Director of Development – External Relations

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

About Us and Our Philosophy

Breakthrough Greater Boston (BTGB) is a transformative college access and teacher training program. BTGB offers ten+ years of academic enrichment, college preparation to middle school and high school students with high potential but limited opportunities, and college persistence and success supports to our students. Simultaneously, BTGB recruits, trains, and inspires a diverse cohort of high achieving college students to become the next generation of urban teachers. Leveraging a Students Teaching Students model, BTGB provides engaging, tuition-free academic programming during the summer and after school. Our students gain the skills and motivation to succeed in rigorous high school courses and, ultimately, in college. Meanwhile, our teachers gain hands-on experience, research-based training and coaching from professional educators.

With a deep commitment to our mission, BTGB operates with the highest standards of integrity and best practices, while also enjoying the ability to be innovative and flexible to meet the evolving needs of our students, families, and teachers. Our team is diverse, high-performing, and dedicated. We continue to build an organizational culture that emphasizes our core values for every member of our community:

• Spirit: We cherish and embody the youthful energy and spirit of our students and teachers
• Continual Learning: Everyone in our community has something to learn and something to teach
• Team Together: We all chip in to accomplish whatever is needed for our teammates and the broader organization
• Student Centered: Our students are our first priority and our decisions center around what benefits our students
• Equity and Opportunity: We value diversity of identity, background and thought. We treat everyone with dignity and respect
• Excellence in Everything: We maintain high expectations for ourselves

Breakthrough Greater Boston encourages individuals of all backgrounds to apply for this position, and we do not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law. We celebrate the diversity of our world and community, and we seek to build a team that reflects that diversity in every way. We welcome and encourage all qualified applicants who share our vision, as we wish to engage all those who can contribute to our work and mission.

THE OPPORTUNITY

BTGB is currently seeking a motivated and talented individual to join the Development team, with a focus on external relations. This individual will play a critical role in the organization’s development efforts as we expand our reach, deepen our programmatic impact, and grow the funding base necessary to support that growth. The Director of Development should possess strong project management and communication skills, be highly detail-oriented, take pride in their work, and consistently strive for excellence. They should be excited about making a real impact in people’s lives, embrace new challenges, and be eager to help extend the reach of BTGB’s work to more students and teachers. This position reports to the Managing Director of Development and works alongside two other Development team members. The role will also collaborate closely with the Co-Executive Directors, Operations Team, and Program Team.

POSITION OUTCOMES

A successful Director of Development will:

• Develop a deep understanding of Breakthrough Greater Boston’s programming and effectively communicate the organization’s impact through compelling storytelling.
• Inspire passion and excitement for BTGB’s mission among current and prospective donors, partners, and volunteers.
• Lead the writing and design of marketing and communications materials across a range of print and digital platforms tailored to diverse external audiences.
• Plan and execute Breakthrough’s signature events, including major annual gatherings and smaller, targeted engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate regular volunteer engagement experiences that reflect Breakthrough’s student-centered values and educational approach.
• Maintain accurate partner and volunteer records within the development database and analyze engagement and marketing data to inform strategy.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

In this exciting role, you will be responsible for a variety of critical development and communication tasks, including:

Communications and Marketing

• Manage a comprehensive communications calendar, coordinating planned outreach across social media, email, print mailings, and BTGB’s website for donors, partners, volunteers, and other external stakeholders.
• Lead the development and refinement of BTGB’s branded materials, contributing significantly to the organization’s full rebranding process.
• Oversee the design and production of email and print communications, including the quarterly newsletter and periodic updates to donors, friends, and prospects.
• Take primary responsibility for maintaining and updating the Breakthrough Greater Boston website, including implementation of the rebranding initiative.
• Develop and execute a strategy for BTGB’s social media platforms, ensuring timely, engaging, and mission-aligned content.
• Draft and distribute media releases to highlight significant Breakthrough news and events as needed.
• Support the development team by maintaining corporate partner and volunteer records, processing gift acknowledgments, and generating reports in Salesforce.
• Maintain up-to-date lists of key media contacts and elected officials for strategic outreach.

Event Management

• Lead the planning and execution of all Breakthrough events, including BTGB’s signature annual gatherings: the Breakthrough Gala (a major fundraiser), Celebration (a student and family-focused event), the Breakthrough Bash (hosted by the Associate Board), and Breakthroughs in Education (a content-driven cultivation event). Responsibilities include vendor coordination, guest and host communication, and leading the development of related marketing materials.
• Oversee vendor relationships to ensure seamless event logistics and high-quality execution.
• Manage the production of all event-related materials, including invitations, programs, signage, and digital collateral.
• Support the solicitation and stewardship of corporate sponsors and event hosts, ensuring the timely delivery of sponsor benefits.
• In partnership with the Development Team, build and manage a pipeline of vetted corporate sponsorship prospects, aiming to increase annual corporate funding in alignment with BTGB’s revenue goals.

Volunteer & Donor Management

• Recruit and engage young professionals for BTGB’s Associate Board; plan and execute fundraising events; and serve as the liaison between board members and BTGB staff to advance strategic goals.
• Develop and manage BTGB’s annual volunteer calendar, coordinating both recurring and one-time volunteer opportunities, along with all related logistics.
• Lead outreach efforts to key volunteer networks and corporate partners to strengthen engagement and expand support.
• Collaborate closely with the Program Team to coordinate and fulfill volunteer engagement requests and opportunities.
• Support and facilitate site visits to BTGB programs for external stakeholders, including donors, prospects, volunteers, and partners.
• Support donor engagement efforts by preparing materials and participating in donor meetings alongside senior staff.

YOUR BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS

As the incoming Director of Development, you will possess many, though perhaps not all, of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• Deep passion for BTGB’s mission, including closing opportunity gaps and preparing the next generation of urban educators.
• Four to five years of relevant professional experience; direct experience in communications and donor management strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in a range of digital tools, including donor databases (Salesforce preferred), Microsoft Office, social media platforms, design software (e.g., Canva), and marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp and WordPress).
• A strong and demonstrated commitment to equity, with a willingness to deepen personal understanding and contribute meaningfully to BTGB’s collective DEI work.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, families, educators, and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities, with a keen attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, adapt to shifting priorities, meet deadlines, and exercise sound judgment under pressure.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for diverse audiences.
• Collaborative team player with a positive attitude, sense of humor, energy, and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Previous experience with the Breakthrough model is highly desirable; familiarity with partner schools or districts is a plus.
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and Saturdays as needed.
• Candidates of color and individuals from low-income backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply, as are those fluent in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Amharic, Somali, Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Tigrinya, or Urdu.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.

COMPENSATION

Breakthrough Greater Boston offers a competitive compensation package and is deeply committed to pay equity and transparency. The salary range for this position is $81,600-99,000; Breakthrough Greater Boston makes an offer based on relevant years of experience and does not negotiate salaries.

HOW TO JOIN OUR TEAM

If you are interested in learning more about how your passion and experience can help Breakthrough meet its mission and grow its impact, please submit your resume and a thoughtful and targeted cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity. Applications can be submitted to Andrew Jackson, Managing Director of Development, at jobs@btgbmail.org.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more about Breakthrough Greater Boston at www.breakthroughgreaterboston.org.