Development Director Job Description 2022

Organization Overview:

The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United) works to improve wages and working conditions for restaurant workers nationwide. Initially founded in New York City after September 11, 2001 to provide support to restaurant workers displaced as a result of the World Trade Center tragedy, ROC United has grown into a national restaurant workers’ organization with close to 130,000 restaurant worker, employer, and consumer members working together to realize a vision of a food system that includes sustainable wages and working conditions for the people who cook, prepare, and serve our food. We currently have chapter offices in New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Minnesota, Chicago, Michigan, New Orleans, Pennsylvania, Seattle, Mississippi and Washington, DC. ROC United combines worker, and employer advocacy, workplace justice campaigns, award-winning job training, and innovative research all together to improve conditions for low-wage restaurant workers. 

This leadership role will partner with the Senior Leadership Team,  Board of Directors, and Chapter Directors to achieve ROC United’s overall mission by spearheading collaborative, organization-wide strategies to meet annual and long-term fund development goals. The Development Director will lead the Development Department. The ideal candidate will have experience in strategic framing and messaging to reach and engage diverse funding audiences and a track record in raising at least an $8 million dollar annual budget for a national organization and be based in New York or California. 

Responsibilities: Responsible for leading the fund development of the organization, including strategy development and planning; foundation partner and prospect stewardship; and individual donor consumer member cultivation and engagement program direction. 

Strategy, Planning, and Team Leadership 

• With the President & CEO, lead the process to design and articulate fund development strategy and planning. Work with members of the Board of Directors and staff to develop long-term and short-term goals and activities for fundraising. 
• Oversee all fundraising campaigns, activities, and programs, including management/supervision of Development Team (including at a minimum a grants manager and an individual donors specialist);  

Capacity Building for Individual Donor Cultivation and Stewardship 

• Guide Development Department to assess, improve, and implement a national donor development and recognition strategy to enhance donor relationships, with a focus on the creation of an integrated online strategy. 
• Provide training, support, and materials for board members to facilitate their role in the development process.  

Institutional Giving Partnerships 

• In partnership with the President & CEO, steward major foundation partnerships and prospecting. 
• Take the lead role in writing and managing top-level grants for the organization. 
• Expand the pipeline of government grants, including for ROC’s worker outreach and workforce development efforts.
• Represent the organization at funder meetings and conferences as necessary. 

Experience/Qualifications: 

• 10+ years experience applying strategic, creative thinking in social justice nonprofit campaigns, 
• Demonstrated success as a manager and leader, including the ability to effectively motivate and run diverse teams.
• Demonstrated skill in developing and implementing dynamic and innovative fund development activities. 
• Demonstrated commitment to racial, social, and economic justice. 
• Familiarity with donor management software; experience with EveryAction a plus
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to work independently and manage own and team projects. 
• Superb writing and editing skills with emphasis on persuasive communications –ideally with a background in strategic communications.