Associate Director of Development

Creative Action Institute catalyzes community-driven solutions that advance gender equality and build a sustainable planet by developing transformational leaders, building powerful regional networks, and supporting grassroots advocacy globally.

Creative Action Institute’s unique methodology is rooted in popular education, learner-centered, feminism, intersectional, and creative approaches and is infused with experiential, participatory and creative activities. We have equipped hundreds of teachers, community leaders, and youth with leadership and advocacy skills to advance gender equity, girls’ education, climate justice and bio-cultural diversity.

Creative Action Institute operates its own annual programs and takes on time-bound special projects and consultancies in partnership with/for mission-aligned organizations, providing services in curriculum development, toolkit design, and a variety of training and facilitation services.

Opportunity

Creative Action Institute seeks an organized, detailed-oriented, communicative, energetic, and creative individual to play a key role in institutional funding, through research, relationship building, and proposal writing; special projects or consultancies, through identifying and applying for opportunities that align with our mission, vision and values; and individual giving, through strong campaigns and stewardship events. The Associate Director of Development will have experience in all areas of fundraising and managing fundraising staff. They will provide guidance and leadership to other members of the team engaged in individual and institutional giving.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Institutional Giving (50%)

• Steward existing foundation and corporate relationships to engage institutional donors and invite funding renewals
• Prospect for and identify promising institutional giving leads, establish relationships, develop high quality proposals and other funding applications that result in secured new grants, consultancies or special projects to fulfill annual goals
• Lead grant management by preparing and submitting timely narrative and financial reports to funders, in coordination with other team members

Contracts (25%)

• Prospect for consulting and contract opportunities that align with capacity and mission
• Support in developing proposals and pitching concepts as needed

Individual Giving (20%)

• Utilize the donor database to identify giving patterns and develop a moves management plan to increase giving from existing donors
• Develop and implement strategies to increase the individual donor base, including donor cultivation events
• Lead the conceptual development and manage the implementation of compelling campaigns and appeals with support from the Development and Communications Coordinator
• Lead the concept and strategy development of donor communications such as annual reports, newsletters, website and blogs with support from the Development and Communications Coordinator

Strategy and Management (5%)

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, develop and implement an annual development plan to:
  • grow philanthropic giving (individual, corporate, and foundations)
  • increase program revenue through consultancies and special projects
  • foster relationships with new individual, foundation, and corporate donors
• Track progress toward fundraising goals, analyze results, recommended adjusted course as needed, and compile reports quarterly, including pipeline development
• Monitor the funding landscape, identify emerging trends and stay abreast of best practices in resource mobilization
• Manage the Development and Communications Coordinator, providing mentorship and guidance
• Act as key staff liaison for the board Development Committee, participating in and leading committee meetings as needed

Education, Skills and Competencies

Education, Language and Mobility

• A university degree in a relevant subject
• English fluency required
• Must be able to travel domestically and long-haul international travel, as needed, to meet with funding partners and prospects and attend conferences
• Passionate about gender equity and climate justice globally and an understanding of international development dynamics

Strategic Vision and Aptitude

• Strategic thinker capable of designing long-term resource mobilization strategies that align with our mission, vision and values.
• Ability to track and measure the success of resource mobilization efforts and the impact of funded projects
• Strong capacity to problem-solve independently
• Demonstrated ability as a self-driven, accountable and reliable remote worker
• Detail oriented, motivated, self-starter

Research, Fundraising, and Relationships

• 5+ years development with a demonstrated track record of securing funds, preferably in international development
• Demonstrated capacity to identify new opportunities and secure them
• Demonstrated capacity to write compelling, targeted proposals for foundations, multilateral agencies, corporations and individuals
• Existing funding relationships within the gender equity and climate justice space
• Capacity to build and maintain relationships with a diverse donor base (multilaterals, foundations, individuals, corporations)
• Ability to connect with and maintain positive relationships with team, partners and stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience developing targeted donor communications including the capacity to build a successful fundraising campaign
• Experience working with diverse cultural contexts and the ability to design strategies that are both sensitive and responsive to the needs of marginalized communities

Softwares

• Highly skilled in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Word, Excel and Powerpoint), G Suite, and Salesforce.

Creative Action Institute offers a generous benefits package including health and dental insurance and retirement matching. Creative Action Institute is housed at a campus where our employees uniquely have access to amenities including a premium fitness center with free classes, complimentary lunches, beverage stations (coffee, tea, seltzer, kombucha on tap), and beautiful walking paths.

Fluency in English required.