Director of Development & Communications

Job Summary:

Portland Tennis & Education (PT&E) is celebrating 30 years of impact! We are in an exciting period of growth – including receiving a significant national award from the USTA Foundation for the impact we’ve made through three decades of programming – and we are seeking a dedicated leader to help us keep up the momentum and continue expanding our services to youth, families, and the broader Portland community.

PT&E’s Director of Development & Communications will secure financial resources while leading the Development & Communications team to build awareness of our impact and fuel continued program growth and sustainability. You are a proven fundraiser, confident brand-builder, and experienced people leader prepared to design and manage development and communications strategies and systems that align with PT&E’s well-defined strategic plan.

You and your team are responsible for meeting revenue targets and public awareness goals to support our social impact racquet center, which includes a tuition-free youth development program offered year-round and low-cost tennis and pickleball programming for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, and identities.

In addition, you will play a hands-on role in cultivating and stewarding a strong and diverse network of individual donors, corporate supporters, and local club partners. While leading a team composed of a Supporter Relations Manager, Community Engagement Manager, and Grant Manage, you will work in close partnership with the Board of Directors and Executive Director to foster a continued culture of philanthropy within our team.

Key Responsibilities:

50% - Fund Development Strategy + Portfolio Management

• Lead collaborative development and implementation of long-term, actionable strategic plan for Development and Communications function in support of PT&E’s growth goals and strategic priorities
• Grow income portfolio through utilization of effective moves management practices for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. This role will focus on increasing giving levels within individual, corporate, and club-based donors
• Design and manage implementation of supporter and partnership portfolios including conducting direct solicitations and preparing PT&E leadership for solicitations
• Oversee team members who directly manage PT&E’s grant portfolio, volunteer program, community engagement and partnership activities, and implementation of marketing and communications activities
• Implement new and improve existing processes to optimize personalized donor engagement, ensure timely follow-ups, and enhance reporting
• Partner with Board Committee to support planning and execution of annual fundraising event to ensure alignment with Development and Communications strategies. Emphasis on event strategy, budgets, messaging, and securing pre-commits and corporate matching funds from event attendees

25% - Marketing and Brand-Building

• Design marketing and communications strategies, ensuring strategies and tactics capitalize on key engagement opportunities and milestones while aligning with multi-year strategic plan
• Identify and lead the pursuit of opportunities that increase the visibility of PT&E through strategic partnerships, events, PR, and other special initiatives
• Support and enable marketing and brand-building efforts to position PT&E’s public racquet center as a go-to indoor racquet sports destination for numerous patron profiles
• Ensure streamlined administration of donor, prospect, and patron data to enable ease of stakeholder segmentation and communication
• Define marketing and communications success metrics and conduct ongoing data lifecycle activities to measure growth and determine opportunities for improvement

20% - Management and Culture-Building

• Build a strong, cohesive team culture within direct reports and peer group, modeling a bias for action, proactivity, and creative problem-solving
• Foster an increased culture of philanthropy and expanded capacity in fundraising and organizational awareness-building within Board of Directors and staff
• Lead, mentor, and empower members of the Development & Communications team to meet organizational and individual growth goals
• Supervisory responsibilities as outlined below

5% - Additional Projects & Opportunities

• PT&E encourages a culture of collaboration, with each team member committing to bringing PT&E’s core values and guiding principles to life
• In this spirit, you may occasionally be asked to support other aspects of the Development & Communications team or organizational activities which may not be part of your day-to-day work

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Manage the following direct reports:
  • Supporter Relations Manager (full-time, onsite)
  • Community Engagement Manager (full-time, onsite)
  • Grant Manager (part-time, remote)
• For all PT&E positions with supervisory responsibilities, managers are expected to:
  • Participate in cross-functional leadership meetings and meaningfully collaborate on decisions that impact multiple functions within the team
  • Onboard and train direct reports in partnership with Human Resources (HR)
  • Set and uphold clear performance expectations and success metrics in alignment with PT&E’s HR policies, core values, and job expectations
  • Manage timecards, payroll budgets, and functional expense budgets
  • Facilitate regular team meetings to cultivate a positive team culture and align day to day work with org-wide and team-specific goals within PT&E’s strategic plan
  • Conduct individual check-ins with direct reports to provide meaningful feedback, encourage employee success and growth, and provide corrective action if necessary
  • Design and lead staff and team training sessions that support the continued development of staff skills, knowledge, and leadership capabilities
  • Oversee team’s data collection practices and contribute to ongoing org-wide initiative to build a culture of continuous improvement and reflective practice

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated success in direct fundraising, strategic planning, and marketing, with a proven ability to meet or exceed revenue targets
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to inspire, influence, and engage diverse stakeholders to engage with our mission as donors or supporters
• Experience managing complex projects from concept to completion, with strong organizational skills and consistent follow-through
• Commitment to ethical and authentic storytelling that honors the dignity of PT&E youth and families
• Demonstrated alignment with PT&E’s mission and a deep understanding of the role of equity, inclusion, and community engagement in nonprofit work
• Minimum of five years of nonprofit fundraising experience or equivalent, including securing six-figure gifts from individuals, corporations, or foundations
• Experience developing and managing cross-functional strategies that increase brand awareness and support organizational growth
• Proven ability to lead, inspire, and meaningfully develop a team of direct reports
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality, detail-oriented work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience
• Experience with capital campaigns, planned giving, and / or major gifts strategy
• Proficiency with donor management systems or CRM platforms
• Experience working in youth development, public recreation, or education-focused nonprofit settings
• Background in public relations, communications, or brand-building strategy
• Familiarity with nonprofit compliance, grant management, and philanthropic reporting
• Spanish language skills are a plus

Compensation and Benefits:

• Exempt, salaried position
• Annual compensation of $75k - $90k dependent upon experience
• Healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision)
• Paid time off with accrual rates that increase annually
• 12 paid holidays per year

Work Environment:

Work is typically a combination of sedentary and non-sedentary work. Work can involve being seated at a desk and using a computer and viewing a computer screen. Work can involve being active which can include walking, running, bending, stooping, teaching, playing and coaching recreational activities. Exposure often to noise, cold, and heat.