Director of Development

Boston Debate League (BDL) is a non-profit organization that prepares young people for college, career, and engagement with the world through debate-inspired learning in the classroom and beyond. BDL creates inclusive learning communities for all, centering the experiences and assets of Black, Latino, and other marginalized young people in Boston.

BDL implements three core programs, each with a proven track record of success. BDL works in partnership with public schools in the Greater Boston area to support academic debate teams in local schools and to train teachers to use debate-inspired practices as part of their classroom practice.

• The After-School Debate program builds debate teams and facilitates monthly tournaments open to middle and high students who have the opportunity to develop their confidence, communication, and critical thinking skills through a competitive activity that engages them in discussions about important real-world issues of policy and equity.
• The Resolved program uses the core elements of policy debate, mentorship, and affinity-based community building to engage and empower Black and Latino young men in middle and high school. Through the program, cohorts of ten to fifteen Black and Latino young men from partner schools meet twice a week to have meaningful conversations, explore their identities, reflect on their future plans, and use the skills of debate to evaluate and form arguments or advocacy about issues in their communities.
• The Debate-Inspired Classrooms program uses an instructional model adopted by schools and teachers across content areas, inspired by the elements that make debate a powerful learning experience. The program trains and supports teachers to facilitate rigorous and student-centered classrooms. Through debate-inspired instructional practices, teachers guide students through a progression of skills as they learn to build complete and compelling arguments.

Results have consistently shown the positive impact of debate and debate-inspired instruction on students and classrooms. BDL’s long-term vision is that all young people in Boston are ENGAGED in critical discourse, INFORMED by evidence, and EMPOWERED to lead. We strive to create inclusive learning communities where all participants are welcome and supported in achieving the transformative, lifelong benefits of debate. The community the BDL serves encompasses over 35 public schools in and around Boston.

More information can be found at www.bostondebate.org.

Responsibilities

The Director of Development supports the mission of the BDL by working to attain, increase, and retain corporate, individual, and private foundation support to grow the organization’s revenue base annually. The Director of Development works in partnership with the Executive Director to create and implement the annual development strategy. In addition, the Director of Development will be responsible for managing and executing key elements of BDL’s day-to-day fundraising activities and operations, including data management, reporting, and donor communications. The candidate will be responsible for planning, managing, and evaluating the yearly campaign, including annual giving, private and corporate foundation giving, and events.

The Director of Development will report to the Executive Director, and will work in close partnership with the Managing Director of Operations and the Managing Director of External Affairs on forecasting and fundraising efforts. The Director of Development will supervise the contract Grant Writer. The Director of Development will have multiple responsibilities including, but not limited to, the following:

Fundraising, Relationship Building, and Stewardship

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with BDL’s values and mission; ensure staff and Board of Directors are engaged in sustaining and expanding a diverse and robust community of supporters
• Monitor progress toward fundraising goals, making strategic adjustments as needed to meet or exceed revenue targets
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward strategic relationships with a broad base of supporters and stakeholders—including individuals, foundations, corporations, legislators, and other entities—to diversify and grow revenue
• Manage all aspects of donor stewardship, including creating a recognition program for major donors ($1K+, $10K+, multi-year, and planned giving), ensuring a high-touch donor experience, and overseeing correspondence, meetings, and information sessions
• Oversee all written appeals, online giving campaigns, and annual solicitations (e.g. winter and spring appeals), including strategies to increase giving through peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdsourcing, and giving days
• Oversee the planning and execution of annual fundraising events and house parties, working with hosts and team members to ensure fundraising goals are met
• Manage day-to-day operations of the Development Department in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team, including identifying funding needs, setting revenue goals, and developing budgets
• Research, identify, and cultivate new and existing foundation and corporate partnerships; supervise grant proposal writing, reporting, and compliance, including tracking outcomes and managing grant budgets
• Foster a culture of philanthropy across the organization by helping staff recognize development opportunities and engage in donor cultivation activities
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to promote active participation in fundraising, identify donor prospects, and support effective governance and engagement strategies

Development Operations

• In partnership with administrative support, maintain and improve systems for financial reporting, donor/prospect tracking, and prospect research; provide regular reports to the Executive Director and Board of Directors on fundraising progress
• Oversee donor data management efforts, ensuring fundraising data integrity; maintain accurate records in the donor database; develop and manage reports in the database
• Ensure acknowledgment of funders via thank you letters, BDL’s website, marketing collateral, and social media within a designated time

People Management

• Supervise a contract Grants Writer; help develop a grant application process and identify local and national grant opportunities in collaboration with the Grants Writer and the Executive Director
• Foster a culture of support, collaboration, high standards, shared accountability, and flexibility among individuals supervised

Organization-Wide Work

As a member of the BDL team, the Director of Development participates in and occasionally leads staff meetings, contributes to the implementation of the strategic plan, and fulfills a support staff role at key BDL events during the year. Additionally, the Director of Development works across and collaborates with all members of the organization to advance the goals of the BDL. All staff members also engage in conversations related to the organization’s values, which include Racial and Social Equity and Diversity and Inclusion, and support the implementation of programming that ensures that these values are upheld.

