POSITION: Development Manager, Communications and Annual Giving

PROGRAM: Administration

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Advancement, Community and Equity

LOCATION: 58 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116

MISSION: Ellis Early Learning partners with families to provide high-quality early childhood education in a warm, nurturing environment. A recognized leader in our field, we support children across the socio-economic spectrum, treasure diversity in all forms, and celebrate the joy of childhood.

Ellis (formerly known as Ellis Memorial) is a vibrant, Boston-based nonprofit with a rich history founded in 1885. Our goal is to help all children develop the social, emotional, and academic skills they need to be successful in school and life, regardless of their background. Ellis has earned numerous accolades and is ranked in the top 6% of all early childhood programs by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Ellis is a local and national model for inclusive, equitable quality early education and stands out for being among the most socio-economically, racially, and culturally diverse organizations serving the children of Boston.

Our many innovative partnerships include the New England Conservatory, which provides weekly onsite music instruction to all children, Boston Public Schools which funds four high-performing Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) classrooms, JumpStart, Raising a Reader, and others. Ellis serves over 300 children annually at its flagship campus in the South End and a center in Jamaica Plain.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The role of the Development Manager, Communications and Annual Giving, is new to Ellis at a time of tremendous innovation and growth for the organization. The ideal candidate is drawn to Ellis's mission and is inspired to help build a development program that keeps pace with increasing opportunities to raise funds and engage new cohorts of volunteers and donors. As part of a development team of three full-time employees and a full-time student intern, the Development Manager, Communications and Annual Giving is responsible for creating and editing written content for all of Ellis's external communications including the annual report, social media posts, donor correspondence, and materials for Ellis's fall benefit which raises over $650,000 annually. The position includes management of the Board of Trustees (a non-fiduciary board), the Ellis Spring Social, and events engaging Ellis families such "Grands" Day.

The position reports directly to Patricia "Patti" Keenan, VP for Advancement, Community and Equity, a veteran development professional with decades of experience with Boston's philanthropic community. The Development Department at Ellis is particularly collaborative, all team members have an opportunity to contribute their ideas, learn new skills and participate in career-enhancing professional development. In addition, the development team works closely with the Ellis CEO in a number of ways.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Communications

Responsible for planning, scheduling, creating content, writing, editing, selecting photos and seeing through to completion the following:

• Annual Report
• Bi-monthly electronic newsletters
• Quarterly special updates for the Ellis Early Learning Fund
• Assisting the CEO in preparing remarks and presentations for public events
• Constant Contact outreach, including Ellis in the News and fundraising messages
• Social media, including supervising student writers and serving as liaison to Ellis PR consultants
• Grant writing in partnership with Ellis's part-time grant writer
• Working with the VP of Advancement to create donor correspondence for all occasions from updating acknowledgements to creating special messaging for first-time and long-term

Events and Volunteer Committees

Manages the Board of Trustees including the planning of Trustee meetings, orientation and the Trustee's signature annual event, The Spring Social. Provides individual cultivation attention to members of the Trustees and assists in identifying and recruiting new Trustees.

Responsible for all written materials needed for Ellis's premiere fundraising event, Celebrating Ellis and the Magic of Childhood, an event that raises over $650,000 annually. This includes working with the event planning team, graphic designer and others to ensure that all sponsorship materials and solicitation letters are tracked from the first draft to the final production.

Oversee plan, promote the Ellis Family Campaign (annually in early fall)

Oversee plan and promote Grands Day (annually in spring)

Development Administrative work

The Development Manager, Communications and Annual Giving, is responsible for these administrative duties:

• Writing and updating acknowledgments letters (but not gift entry)
• Create prospect briefings for CEO and Directors, as assigned
• Development prospect research, as assigned

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Exhibits outstanding organizational skills and the ability to work independently with minimal direction and support
• Team player with a positive attitude
• Willing to be flexible and adaptive in dynamic environments
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and comfort speaking with groups
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Salesforce or similar donor records system
• Ability to appropriately handle highly confidential information

QUALIFICATIONS"

• Bachelor's degree
• 4-6 years of events, development operations, and general fundraising
• Demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to the Ellis mission
• Willingness to work outside of standard business hours, including occasional weekends and evenings, as needed
• Creative, self-motivated, detail-orientated, and donor-centered
• Warm personality who can develop positive relationships with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds

Professional Development Opportunities:

• Paid membership in Women in Development of Greater Boston or AFP Massachusetts

Benefits:

Full time (40 hr/week) exempt position with a generous benefits package including vacation, sick time, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, flex spending account and 401K. Please submit résumé and cover letter to apply.

The purpose of this description is to describe the major responsibilities of the position. It is not to be considered a complete statement of all elements of the work that may be performed.