Director of Development

About the Organization

LEAP for Education, Inc., founded in 2002, is a non-profit located in historic Salem, MA. LEAP has a mission to empower low income and first-generation-to college students to achieve economic and social mobility by providing free programs to cultivate personal, educational and career growth.

LEAP serves over 600 youth in Lynn, Salem and Peabody in programs that include academic enrichment and support, post-secondary access and readiness and career services.

About the Role

The Director of Development will work with the Executive Director as a senior member of the LEAP for Education staff. As a key thought leader within the organization, the Director of Development will work closely with a range of internal and external stakeholders such as the Board of Directors, donors, partners, volunteers, and staff colleagues.

The person in this role will lead the overall fundraising effort for LEAP for Education, responsible for retaining and expanding existing funding streams and creating and implementing new models of income generation to scale philanthropic initiatives and raise increased revenue from individual, foundation and corporate donors.

The Director of Development provides intellectual, strategic and entrepreneurial leadership to grow LEAP for Education’s financial resources by implementing the highest quality programs in annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, institutional giving, donor relations and development operations.

This position will have a heavy focus on major gift development. As such, the Director of Development will be expected to spend a significant amount of time in individual giving to develop a best practice major gifts program to attract significant new gifts from high net worth individuals and families as well as to steward existing donors to higher levels of giving. In addition, the person in this position will manage a portfolio of leadership and major donors (high-net-worth and high-potential donors and prospects) capable of donating $1,000 and above. While there is a growing list of prospects, LEAP for Education is still developing its major gift program to expand the prospect list and new donors over the next 12 – 18 months.

Responsibilities include:

• Collaboration and Partnership: Support and advise the Executive Director on her efforts to build relationships and secure major support from individuals and institutions. Partner collaboratively with staff and volunteers (including those on the Development-Communications Committee and Event Committee to build and sustain a productive and successful philanthropic culture.
• Fundraising Strategy, Leadership and Results: Implement the fundraising strategy and plan, increasing annual and multi-year revenue from individuals and families, corporations and foundations to ensure LEAP for Education meets annual philanthropic fundraising goals. Lead future fundraising campaigns to attract support to fund operational and capacity-building initiatives.
• Institutional Giving and Grant Writing: The majority of grants are written by the Executive Director, Deputy Director and program managers. However, the Director of Development will be called upon in months with multiple grant deadlines to help in grant writing. This position, however, will be responsible for identifying new institutional prospects (companies and foundations).
• Events: Manage our one Annual Great Expectations Fundraiser which takes place in April. Develop a comprehensive event strategy that will engage and solicit supporters. With the assistance of staff and our annual Great Expectations event committee, design and implement events that will serve as friend-raisers and fundraisers, deepening the pipeline of future contributors, expressing appreciation of current supporters’ generosity, and raising increased funding from corporations, individuals and families.
• Donor Engagement and Stewardship: Design and implement comprehensive stewardship plan to maximize donor retention and to ensure excellent donor philanthropic experience. Work with LEAP staff and business donors to find ways to engage company employees in LEAP’s work to maximize donor engagement.
• Volunteer and Partnership Management: Oversee the work of the Volunteer and Partnership Coordinator in the recruitment, management and stewardship of volunteers and business and community partners.
• Donor Communications: Develop and oversee a communications plan including newsletters, Annual Report and social media.
• Planning and Organizational Leadership Support: Participate in organizational initiatives as a member of the senior leadership team and work with LEAP’s Founder and Executive Director and board leadership on other organization-wide projects and initiatives.

Supervision: This position manages 3 positions: Development Specialist, Development Associate and a Volunteer and Partnership Coordinator. Also supporting the Development function are a Grants Specialist reporting to the Deputy Director and a Graphic Design and Digital Marketing Specialist reporting to the Executive Director.

This role, located in Salem, MA, will report to the Founder and Executive Director. Occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends are required for Board meetings, donor events, and program events. Travel throughout the Boston area is required.

LEAP for Education is willing to consider flexibility in hours and days worked and the ability to work from home on some days.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred but equivalent experience will be considered
• 5 or more years of development experience (not including internships) and at least 1 year of supervisory experience
• Minimum of 2 years focused on major gift cultivation, development and stewardship with a record of increasing new donor gifts.
• Candidates with existing contacts on the North Shore and familiarity with the fundraising landscape in this region is a plus.
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Experience using various online tools and apps and social media to drive donors to LEAP
• Excellent organization, time management and people management skills
• Proven and consistent track record of increasing revenues by designing and implementing best practice fundraising initiatives and programs
• Familiarity with all aspects of development, including major and leadership giving, direct mail/marketing, event management, annual giving, on-line giving
• Experience working with board members and board committees
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively to maximize teamwork and camaraderie across the organization
• Trusted partner to leadership and colleagues at past organizations
• Possess a high level of integrity and ability to handle confidential situations without compromise.
• Polished and authentic presence with excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Experience working in a data-driven and process-driven organization. Ability to plan, conduct and evaluate promotions, programs and projects, and analyze data.
• Comfort and familiarity with and working knowledge of prospect/donor databases and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Suite, particularly Word/Google Docs, Excel/Google Sheets and PowerPoint/Google Slides.
• Knowledge or experience raising money in communities North of Boston, a plus

To Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter to Linda Saris, Executive Director (lsaris@leap4ed.org). Please include in your cover letter your specific experience and successes working in major gift development. Applications without cover letters will NOT be reviewed.

Job Types: Full-time, Exempt

Pay: $87,000 - $105,000

Benefits:

• 401(k) retirement plan
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Life insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Generous Paid time off
• Vacation - 3 weeks to start
• Vision Insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• LEAP for Education is willing to consider flexibility in hours and days worked and the ability to work from home on some days.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $87,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• Approximately how many new major donors did you cultivate and close in the last 2 years (major donor is someone who has given $1,000 or more in a year.
• List three ways you prospect for new major donors
• How large is your donor portfolio (# donors and total revenues not including government or institutional grants)

Experience:

• new major gift donor cultivation: 2 years (Preferred)
• Development: 4 years (Preferred)

Work Location: In person