Job Summary: The Director of Development and Communications will lead our growing development team of two full-time staff and a team of consultants to continue to exceed our ambitious annual fundraising and communication goals. Building on our fundraising success to date, the Director will be a thought partner with the Executive Director. The majority of HSTF’s revenue comes from institutional funders (private foundations, family foundations, and corporations), with growing support from individuals and government sources. Growing our base of individual donors while stewarding present funding relationships and developing new institutional funder relationships is the focus of the work. The Director will work closely with the Board, senior leadership team, and development staff to lead HSTF to the next phase of growth. We also anticipate taking on a capital campaign in the near future to complete the renovations of our building. The Director will also set and implement strategic communication approaches that continue to elevate HSTF’s profile and visibility across various channels, including social media and print media. In close partnership with the Executive Director and senior leadership, the Director will ensure we are communicating strategically about our work and reaching our broad network of supporters.
Vision, Strategy, and Leadership
- Serve as a thought partner to the Executive Director to advance fundraising and communication efforts, supporting the overall mission of the organization and meeting its annual goals and objectives.
- Manage the development and communications team, including the Grants Manager, Development Associate, Communications Associate, and consultants as needed.
- Contribute to the execution of HSTF's strategic plan as a member of its leadership team.
- Work closely with the Executive Director to engage HSTF’s Board in development efforts by providing an understanding of how the organization’s fundraising and communications strategies develop.
- Manage the Resource and Development Committee, including agenda development, meeting facilitation, and follow-up.
- Create and implement an annual organization-wide development revenue strategy and growth plan defining team tasks and benchmarks with input from HSTF’s Executive Director, HSTF Resource and Development Committee, Board of Directors, Leadership Team, and development staff.
- Create and implement an annual organization-wide communications strategy defining team tasks and benchmarks with input from HSTF’s Executive Director, Leadership Team, and communication staff.
- Ensure strong communication between the Development and Communications department and other parts of the organization.
- Develop annual team expense budgets to support team capacity and infrastructure to achieve all revenue and communication goals.
General Fundraising
- Along with the Executive Director, act as a chief fundraiser for HSTF.
- Partner with Executive Director to plan and execute HSTF’s long-term development goals.
- Create and oversee a fund development plan, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Resource and Development Committee, and Board of Directors, that grows revenues to support the strategic direction, goals, and needs of HSTF.
- Oversee the development and implementation of all fundraising-related work plans assigned to staff members. Ensure all work plans are of high quality and robust enough to meet or exceed goals.
- Maintain and strengthen relationships with existing individual donors, foundations, and corporate funders.
- Identify and cultivate relationships with new individual donors, foundations, and corporate funders.
- On an as-needed basis assist Grants Manager with writing of grant applications and/or reports.
- Ensure cohesion and synergies between institutional, individual, events, and communications strategies.
Individual Giving and Major Donors
- Head up HSTF’s capital campaign designed to raise approximately $5 million for building and systems improvements for our facility.
- Working closely with the Capital Campaign Committee, oversee both the quiet and public phases of the campaign that lead to a successful campaign result.
- Identify, qualify, and prioritize individual donor prospects through research, screening, and discovery meetings.
- Create annual goals and engagement plan for major donors, including Changemakers Circle, and prospects based on organizational priorities, individual donors’ interests, history of giving, and other relevant criteria.
- Establish fundraising goals and budget expectations for individual donor portfolio.
- In collaboration with the Executive Director, successfully engage, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors and prospects.
- Provide logistic, moves management strategy, and tactical support and advice to the Executive Director when and where she is the lead.
- Serve as primary relationship manager for identified portfolio of individual donors (who are donating at medium-to-high levels annually).
- Engage, cultivate, and support the board and other key volunteers as ambassadors, connectors, cultivators, and when appropriate, askers for HSTF.
Institutional Funders
- Lead grants management pipeline of more than 40 institutional supporters and supervise Grants Manager to prepare for timely submission of all grant proposals, narrative and financial reports.
