About This Role

The Director of Development is a full-time (5-day, 40-hours per week), exempt position reporting to the Executive Director. The successful Director of Development sees donors as valuable partners in the mission of the organization and will lead with authenticity and humility through all stages of donor management from prospecting to stewardship. We are seeking a candidate who brings a strategic view of donor cultivation and the skills and experience to implement that strategy. The Director of Development will have excellent writing skills, be well organized, and able to work effectively within a team or independently. The Director of Development will track philanthropic trends and work with the senior leadership team to engage with them in targeted fundraising activities. The Director of Development will help guide board expansion and management, and may also work closely with program leads.

Responsibilities

Donor Strategy Development

• Research, identify, and qualify donors to build, grow, and manage a portfolio with personalized cultivation and solicitation plans and revenue goals for individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Identify key external stakeholders and develop strategies for engaging and soliciting them in partnership with key internal leaders.
• Integrate with board development and management strategies.
• Stay abreast of industry best practices and support innovations in the major gifts strategy.
• Provide synthesized reporting to organizational leadership on a regular basis.

Donor Strategy Implementation

• Conduct prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship strategies to provide a best-in-class donor experience.
• Enhance donor retention through a strong stewardship process that keeps donors involved and engaged.
• Serve as lead author for LOIs and proposals.
• Support at donor meetings and events, where appropriate.
• Partner with Creative Director and Outreach and Communications Manager to create storytelling and design assets to aid your work.

Programmatic and Financial Portfolios

• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of the Center for Ecoliteracy’s programmatic and financial portfolios and priorities.
• Develop fundraising strategies based on regional philanthropic trends specific to the Center for Ecoliteracy’s programmatic areas.
• Integrate the individual major gifts program and continually balance with the pipeline of institutional funders and grants.
• Achieve an annual fundraising goal of $2M with a balanced portfolio of grants, fees for service, and individual giving with growth to $3M over the next 3-5 years.

Development Databases

• Develop and/or document data management processes and practices across the development team.
• Update and maintain donor records in Salesforce NPSP and other systems to ensure knowledge management and continuity.
• Maintain the privacy of donors’ personal and financial data.

Required Skills and Experience

The Center for Ecoliteracy values extensive professional experience, solutions-oriented perspectives, dedication to high standards, and collaboration. The successful candidate will bring a background of working with passionate teams and excellent analytical and interpersonal skills to apply to the complex systems-thinking challenges in our mission.

• 5–7 years of nonprofit fundraising and development experience, increasing responsibilities leading toward individual donor stewardship.
• Track record of taking relationships through the full cycle from prospect to giving to stewardship.
• Exceptional writing, communication, and interpersonal skills to foster donor relationships and collaborate effectively with leadership.
• Experience with donor management and prospecting database software such as DonorSearch. Familiarity with CRM database tools such as Salesforce. Data visualization tools including Tableau is a major plus.
• Demonstrated experience in technical platforms such as Slack, Google Suite, and emerging cloud-based services.
• BA or BS in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, or a related field in Social or Environmental Science preferred, MA or MS is a plus.

Who We Are Seeking

The successful candidate will be:

• nimble in shifting between big-picture and detail-oriented work.
• proactive and self-directed, thriving in independent and collaborative settings.
• a strong writer, able to synthesize complex information and inputs into concise, powerful, and persuasive proposals, updates, and reports.
• a strategic thinker with the ability to translate ideas into actionable work plans and measurable outcomes.
• curious and creative in their approach to problem-solving and managing shifting priorities.
• highly organized and experienced in managing multiple tasks.
• team-focused and will enjoy working as part of an active group of highly engaged individuals to ensure the team’s success.
• honest and committed to maintaining high ethical standards and confidentiality.
• a fast learner who demonstrates humility, openness, transparency, and empathy in alignment with the organization’s values.

Location and Travel

This is a hybrid/remote position based in our headquarters in Berkeley, California. The role may involve occasional in-person engagements with donors, foundations, and/or community partners. This role may require participation in fundraising events within California or relevant industry conferences. Candidates with a familiarity of the San Francisco Bay Area and authentic connections to the local community are highly encouraged to apply.

Our Commitment to Equity and Racial Justice

The Center for Ecoliteracy pursues change in K–12 education and school food systems to provide a more just, sustainable, and equitable experience for our children and the people who nourish them. We recognize the harm that systemic racism, gender bias, and structural inequalities create in our public education, food, and labor systems, and strive to mitigate the health and educational inequities affecting low-income households and children of color. We amplify the voices of people that have been historically marginalized, and shape our work according to their messages. By listening and taking action to identify and include missing voices, we seek to shift power in both policy and decision-making. We are privileged to learn from our partners and will continue to grow and evolve our work to embody this commitment.

The Center for Ecoliteracy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, or disability.

Salary

This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary is based on experience and ranges from $100,000 to $130,000 annually. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

How to Apply

Our job posting is available on LinkedIn.

Please email a personalized cover letter, relevant writing samples, and your resume with the subject line “[Last Name, First Name]: Director of Development Application.” Interviews will be conducted in February 2024.