Director of Development

ROLE: Director of Development

LOCATION: Flexible

START DATE: Immediate

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Development

ROLE OVERVIEW

DFER is seeking a Director of Development to manage a growing portfolio of high-net-worth individuals and major philanthropists, working collaboratively with both the CEO and Vice President of Development to achieve ambitious revenue goals year over year. The Director of Development will grow, cultivate, and manage the organization's major gifts program across its 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 fundraising efforts to meet DFER's three-year strategic plan and ensure the organization has the critical resources for national and state election cycles. The ideal candidate is an experienced supervisor and an accomplished fundraiser who can build and cultivate relationships, develop systems and processes around donor stewardship, and bring a proven record of growing a major donor program.

WHO WE ARE

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students and confront those that do not. We are education progressives who prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s public education system.

DFER partner Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA) is an advocacy group that advances education reform measures through empowering community leaders to support our legislative and political advocacy work. ERNA keeps constant pressure on legislators to champion high-quality public education.

DFER partner Education Reform Now (ERN) is a nonpartisan think tank that promotes increased resources and innovative reforms in K-16 public education, particularly for students of color and students from low-income families.

WHAT WE DO

1. Support for Progressive Education Leaders — In an approach that is markedly different from our peers and partners in the field, DFER engages directly with candidates and elected officials to empower them to advocate for education policies that focus foremost on serving students. Our partner organization, Education Reform Now, does work that involves policy research, and education that helps policy makers at all levels understand complex education issues and make informed decisions.

2. Informing the Education Debate — Our coalition work reflects the breadth of our policy priorities. We work collaboratively with organizations and our community networks to create an education system that is held accountable to all kids and families.

3. Targeted Interventions and Rapid Response — DFER’s reach from the most local district relationships to state and federal policymakers, enables us to respond quickly to the changing landscape and policy trends. Activities vary significantly from project to project and may include training, policy analysis, public engagement, electoral and issue advocacy, and policy guidance for elected officials and local advocates.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy Development & Fundraising:

• Manage all activities of the Associate Director of Development, including consultants, to ensure that overall annual development goals for fundraising and communications are met.
• Actively manage a portfolio of 75-100 major gift and principal prospects, raising $1M+ annually for both 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 initiatives to strategically build out DFER’s individual and major gifts funding stream.
• Solicit and close multi-year commitments, and administer a program of donor communications, and stewardship on a continual basis to establish and sustain relationships with current and prospective donors.
• Devise an annual fundraising plan to steward current donors to renew and increase support, as well as bring significant new revenue in for both national and regional sources.
• Cultivate and solicit major gifts from donors, leading the comprehensive process, including arranging meetings with external and internal stakeholders—e.g. national department and state chapter leads—planning and hosting fundraising events, and developing best-in-class development collateral including pitch documents, PPTs, and reports to close and steward major donors.
• Execute and manage political giving strategies, creating a bundling program that helps advance the strategic plan priorities; Assist in planning and executing all political candidate fundraisers and major fundraising events.
• Advise senior leadership team on donor areas of interest; identify significant funding opportunities that align with DFER’s strategic priorities; and respond to queries as an expert on individual funding priorities.
• Oversee prospect research, Salesforce donor database system, grant tracking & reporting systems, and a moves-management portfolio system.
• Attend executive-level and political events, representing the organization alongside or in lieu of the President or Vice President of Development.
• Leverage board and senior leadership in engaging major donors by offering sound strategy, staffing calls and meetings with prospects, and performing follow-up.

Relationship Management:

• Work collaboratively with the President to get in front of leaders in the public, private, and political sectors, major donors, and other individuals and groups capable of helping to advance the mission and vision of DFER.
• Build and maintain strong productive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Work closely with leadership, state directors, policy, and communications teams in the building of identifying and soliciting and managing multilateral relationships with individual, institutional donors and nonprofit partners.
• Build the communications strategy and collaboration tools and processes necessary to optimize fundraising for the organization.
• Represent DFER at public meetings and events, raising the profile and visibility of DFER and its priorities among funders, partners, and policymakers.

Communications:

• Oversee creation of collateral material in support of fundraising endeavors, communications and marketing initiatives, and promotion of DFER, including brochures, newsletters, and an annual impact report; provide editorial support in collaboration with communications team for external-facing collateral and reports.
• Prepare briefings and presentation materials for meetings with prospective donors and staff these meetings as appropriate.
• Maintain an effective stewardship program with current and prospective donors, including timely and compelling reporting on aligned organizational priorities.
• Develop best-in-class pitch decks, proposals, one-pagers, talking points, and other collateral materials in collaboration with national and state chapter staff.
• Collaborate with cross-departmental teams to ensure the success of foundation grants and sponsorships, contributing your writing and editing skills as needed.

Requirements

KEY ATTRIBUTES & QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 7 years experience working in development for a 501 c(3), or 501 c(4) in sophisticated and complex organizations; experience in political fundraising, including several years in a leadership role.
• Bachelor's degree required, master’s preferred.
• Leadership and management experience within the non-profit education and/or political campaign/advocacy sectors; Experience working closely with executive staff and volunteer leadership to engage and expand philanthropic support and culture; Experience successfully managing individuals or a team to ensure that direct reports are able to accomplish goals year after year.
• Demonstrated success in direct solicitation securing major gifts of 5-7 figures and growing and managing a robust fundraising portfolio.
• Experience building strong relationships with donors and prospects; excellent listening skills, and an ability to engage with a diverse group of donors and prospects in a thoughtful manner.
• Exemplary verbal/written communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to clearly present strategic plans and funding priorities to myriad audiences, both internal and external.
• Ability to exhibit strong interpersonal skills working well with diverse groups of constituents, colleagues and volunteers.
• Proficiency in crafting compelling communications materials, including print and digital content, to promote fundraising initiatives and special events.
• A strong command of fundraising best practices; demonstrated success building processes and donor management systems to track and steward funders.
• Superb interpersonal skills, with an impressive history of forging strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Persuasive communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to successfully tailor messaging for different audiences.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects; Results-oriented with a proven ability to perform well under pressure.
• Drive and persuasiveness- a self-starter who leads by example and measures success by results.
• Outstanding judgment, discretion, ethical standards, and commitment to responsible donor stewardship.
• Excellent project management skills with a strong eye for detail.
• Advanced proficiency in Office 365 suite of products and CRM platforms (i.e. Salesforce).
• Willingness and ability to travel as required.
• Sense of humor and positive attitude.
• A strong interest in the advancement of DFER’s mission to ensure educational equity and demonstrated experience operating with a DEI lens.

Benefits

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary for this position is $135k-$145k. DFER is proud to offer excellent benefits: health, vision, and dental coverage; flexible spending plan; life insurance; short- and long-term disability insurance; 401K plan with a match plan; flexible spending/benefits plan; paid family leave; paid time off (vacation, sick time, and all National holidays) and paid vacation.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Democrats for Education Reform welcomes applications from all, and strongly encourages women, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ people to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization and recruiting a team that reflects the diversity of students living in the communities we serve.