Director of Development

Overview

The Director of Development is an integral part of the Development and Communications team, holding a key role in helping grow the scale and impact of our work. The Development Director will take part in the creation of the annual fundraising plan and take a lead role in fostering the organization’s fundraising relationships and partnerships alongside senior members of the organization. They will be responsible for grant proposal writing and follow up, for management of the organization’s CRM and database, and will assist with other Development priorities.

They will report directly to the Senior Director of Development & Communications.

Functions and Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain positive relationships with potential and existing partners and stakeholders including grantors, clients, donors, members of the media and similar organizations.
• Assist with the creation of the annual development and communications plan and annual fundraising goal setting alongside other team members.
• Identify new potential donors, organize initiatives to solicit funding, implement fundraising strategies and oversee fundraising programs, actively soliciting funds to meet these goals.
• Research, develop, and foster major gift relationships. Follow through on opportunities with the assistance of any senior members of the organization required. Responsible for following up on any deadlines for reporting, requests for information, or other tasks.
• Research, develop, and write grant funding proposals. Follow through on opportunities with the assistance of any senior members of the organization required. Responsible for following up on any deadlines for reporting, requests for information, or other contractual tasks.
• Help improve the effectiveness of organization-wide oversight, monitoring and coordination of fundraising activities and reporting on those activities.
• Research and develop potential alliances with other related organizations for furtherance of the Forward Cities mission.
• Manage the organization’s development records CRM through the organization’s chosen platform (currently Monday.com), updating donor and partner information, deadlines, contact information and other crucial data to foster team communication and build the organization’s knowledge base regarding ongoing development work.
• In collaboration with the Marketing & Development Manager, create the organization’s Annual Report and distribute it to stakeholders.
• Coordinate with team members on reporting fundraising successes and ongoing work, prepare fundraising reports for the senior leadership and Board of Directors.
• Assist as needed with any donor-related communications (newsletters, social media, etc.) developed by the department to ensure consistent messaging to all stakeholders, donors and partners.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• 5+ years of experience in the fund development, project management, marketing, communications, or equivalent;
• Experience with managing fundraising CRMs and/or fundraising databases;
• A Bachelor’s degree;
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and work of Forward Cities;
• Exceptional interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, including the ability to communicate clearly in verbal and written forms, as well as forge and maintain relationships with partners, stakeholders, grantors and other organization stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and effectively, while contributing to a cohesive team environment;
• Ability to successfully manage multiple projects and priorities, and meet deadlines;
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment

Work Schedule & Location

Standard work hours are 9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional evenings required for events. This position requires at least two days per week in Forward Cities’ Durham office (specific days and start of new in-office schedule to be determined with manager). In addition, some travel may be required. The remainder of days may be worked outside of the office as long as work deliverables are completed on a timely and consistent basis and there is sustained and consistent availability and responsiveness on Forward Cities digital platforms.

Starting Salary Range and Benefits

The starting salary range for this position is $70,000 - $78,000 - includes full benefits (PTO, parental leave, subsidized group health plan/health insurance stipend, life insurance, telecommunication stipend, and 403(b) plan participation after 90 days with the organization.

The role will report primarily to the Senior Director of Development and Communications.