Director of Development

ArchCity Defenders seeks a Director of Development to lead fund development and donor stewardship efforts to meet the needs of a growing and multifaceted legal advocacy organization.

ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence, especially in communities of color. ACD’s foundation of civil and criminal legal representation, social services, impact litigation, policy and media advocacy, and community collaboration achieves and inspires justice and equitable outcomes for people throughout the St. Louis region and beyond.

ACD envisions a society liberated from systems of oppression where the promise of justice and racial equity is realized; communities where our approach to public safety prioritizes investment in well-being, health, and transformation without relying on criminalization and incarceration; and people living freely in their communities, thriving regardless of their race or income.

ACD and its partners in the organizing and advocacy community are at the center of efforts in the St. Louis region to:

• Re-envision public safety, promote community well-being through policy change, and hold public actors and institutions accountable for misconduct through litigation and zealous holistic representation.
• Challenge a system of policing, courts, and jails designed to meet municipal financial needs rather than the needs of those they purport to serve. Such practices attracted national spotlight during the 2014 Ferguson Uprising and remain widespread throughout our region.
• Engage in litigation and collaborative advocacy designed to bring abusive practices to an end and empower those communities that have been targeted by such practices.

Role Overview

ACD seeks a diligent and creative individual with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff of attorneys, paralegals, social workers, community organizers, and media and communication advocates who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of poverty and involvement with the legal system.

We seek a skilled professional to lead and manager our Development team; lead ACD's efforts to recruit and retain major donor support; increase community awareness of and support for ACD; and provide professional and high-quality customer service to donors, clients, volunteers, staff, community partners, and the community at large. This role will hold primary responsibility for ACD's major gift donor cultivation. This individual will also lead and support a team that includes two experienced development professionals: Development Operations & Stewardship Lead and Grant Writing Lead.

Job Responsibilities

• Plan leadership for development and execution of all fundraising activities.
• Budget, plan, and execute comprehensive annual and long-term development plans.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit major gift donors. Support Executive Director in major gift activities as needed.
• Work with Grant Writing Lead to locate and apply for grant opportunities based upon available resources, strategic alignment with ACD goals, project and funding timelines, and potential for success.
• Review application guidelines and grant agreements to ensure grant proposals and reporting requirements are submitted by established deadlines.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate donor network communication and direct mail appeals.
• Provide written and oral reports on results of solicitations and grant-funded projects.
• Engage with the board, board/volunteer committees, and ACD leadership to ensure a collaborative and coordinated fundraising approach.
• Plan and execute fundraising events in collaboration with ACD staff and board, including ACD's annual trivia night and major anniversary fundraiser every five years (next in 2029).
• Work with Development Operations & Stewardship Lead to maintain and enhance record keeping systems to ensure effective cultivation, solicitation, and donor recognition. Champion accurate and consistent data entry and usage, support gift tracking and reporting, and ensure team-wide accountability for data integrity.
• Analyze fundraising data and landscape trends to shape ACD's short- and long-term fundraising strategies.
• Collaborate on process improvements that require input from departments including Finance and Communications to help facilitate the flow of information across teams.
• Ensure access to the tools, training, and cross-functional collaboration necessary to drive fundraising success and back-end efficiency.
• Manage relationships and contracts with vendors to support all aspects of the development team's work.
• Ensure that diversity and pluralism are embraced and incorporated into the work of the organization. Foster both inclusion and access.

Skills and Qualifications

• Experience leading high-functioning, collaborative, and productive teams
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prospect, solicit, and steward major gift donors
• Experience with logistics for fundraising and cultivation events, including securing sponsorships
• Ability to provide coaching and support the professional development of team members
• Demonstrated commitment to social and racial justice, nonprofit advocacy, civil rights, and the mission of ArchCity Defenders
• Proficiency with Blackboard/Raiser's Edge or similar development database software
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including written donor communications and editing of grant applications
• Ability to give and receive feedback generously and foster a culture of learning

Cover Letter and Writing Sample Instructions

• Please submit your cover letter as a single PDF file that includes your cover letter followed by a writing sample.
• Your writing sample should illustrate your professional writing ability. While we're not looking for a specific "type" of sampler or number of pages, it is ideal to submit a sample that is relevant to the role you are applying for. You may attach an existing piece of work or something newly drafted to the end of your cover letter.

Additional Information

• This is a full-time position with benefits, including health/dental/vision coverage, 401(k) with partial match, YMCA membership, parental and sick leave, subsidized parking, paid continuing education or professional development opportunities, and 26 days of PTO plus holidays. The salary for this position begins at $98,000 with annual salary review or cost-of-living adjustment.
• ArchCity Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQIA+, and gender non-conforming applicants.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled with priority given to applicants submitting materials by August 15, 2025.

To apply, please visit: https://careers.hireology.com/archcitydefenders/2449710/description

Benefits

• Four healthcare plans to choose from—one fully paid by ACD
• 100% match up to 3% 401k
• 100% paid ACD dental
• 100% paid ACD vision
• 100% paid ACD life insurance
• Employee Assistance Plan*
• CHUBB supplemental insurance plans*
• Supplemental life and AD&D insurance**
• Dependent care flexible spending account**
• FSA and HSA Accounts**

*Administered by a third party

**Optional coverage, EE paid

Paid Time Off

• 26 days of PTO
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid 6-week sabbatical after every 6 years of employment
• Paid sick leave
• Parental leave after birth or placement of a child
• 2-hour window available for doctors’ appointments (don’t have to take PTO)

Other Benefits

• Professional development funds, on-site trainings, workshops, conferences, and continuing education credits
• Prorated parking
• Mileage reimbursement

Perks

• Hybrid in-office work schedule
• Flex start and end time schedule
• Funded professional development
• Emergency salary advances
• Paid YMCA membership for employees (discounted rates for families)
• Donated tickets to local events
• Social events — staff mixers, lunches
• Ben & Jerry’s ice cream + snacks & soft drinks in the office