Development Director

The Development Director is responsible for advancing and sustaining the mission and work of Real Change. This is a full time, exempt position reporting to the Executive Director or interim staff serving in that capacity. The Development Director will direct fundraising strategy for the organization.

The Development Director, in partnership with the Executive Director, is responsible for the organization’s revenue. This includes an annual budget of approximately $1.4 million with contributions from sponsorships, grants, individual gifts, and newspaper circulation that sustain the organization’s core programs. This position includes annual bonus eligibility for securing new major gifts exceeding budgeted revenue.

The next Development Director will implement a sustainable fundraising strategy to support the fulfillment of our mission and lead with the goal of empowering our newspaper vendors, many of whom are people experiencing homelessness and poverty. The position will supervise our Development Manager and Grants Writer.

Primary Roles and Responsibilities

Fundraising strategy and execution:

• Direct and sustain an ambitious and sustainable fundraising plan to ensure organizational priorities are met.
• Achieve annual revenue goals through individual, corporate, institutional, and foundation channels to sustain and grow the annual contributed income budget
• Support and supervise the Development staff in their creation and execution of the annual fundraising and development plan.
• Prioritize a vendor-centric fundraising strategy that centers those most impacted by our work through meaningful storytelling.
• Keep abreast of development issues by networking and staying current on trends in philanthropy.

Donor engagement and stewardship:

• Build authentic relationships with individual donors and foundation staff.
• Develop and implement short term and long-term cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Ensure effective use of CRM systems to achieve the overall objectives of the annual fundraising strategy.
• Provide ongoing stewardship and program progress to funders while developing updated information for prospective funders on programs of interest.
• Coordinate planned giving efforts including bequests, trusts, and the development of gifts or securities, property, and other appreciated assets.
• Implement acknowledgement and recognition systems for donors.
• Develop and oversee special procedures to monitor and evaluate major gift progress.

Grant writing and management:

• Supervise the grants program, including the annual grants calendar, to ensure growth and quality of presentation and continuity of information.
• Research and identify grant opportunities and communicate with prospective funders.
• Collaborate with our Grants Writer to write and submit compelling grant inquiries and proposals.
• Coordinate with our Vendor Program staff to develop grant proposals involving our vendors and ensure adherence to funder requirements.

Additional fundraising areas:

• Collaborate with development staff to plan the annual fundraiser, with the goal of driving increasing attendance and increasing average gift size.
• Seek and facilitate corporate sponsorship and newspaper advertising opportunities in collaboration with our Vendor Program and Newsroom staff.

Leadership:

• Inform, involve, and train Board members, staff, and volunteers in the acquisition of major gift support.
• Foster a positive, effective, and safe work environment; follow Union negotiated contracts and maintain records and policies that support this goal.
• Facilitate strong and open communication throughout leadership, staff, and board.

Communications:

• Direct organizational branding and maintain consistency through the design and development of our marketing materials (e.g. brochures, annual reports, appeals, digital media, etc.).
• Represent Real Change externally and promote visibility of the organization through community partnerships as well as owned, earned, and paid media.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in major gifts, individual giving, and donor relationship management, including securing gifts of $5,000+.
• Experience building fundraising programs, including establishing individual giving systems, donor pipelines, and stewardship processes.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills, with ability to develop fundraising plans, set goals, and partner with leadership to shape organizational strategy.
• Demonstrated experience working with socioeconomically diverse, multicultural communities is required; experience working with community based organizations is a plus.
• Experience with facilitating donor introductions and leveraging networks to cultivate donor relationships.
• Excellent writing and communication abilities, with skill to craft compelling donor narratives, appeals, impact reports, and proposals that inspire giving.
• Strong project management capabilities, including experience providing strategic oversight of grants management and managing multiple priorities.
• Experience using financial data, budgets, and donor databases to analyze relationships, measure impact, and inform strategy.

Compensation: Salary range is $95,000.00/year; this position is salaried exempt. Benefit package includes Health and Dental coverage, 3 weeks’ vacation, 2 weeks’ sick time, 11 holidays, 403(b) Retirement Fund with a 4% Real Change contribution, and professional development funds.