DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT

OVERVIEW

The Director of Development leads a comprehensive fundraising strategy in partnership with the Executive Director/CEO and Board, with a strong emphasis on major gifts as the primary revenue driver. This role is responsible for cultivating and stewarding donor relationships through personalized engagement, including regular in-person meetings, strategic outreach, and thoughtful recognition efforts. By managing both individual and grant-based major giving initiatives, the Director ensures sustainable revenue growth while aligning fundraising activities with the organization's mission and long-term goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Analysis

• Manages and collaborates with Executive Director/CEO in planning of development activities within the strategic plan; oversees execution of strategic development plan
• Reconciles development revenue with Finance & Accounting office
• Participates in vendor partner selection, control and management for organizational developmental and marketing; accounts for disbursement of all funds
• Establishes annual monetary goals and provides regular updates to Executive Director/CEO

Fundraising

• Manages actual fundraising and development process, ensures accurate records of receipts and accounts for disbursement of all funds
• Serves as key development liaison to Board of Directors and Development Committee to provide direction and support for board fundraising efforts
• Assists with developing fundraising literature suitable for individual and corporate entities

Major Gifts

• Works with Executive Director/CEO to identify, cultivate and solicit major gifts, planned giving prospects, Corporate and foundation grants
• Analyzes donor database to develop and oversee "Moves Management" for individual Major Gift prospects/donors and corporate and foundation grants

Planned Gifts, Memorials, Tributes & Other

• Manages Planned Giving program
• Manages in-kind donations

Management & Leadership

• Manages the team on Direct Mail program management, database issues, SOP's, database development and administrative support for major donors and grants
• Motivates staff through recognition, training and development of KRAs

Organization Mission and Policies:

• Supports and demonstrates excellent customer assistance by following the SVdP Customer Service Motto to " S erve our V aluable Customers with D istinction and P urpose" which defines "our valuable customers" as both internal and external; i.e. co-workers, neighbors, donators, vendors, organizational contacts and thrift store consumers.

CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

The following values and competencies are required expectations for an individual to perform this job successfully.

• Vision - The ability to visualize and articulate a future for the organization and to consider this view in decision-making.
• Understands and articulates the vision for the Society
• Communicates the vision and strategy to employees, the board, volunteers, customers
• Maintains a focus on the vision while balancing day-to-day operations
• Business Acumen - The capacity to critically identify, analyze and use performance indicators that directly and indirectly affect the sustainability of the Society.
• Identifies and manages against key performance indicators
• Understands and considers the financial dynamics of the Society and the industry in making decisions
• Weights the costs and benefits of decisions and adjusts appropriately
• Balances short term costs with long term viability
• Leadership - The ability to positively impact others generating commitment and high performance.
• Consistently demonstrates servant leadership and lives the Society values
• Inspires others to make a difference and contribute
• Creates an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration: listens, fosters dialogue and facilitates joint problem solving
• Recognizes and respects individual differences, treating others with fairness, courtesy and good faith
• Admits mistakes, accepts feedback, demonstrates the capacity to work as part of a team
• Understands the impact of his/her own style and adjusts appropriately
• Communication - The ability to skillfully use interpersonal influence and create relationships characterized by dignity and respect.
• Keeps self and others informed and up-to-date on projects, customers, volunteers, Board decisions and state of the Society
• Skillfully manages conflict, demonstrating and encouraging open, honest and respectful communication and seeking the common good
• Understands and empathizes with others
• Communicates with and responds to customers, volunteers, fellow workers, and other in a professional, timely, helpful and courteous manner
• Results Orientation - The ability to prioritize and focus on getting things done efficiently, effectively and in a timely way.
• Sets challenging and realistic goals for self and others
• Prioritizes work to focus on the most important items
• Pitches in to help others get things done
• Demonstrates responsibility and accountability for achieving goals and results
• Supports others in achieving results and shares responsibility and accountability
• Adheres to SVdP Handbook policy regarding attendance, punctuality and time-off requests
• Continuous Improvement - The drive to ensure personal and organizational competitiveness through continuously improving.
• Stays up-to-date on advances in the industry in order to improve Society operations
• Shares expertise and knowledge to support the growth and development of others and enabling them to grow and improve in performance
• Consistently applies knowledge and expertise to ensure high standards of performance
• Seeks and takes advantage of opportunities to increase knowledge and expertise of self and others

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree (B.A.) or equivalent
• Five (5) or more years' of extensive fund raising experience at a leadership position
• Successful track record of strategizing and leading fund-raising initiatives at leadership level.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge of:
  • MS Windows (Advanced level)
  • Development techniques, particularly major gift fundraising (Advanced level)
  • Development software, DonorPerfect preferred
  • Grant writing (Advanced level)
• Skills and Abilities:
  • Oral and written communication to wide and varied audiences
  • Read, analyze and interpret complex documents
  • Work with and motivate staff, board members and other volunteers
  • Desire to get out of the office and build external relationships
  • Self-motivation and goal-driven to initiate donor visits and fundraising calls
  • Organized and exhibit "follow through" on tasks and goals
  • Display a positive attitude, show concern for people and community, demonstrate presence, self-confidence, common sense and good listening ability
  • Ability to respond effectively to most sensitive inquiries or complaints
  • Work on multiple projects at once in fast-paced environment
  • Manage projects within a team
  • Make decisions independently and effectively
• Physical:
  • Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds
  • Regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear
  • Occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
  • Frequent local travel to meeting sites and visits with donors

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.