Managing Director of Development

Overview of Organization

NJ LEEP is a college access and success program for low-income and first-generation students from the greater Newark area. NJ LEEP currently serves middle school students, high school students, college students, and family members. We help students perform at high academic levels by building skills through law-related and other educational programs, developing the habits necessary for college success and community leadership, and offering exposure to colleges, careers, and role models who have achieved professional success. NJ LEEP’s model is challenging and rigorous and prepares NJ LEEP program graduates for success in college. NJ LEEP strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. We are committed to anti-racist principles and are actively engaged in the work of those principles, including staff trainings and creating space for dialogue around race and identity for both staff and students. For more information about our work, please go to

The salary range for this position starts at $125,000, and NJ LEEP offers a competitive benefits package for full-time employees.

Title & Position Summary

Working directly with the senior leadership and Board of Trustees, the Managing Director of Development will be responsible for implementing and refining a fundraising and donor strategy that effectively moves existing and prospective individual and family donors, corporations, and foundations from identification to solicitation to substantially grow NJ LEEP revenue. NJ LEEP has annual revenue targets in excess of $3M and is simultaneously engaged in a multi-year $6M campaign to raise money for programmatic expansion.

This leader will be capable of cultivating and managing relationships with high-value donors that lead to increased and consistent revenue for the organization. They will be a strategic thinker and able to leverage internal and external resources to maximize organizational revenue. The Managing Director is a member of the NJ LEEP Management Team.

As an NJ LEEP employee, you will model commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. You will also play an active role in NJ LEEP’s anti-racism work to further the organization’s mission. NJ LEEP team members are expected to actively contribute to a positive staff dynamic.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee individual giving program to ensure annual fundraising goals are met, including increasing the number of individuals, families, and family foundations who contribute $10,000 or more.
• Grow and scale NJ LEEP’s corporate partnership and sponsorship programs. This will include management of existing partnerships, leveraging current relationships into new ones, and developing a scalable program with a consistent experience that directly leads to new or increased revenue opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director to identify and secure committee members and honorees for the annual Gala who can generate significant revenue.
• Partner with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and current donors to transition to the public phase of the multi-year growth campaign.
• Oversee NJ LEEP’s grant-writing operation, including identifying new grant opportunities, writing grant applications and reports, coordinating internal data requests for grants, and developing and maintaining relationships with foundations.
• Oversee all aspects of NJ LEEP’s external communications and public brand strategy.
• This role will be responsible for managing the NJ LEEP Development Team.

Minimum Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Ten (10) years professional experience, with at least five (5) years of fundraising experience and three (3) years of people management experience
• Experience cultivating and closing five and six figure major gifts, developing donor strategies, and effectively cultivating and stewarding major donors
• Experience developing and implementing strategy
• Strong executive presence, presentation and communication skills
• Ability and willingness to manage—directly and through direct reports—day-to-day operations of Development department

Equipment

• Computer and other office equipment

Work Environment

• Traditional Office Environment

Physical Effort

• Sedentary