Development Officer

About Enroot

Enroot has been supporting English Learner students through our comprehensive wrap-around program model for the last 31 years. Supporting recently arrived immigrant students during their high school to post-secondary years as they learn a new language, adapt to a new culture, and set roots in a new community is at the core of our work. We currently support students at Somerville High School, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, and across 12 college campuses, as well as supporting students who choose vocational training programs and jobs. We strive to create a sense of belonging and help our students prepare to succeed in college, in their careers, and in life.

We operate with a budget of nearly $2 million and an endowment of over $ 13 million. Our funding portfolio is diverse, with approximately 30% from private foundations, 30% from corporate foundations, 35% from government, and under 10% from individual donors and corporate sponsorships. We have built our endowment to position Enroot for future sustainability and possible program expansion to other local cities with high recent immigrant populations. To learn more about the students and values that drive our work, please visit www.enrooteducation.org.

Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity at Enroot

Creating a sense of belonging is at the heart of our work with immigrant students. At Enroot, we value an inclusive environment where all team members feel a sense of belonging and are fully included as partners in our pursuit of the mission. We are an organization committed to disrupting and dismantling the oppressive power structures and systemic barriers immigrants must navigate. With humility, we are committed to ongoing learning and understanding as we embark on our journey toward racial equity, driving every decision we make and every action we take in the pursuit of equity for immigrants. A diversity of voices fosters innovation and creativity, leading to more informed decisions and better outcomes for immigrant students, families, and communities. Enroot is an equal opportunity employer and as such, we do not discriminate on any basis protected by law.

The Opportunity

Enroot seeks a Development Officer who will play a key role in advancing its mission by managing and growing corporate partnerships, private foundation partnerships, and individual giving. This position is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding new donors to help meet our annual fundraising goal of $2 million. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and relationship builder with a passion for philanthropy and a proven track record of securing high-level gifts. The Development Officer will report to the Senior Director of Development. Some travel is required for this role. Enroot is currently operating on a hybrid work schedule. Every other Monday is in-person for our Monday team meetings.

Job Overview

The role is a growth-oriented role focused on building a new portfolio of primarily Corporate, Foundation, and Individual donors. To do this, the Development Officer is responsible for:

• Prospecting & Donor Identification: Collaborate across the board with staff, constituents, and stakeholders to identify prospective donors. Develop inventive strategies for targeted external research to identify and qualify prospective donors.
• Cultivation and Stewardship: Prioritize and plan both outreach and relationship-building activities. Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of new donors. Leverage Enroot events to build intentional relationships.
• Board & Stakeholder Engagement: Identify new prospective Board members. Recommend and launch donor programs, such as affinity groups, circles, and events, as needed.
• Track, report progress, and proactively solicit support from the Senior Director of Development and the Executive Director.
• Support the Development team in event planning, proposal writing, Board communication, renewal opportunities, projections, budgeting, and administration as needed.

Candidate Profile

As a strong candidate for the Development Officer position, you will demonstrate many, though perhaps not all, of the following skills, experiences, and characteristics:

• You are an experienced fundraiser (3-5 years) and have previously served in a frontline fundraising position. You have successfully built and managed a donor or fundraiser relationship over a period of three years or more.
• You believe that all immigrant students can achieve meaningful success and that our country is stronger when we invest resources in supporting them.
• You come to this role with a strong passion for and connection to our mission of supporting immigrant communities, English Language Learners, and education, as demonstrated by lived experience as an immigrant and/or English Language Learner or other professional and personal experiences.
• You bring a high level of cultural competency to building relationships across and among diverse communities, with sensitivity to the institutionalized racism and classism that face low-income and immigrant communities.
• You can connect as an engaging communicator in writing and gatherings.
• You are skilled in workflow management and task prioritization in a digital setting. Experience with Salesforce or comparable CRM’s preferred.
• You are adept at maintaining a healthy work-life balance in a growth-focused environment.
• You are committed to advancing Enroot’s mission, values, and commitment to Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity.

Compensation & Benefits

Enroot offers competitive salaries among nonprofits of a similar size and is committed to pay equity and transparency. The salary range for this position is between $85,000 and $94,105 per year, commensurate with experience.

Enroot also offers a comprehensive benefits package and a generous paid time-off policy, including 15 paid vacation days (20 after the first three years), 10 holidays, four personal days, and 15 sick days. We offer one day a month, an org-wide mental health day, and year-round half-day Fridays. Our office is also closed for a week in December. Additionally, Enroot covers 100% of individual health insurance premiums and offers additional health reimbursement arrangements. We provide professional development funds and a flexible hybrid work schedule.

How to Join Our Team

Please send a resume, the name and contact info of three references, and a thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experiences meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity. Please send all documents in PDF format, addressed to Mahlet Aklu at maklu@enrooteducation.org, with the subject line: Development Officer Application.