- Oversee grant planning, including grant schedule, research of new grants, and relations with institutional funders.
- Work with Grants Manager to conceptualize and draft compelling proposals for institutional funders.
- Keep detailed and accurate records of all funder communications and grants management updates in grants management database.
- Oversee completion of grant proposals and reports and ensure grant requirements are met.
- Prepare and lead HSTF in key funder site visits and relay periodic programmatic updates.
Fundraising Events
- Plan and execute HSTF’s annual Breakfast, including soliciting sponsors, managing the venue, vendors, registration, and marketing for the event.
- Plan and/or oversee additional HSTF fundraising and stakeholder relationship-building events.
Communications
- Supervise Communications Associate and lead the implementation of an annual communications plan that continuously elevates HSTF’s profile across new audiences and ensures regular, tailored, and timely communications, clear and compelling messaging, and brand consistency across the organization.
- Leverage email, website, social media, and print publications to engage followers, subscribers, donors, and stakeholders with relevant programmatic updates, fundraising appeals, and volunteer opportunities.
- Write and produce HSTF’s annual report and special program reports as directed.
- Ensure that website and social media content is engaging, up-to-date, and in alignment with broader fundraising messages and goals.
- Oversee the creation of presentation materials and other communication collateral for funders, Board of Directors, and other relevant audiences.
- Support development staff (and consultants as needed) and Board of Directors to generate press lists, generate press advisories and releases, and pitch stories to members of the press.
Staff Management
- Manage, lead, evaluate, coach and mentor staff, overseeing and directing workflow; setting and tracking individual goals; providing/sourcing training as needed; and ensuring departmental goals are met through successful allocation and use of staff and team resources.
- Identify opportunities for professional development for staff and for self.
Systems Management
- Ensure optimal functioning of departmental operations through routine monitoring of departmental processes and the establishment of new processes as needed.
- Oversee systems for financial reporting for the Board, funders, and management, while ensuring integrity and accuracy of all development reports.
- Ensure grants database is supporting organizational fundraising relationship management goals and that staff are actively inputting and managing database records so they are accurate and up-to-date.
- Ensure all grant acknowledgement/communications requirements are met, in collaboration with communications staff.
- Build development models, tools, and trainings that support scenario planning and decision-making.
- Monitor progress towards fundraising goals by quarter and annually, and ensure all goals are met or exceeded.
- Ensure that development activities and development staff comply with applicable laws.
Qualifications/Experience
- At least ten years of experience, with a minimum of five in fund development, and at least 2-3 in a leadership role.
- Demonstrated fundraising success, with a track record of meeting or exceeding annual targets.
- Successful cultivation and solicitation of major gift donors, both individual and institutional.
- Experience running capital campaigns strongly preferred.
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
- Some experience with communication and marketing for a mid-size nonprofit organization.
- Demonstrated professional and relationship-building skills.
- Experience coaching, evaluating, and building a team’s capacity.
- Collaborative working style and an ability to efficiently and effectively manage a robust body of work.
- Familiarity with fundraising databases (HSTF uses Bloomerang).
- Orientation to detail without losing sight of the big picture and overall annual objectives and future priorities.
- Adaptable, flexible, and willing to grow with the needs of the organization.
- Familiarity/experience supporting and expanding a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- A passion and commitment to HSTF’s mission, vision, and values.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Salary and Benefits
Starting at $85,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include: medical and disability insurance, parking, vacation time, personal days, paid holidays, sick time, 403(b) program, and a supportive work environment.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their resumes and cover letter to DirectorofDevelopment@Hydesquare.org by September 30, 2022. Please include salary requirements in your cover letter. No walk-ins or phone calls please.
Hyde Square Task Force is an equal opportunity provider and employer. We value having a diverse staff who are representative of the community we serve and bring to our organization a variety of traditions, experiences, and points of view. Individuals of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.