Director of Development

Job Description

Director of Development
Get Lit-Words Ignite

Exempt, Full-Time
Competitive Compensation ($120,000 DOQ), Plus Excellent Benefits

Get Lit-Words Ignite is seeking a Director of Development who will be a principal member of the organization’s leadership team, responsible for securing and maintaining diversified restricted and unrestricted public and private funding through grants, corporate giving and individual donations. The
Director also oversees Get Lit fundraising events, as well as assisting with marketing and communications efforts including: the Annual Report, websites, media relations, social media, and other vehicles.

The DD will supervise and expand Get Lit’s Development team, as per the organization’s strategic plan.

The successful candidate will have 5+years experience in fundraising executive leadership; will be detail-oriented, have strong project management experience, robust writing and verbal communication skills, and a passion for mission driven work with youth and diverse populations. Get Lit is a fast paced environment, and is open to hybrid work arrangements. Other minimum requirements include, but are not limited to:

Minimum qualifications:

● Mission driven.
● Impeccable integrity, strong work ethic, and high standards for work product quality and quantity.
● A highly developed ethos of self-accountability and the ability to hold others accountable.
● Experience prospecting, cultivating and soliciting major donors.
● Knowledge of nonprofit fundraising best practices. Minimum 5 years experience in direct fundraising solicitations, including but not limited to special events, campaigns, and proposals.

● Outgoing disposition and enthusiasm to “work a room” of potential supporters.

● Excellent written and oral communications skills. Comfort and experience with public speaking and small group presentations.

● High level of emotional intelligence and practiced at active listening. Ability to facilitate conversations and exercise tact.

● Willing and able to lead by example and build community internally at Get Lit among staff and volunteers, and externally with partners and colleagues throughout the Los Angeles region and beyond.

● Demonstrated skills, knowledge and experience in the design and execution of effective marketing and communications activities.

● Strong creative, strategic, analytic, organizational and personal sales skills.
● Experience developing and managing budgets.
● Experience hiring, training, developing and supervising personnel.
● Commitment to working with shared leadership and in cross-functional teams.
● Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

POSITION OVERVIEW
Reports to Executive Director

● Develop and oversee a comprehensive fundraising plan with revenue targets to support the organizational budget for each fiscal year, including producing annual fundraising events, as well as soliciting individual, corporate, foundation and government funding sources.

● Help plan and execute an annual gala to ensure exceptional donor experience and achieve established fundraising goals; lead board and staff in cultivation efforts, during the evening, and implement donor stewardship following the event.

● In partnership with the Executive Director and Board of Directors, identify opportunities to expand the donor base and develop new funding relationships and resources, including from a wide variety of individual, corporate, government, and foundation prospects through research, list acquisition, and other best practices and innovative tactics.

● Develop a coordinated individual giving plan for annual, major, and leadership gifts; including peer to peer initiatives, donor engagement, and personal solicitation.

● Spearhead the design and implementation of quarterly and annual fund appeals to ensure ongoing support from current donors giving up to $2,500 with a goal to expand the number of donors at this level.

● Establish aggressive fundraising targets in coordination with the Executive
Director and Board. Cultivate major and leadership donors by leveraging the time and connections of the Executive Director, Board members, and other staff members to achieve these goals.

● Analyze current donor base, identifying prospective planned giving donors; develop strategies for outreach and maintenance of these relationships via a new Planned Giving campaign

● Oversee the Board’s Resource Development Committee, advising on all fundraising activities, training board members to optimize their commitment and capacity for fundraising and in-kind solicitation skills; and preparing and presenting progress reports to the Board.

● Function as a thought partner for the Executive Director and the Board Chair with regard to strategic planning for the organization.

● Supervise and partner with the Director of Client Services and a part time grant writer to build fundraising efforts. Determine other necessary resources to aid in the preparation and execution of grant proposals, campaign collateral, events and other initiatives that require expertise and input.”

● Work closely with the Executive Director and Deputy Director on annual budget preparation, and provide ongoing oversight and input for the Deputy
Director and Get Lit’s outside Accounting Group to ensure the accurate tracking of all revenue, including restricted income, individual and institutional giving.

● Assess and make recommendations for gift and donor tracking using
Salesforce and other tools. Oversee key reporting and dashboards to show progress on development activities.

● Serve as an ambassador for Get Lit, advancing the organization’s mission and visibility in diverse settings, public and private.

● Work with Program leadership to coordinate and oversee periodic research on the efficacy of Get Lit’s programming. Monitor trends and integrate findings into fundraising collateral, messaging and proposals.

● Performs performance evaluations for team members reporting to them

● Other duties as assigned.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $110,000.00 – $130,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Los Angeles, CA 90057