Director of Development

ABOUT THE CLEO INSTITUTE

The CLEO Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization exclusively dedicated to climate change education, engagement, and advocacy. Founded in 2010 in Miami, Florida, we work with front-line communities and their leaders to build climate literacy. We highlight the urgency of climate action and impact policy while championing solutions for a resilient future.

The CLEO Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and intersectional individuals are encouraged to apply.

Director of Development

Full-time (40 hrs/week)

Reports to: VP of Philanthropy

Location: Miami, FL (Hybrid)

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Salary range: $85,000-$110,000, alongside a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, employer-paid Life & Long-Term Disability insurance, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k) plan with match, generous paid time off, flexible hybrid schedule, paid Parental Leave, professional development opportunities.

Position Summary

Donors are essential to support our mission. The Director of Development cultivates and engages donors, board members, and foundations to build support for climate action. The CLEO Institute seeks a Director of Development to guide, manage, and implement a robust organizational development strategy including grants, individual donors, strategic donor communications, and grassroots fundraising. The Director of Development will report to the VP of Philanthropy, and work closely with the leadership team, board of directors, and CLEO staff to align annual action strategies with development plans. The ideal candidate should connect donors’ interests to our mission through marketing, events, research, grant writing and face to-face communication, and other fundraising strategies. A strong candidate will have meaningful experience in organizational fundraising, be an excellent communicator, and be able to adapt to fast response needs while having a clear understanding of today’s challenges in the philanthropy and nonprofit sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Support research, prospecting, and grant/ budget proposal development in collaboration with the programs team, the grant writer, ensuring timely, effective communication and reporting to funders.
• Support the VP with overall fundraising narrative and materials in coordination with organizational leadership, including grant and annual reports.
• Develop and implement strategies to build a strong base of annual and individual donors.
• Plan and coordinate annual fundraising events including Give Miami Day, our annual end of year celebration, and Climate Symposium.
• Oversee management of our donor database, including tracking and recording communications, data management, and reporting.
• Support donor outreach, including researching individual donors, building relationships, and developing strategies for effective stewardship and partnership.
• Support the VP of Philanthropy in major donor and stakeholder outreach and in preparing for meetings and presentations.
• Support with development communications, including newsletters, annual reports, giving campaigns, presentations, and other materials- working closely with our social media coordinator to execute these outputs.
• Work with organizational leadership and staff to create and execute an annual development plan, including developing goals, tracking progress and assessing effectiveness.
• Manage and oversee the work of the Development Coordinator.
• Support the Board of Directors in fundraising efforts.

Skills and Qualifications

• The position requires 4-6 years of fundraising experience with growth, donor cultivation and stewardship. Previous experience raising corporate donations is highly desirable; proven track record of closing five figure gifts is essential.
• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s preferred or equivalent work experience will be considered.
• Strong track record of developing and building out effective fundraising infrastructure, including operational systems and processes for fundraising team.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities and ability to work in a dynamic, high-pressure, and reactive environment.
• 5+ years of leadership experience, including managing staff, project management, supporting organizational leadership, and working in a dynamic, high-pressure environment.
• Experience with CRM/Fundraising Software is preferred; EveryAction is a plus.
• Ability to work on occasional evenings and weekends (required for events).
• Excellent writing, storytelling, and messaging skills, with an ability to adjust tone and style as needed with attention to audience, accuracy, framing, and messaging and an eye for design.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture.
• Marketing and communications mindsets and skills, with ability to analyze audience, and objectives, and keeping the big picture front and center in our messaging.
• An established track record of securing grant funding and individual donations.
• Significant knowledge of and skill with implementing development best practices, including grant writing, management, and donor relations.
• Skill in building meaningful relationships, strengthening our network, and deepening our connections with partners, donors, and community members.
• Ability to plan for, manage, and assess annual and quarterly goals, tracking and reporting on progress and adjusting and adapting as needed.
• Ability to manage staff and volunteers, set clear goals and expectations, delegate effectively, provide support and be a coach and partner in problem solving when challenges and opportunities arise.
• Strong organizational skills and detail-orientation, including an ability to develop and manage complex systems for tracking, evaluating, and planning.
• Strong solutions orientation, including proactive problem-solving, the ability to think ahead, troubleshoot potential problems, seek solutions, and help the team meet their goals, with thoughtful communication about issues as they arise.
• Self-starter/taking initiative in conducting research, and intentional learning to inform goals and plans. This is a director level position that requires the chosen candidate to take a lead role in all fundraising aspects, without requiring much direction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in securing support for 501(c)(3) and/or 501(c)(4)
• Multilingual, with Spanish or Haitian Creole preferred
• Understanding of both 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations and strategies
• Previous experience working with electoral, advocacy, or youth-centered organizations
• Formal education background in communications, business, psychology, writing, or other fields related to social change and resource development.
• Have used or tested new models of digital fundraising
• Experience using EveryAction or comparable database to track donor giving and
• Retrieve and analyze information to advance fundraising efforts; CFRE certificate preferred
• Previous experience creating multi-year fundraising plans
• Has a history of growing organizational revenue
• Passion for mission driven work

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter explaining how your experience is a match for this role, to info@cleoinstitute.org, and include “ Director of Development Application” in the subject line. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis till the ideal candidate is identified.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision insurance
• Employer-paid Life & Long-Term Disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) plan with match
• Generous paid time off
• Flexible hybrid schedule
• Paid Parental Leave
• Professional development opportunities