annual reports and website content. 
• Manage grants database.
• Occasional travel.

Other duties

• Collaboratively develop and maintain a healthy culture of mutual caring and high standards of work. 
• As necessary, represent WD in external networks and partnerships. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing, with demonstrated success in creating compelling proposals to secure grant funding and in presenting complex programmatic information clearly. At least 3 years of grant-writing experience.
• At least 2 years of experience in grassroots donor development (small donations, major donors and/or monthly sustainers). 
• Excellent relationship building skills, including with members, donors and funders. 
• Excellent personal, organizational and time management skills; capacity to manage multiple priorities; and accountability to goals. 
• Track record of successful work with multi-lingual, multi-racial organizations.
• Respect for and willingness to learn from differing perspectives, voices, and backgrounds.  
• Clear, persuasive communicator and networker.
• Team player who will roll up their sleeves with staff, be resourceful and creative to get the job done.
• Demonstrated commitment to base-led organizing for economic, racial, gender and social justice.
• Commitment to WD’s mission and values.
• Experience with donor databases and/or CRMs a plus.

Strong preference for people of color, bilingual (English/Spanish a plus), experience with worker organizing, including persons who come from the base, familiarity with working in the South or conservative-dominated areas, and committed to working-class values. Women, gender non-conforming, people of color, and immigrants are strongly encouraged to apply!

BENEFITS: Full medical, dental and vision insurance/PPO for staff & dependents with no monthly premium. Two weeks paid vacation, two weeks PTO, and 10 paid holidays per year. Professional Development fund to use at employee’s discretion. 

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-time, regular, exempt.

HOW TO APPLY: Send cover letter and resume via email to the Hiring Committee at: info@workersdignity.org. You may be asked to provide writing samples after review of your resume. Position open until filled. Interviews will be on a rolling basis.