The Ideal Candidate

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

The ideal candidate will have experience and a demonstrated history of success in fundraising and relationship management. They are highly collaborative, goal-oriented, and a driven relationship builder who is excited by both strategy and operational work. They will also bring an understanding of and eagerness to developing partnerships with individuals and institutions in Boston. Importantly, they will hold a passion for upholding the mission, vision, values, and equity statement of the Boston Debate League.

The following skills and experience are required for this position:

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience
• Proven leadership in fundraising, including identifying and cultivating individual and institutional donors leading to significant contributions
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to communicate BDL’s mission and impact in ways that inspire action
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with experience executing events and seeing initiatives through from start to finish
• Strategic thinker with the ability to implement plans and achieve measurable goals
• Experience working with Board members to support and engage them in fundraising efforts
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; confident public speaker and effective facilitator
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment
• Cultural competence and a demonstrated ability to work effectively across lines of difference, including race, language, and background
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
• Willingness to work some evenings and occasional weekends for events

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven success in designing and executing fundraising strategies generating over $1M annually from diverse revenue streams, including individuals, corporate donors, and events exceeding $100K
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit, and secure gifts of $10,000+ from a broad donor base
• Proficiency with Salesforce
• Strong knowledge of the philanthropic landscape in Greater Boston

Working Conditions

At this time, work is performed on a hybrid basis, with at least two days per week in person at the Boston office (usually Tuesdays and Fridays) and up to three days per week working remotely. This is a year-round position with some in-person evening and weekend requirements. Work is primarily performed in an office environment with occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds. If requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to accommodate employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position, absent undue hardship.

Salary & Benefits

Salary scales are set according to a transparent compensation policy, and relevant market data is analyzed when setting ranges for each role. To ensure internal parity, Boston Debate League will analyze the candidate’s overall number of years of experience as well as relevant experience pertaining to the position and in comparison with staff at the same role level to make the salary offer. Because salary ranges are small and the internal parity review is thorough, the offer is firm. The starting salary range for this position is $90,000 - $100,000, commensurate with experience and skills. Competitive benefits including health/dental insurance and generous paid time off are provided.

To Apply

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with interviews likely to begin in early August. The start date for this position is September 2025. Confidential inquiries, nominations, referrals, and resumes with a detailed cover letter outlining how skills and experience demonstrate an ability to meet the challenges and opportunities of this position, should be forwarded via email in Word or PDF format to:

Kimberly Bartlett-Ra, Director of Operations

Kbartlett-ra@bostondebate.org

The Boston Debate League is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In support of its organizational values, the BDL actively seeks candidates of color who reflect the experiences and backgrounds of the students and teachers served by BDL’s programs. For more information about the Boston Debate League, please visit

http://www.bostondebate.org.

Why BDL?

The Boston Debate League is a great place to work. Our mission is inspiring and of urgent importance. Our community of staff, students, educators, volunteers, and supporters is vibrant, passionate, and engaged.

Our core values of Power of Young People, Analytic Discourse, Diversity and Inclusion, Racial and Social

Equity, and Joy in Learning guide the work we do and enrich our staff culture. BDL employees enjoy:

• Working for a mission-driven organization with passionate staff and an inspiring student, coach, teacher, and volunteer community
• Competitive salaries
• Generous time off benefits, including:
• Three weeks vacation time each year (increasing to four weeks after the second year of employment)
• Two personal and eight sick days per year
• 12 paid holidays, plus office closure from December 26th - January 1st
• Multi-week sabbaticals at 4-, 7-, and 10-years of employment
• Comprehensive health benefits, including:
• Medical insurance (75% employer paid for employee and spouse/family)
• Dental insurance (50% employer paid for employee and spouse/family)
• Flexible spending account and dependent care account
• Long- and short-term disability coverage
• Other benefits, including:
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Opportunity to contribute to 403(b) retirement plan
• A family-friendly and flexible work environment, including opportunities to work remotely and flexible work hours