DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

JOB DESCRIPTION

Who We Are:

The Dayton Early College Academy (DECA) is an award-winning, high performing network of charter schools located in Dayton, Ohio. Serving grades K-12, DECA’s three campuses are singularly focused on helping children from the city of Dayton gain the skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. 

Mission:

We prepare future college graduates today to become the leaders of our community tomorrow.

Core Values:

1. Put students first;
2. Demand success;
3. Invest deeply in relationships;
4. Do what’s right;
5. Prove education changes lives;
6. Find joy.

Our Students and Results:

We serve students in grades K-12 in the Dayton Public School area; academic proficiency is not considered during the admissions process. Admission is first come, first served. 

• 94% of our students are African-American and 74% are economically disadvantaged;
• Over 80% of our students will be first in their family to go to college;
• DECA is committed to providing a rigorous and engaging academic curriculum;
• Our campuses foster an awareness of social justice issues; 
• Strong community partnerships are at the core of our success;
• DECA alumni graduate from college at a rate nearly 5 times the national average for first generation college students and on par with their suburban counterparts.

Successful Applicants Are:

Relators | Disciplined | Good Planners | Tenacious | Courageous | Mission-driven | Connectors | Charismatic | Numbers-Driven | Clear and Effective Communicators | Committed to Cultural Competence

Job Summary: 

The Director of Development is responsible for advancing the Dayton Early College Academy’s fulfillment of our mission to prepare future college graduates through driving the vision and execution of overall advancement, fundraising, and strategic network building. This position is responsible for devising and implementing the strategy, programs, initiatives, systems, and processes supporting fundraising efforts, donor relations, volunteer support, fundraising events, capital campaigns, and planned giving in support of DECA's continued growth. This position reports to the Superintendent/CEO.

Qualifications:

• BA and 5 years of relevant professional experience. Fundraising and/or Development experience is strongly preferred, but consideration may be given to those with a background in Public Relations, Marketing, and/or Non-Profit Management;
• Prior management experience preferred;
• CFRE certification helpful;

Duties/Essential Functions:

Fundraising Strategy

• Develop, implement, and execute the advancement and fundraising strategy in support of DECA’s mission;
• Oversee the administration of fundraising strategy and annual giving through phone, virtual, digital, social media, print, and face to face solicitations designed to meet financial and participation goals;
• Direct activities for current phase of the capital campaign;
• Research and plan for future capital campaigns;
• Seek out unique grant funding opportunities and direct application activities as necessary;
• Solicit and cultivate major gifts;

Donor Relations

• Manage major donors and donor prospects through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship;
• Oversee the coordination “friend raising” activities and events;
• Cultivate planned giving interests and opportunities;
• Interface with The Dayton Foundation in support of the Friends of DECA fund;

Special Events

• Orchestrate annual fundraising and/or appreciation events, including the Lives Changed Luncheon;
• Identify and drive creation of new fundraising and appreciation events;

• Administrate the DECA High Student Ambassadors program for campus visits and special events;

Alumni Relations

• Collaborate with the College Transition Liaison on alumni relations and the development of robust alumni engagement programming;

Team Collaboration

• Demonstrate a positive, supportive, enthusiastic, and encouraging attitude with all stakeholders;
• Oversee all aspects of the Development Department;
• Advise and provide accurate information to the Superintendent to support organizational decision making processes;
• Attend and/or participate in related training programs and/or workshops;
• Travel to relevant community venues, as required, in support of DECA curricular activities; 
• Strive to continually improve professional competence; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community;
• Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills;
• Track record of accomplishment;
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, take initiative, work independently and as part of a team, establish priorities and meet deadlines – while maintaining a sense of humor and positive demeanor;
• Knowledgeable in research, data acquisition and analysis, and successful implementation of strategies currently shaping advancement in an educational setting;
• Outstanding analytical and critical thinking skills that lead to systems thinking;
• Exceptional judgment, sensitivity, and discretion;
• Proven ability to establish and maintain donor relationships;
• Ability to improvise and work through uncertainties;
• Effective in an interdisciplinary, teamed environment;
• Skill utilizing social media and other forms of new media to engage a disparate audience;
• Possesses a deep commitment to DECA’s core values.

Terms of Employment:

• Very competitive salary and top of the market benefits
• Full time (includes 15 days of paid vacation and 13 paid holidays)
• In person, on-site
• Ability to work nights and weekends
• All staff members are issued one-year contracts.

Working Environment:

Workplace locations include:

• School, activity center, outdoor play areas;
• Retreat/field sites; and
• Other environments as deemed necessary/appropriate.

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of his/her job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and/or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required for this position include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

Additional Working Conditions:

• The noise level in this work environment is quiet to loud depending on the activity and location.
• Working conditions for this job include (1) possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and tissue; and (2) occasional operation of a motor vehicle to transport students.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

The information in this job description is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for the position. Additional duties performed by individuals currently holding the position and additional duties may be assigned.

This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.