Development Director - Washington, DC

About Our Organization:

At Youth Guidance, we believe that no matter what challenges a young person faces, they are more likely to succeed when they have caring adults in their lives. Our highly-trained staff guides kids to overcome the life and academic challenges facing the  youth. We meet kids where they are — physically and emotionally — to help them focus on their education, make positive choices, and remain on the right path toward life success.

Founded in 1924  today Youth Guidance is a leading provider of outcomes-driven programs serving more than 8,500 youth while touching the lives of more than 14,000 youth, parents, teachers, and community members.

Position Summary: Achieves annual fundraising goals for Youth Guidance programming in Washington, DC. Manages the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individual, corporate and foundation donors, as well as public grants or contracts. Engages with the local Advisory Council, in partnership with the Executive Director, to follow up on introductions to prospective donors. Plans and executes small donor cultivation events and site visits to cultivate potential major donors. Responsible for the timely submission of grant proposals and reports, working in collaboration with program, evaluation & quality improvement, and finance departments.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develops and implements plans aimed at establishing an individual donor base in local city, with a focus on public and private grants, as well as individual major gifts 
• Works collaboratively with the local Advisory Council to cultivate additional local relationships
• Highly responsive & proactive in engagement of key public & private sector stakeholders.  
• Serves as key point of contact with current & prospective donors through letters, personal visits, phone calls, and personalized acknowledgements to achieve continued donor engagement
• Forecasts annual, quarterly, and monthly revenue, as well as donor renewal and acquisition. Utilizing Raisers’ Edge for constituent relationship management  
• Completes ongoing prospect research (online, databases, clearinghouses, professional literature, and donor prospecting directories) of current and prospective corporate, foundation and individual donors to identify viable local funding opportunities
• Completes all stages of funding proposal development including outreach to grant-makers, and development of compelling, timely and error-free letters of inquiry, online applications, formal proposals, and grant reports
• Works collaboratively with agency program, evaluation, and finance staff in the development of proposals, reports, and grant budgets 
• Ensures site has high-quality, brand consistent digital and print collateral materials and positive public relations, with support from the Director of Marketing & Communications 
• Ensures the fulfillment of funding partner recognition and benefits (e.g. article in newsletter, acknowledgement in annual report)
• Leads and manages logistics for events, with a focus on meeting agreed upon deliverables in the event timeline
• Develops appropriate communication plans for events in coordination with the Executive Director
• Provides timely and professional responses to inquiries about Youth Guidance programming in Washington, DC, funding opportunities, or events
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Experience/Training

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred 
• Minimum three (3) years of experience and demonstrated track record in development, with experience in the human services or K-12 education sectors preferred
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience planning and managing events

Skills/Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Ability to present a positive image and communicate effectively via telephone and in person
• Highly organized, strategic thinker, with proven ability to handle multiple tasks, handle pressure and meet deadlines 
• The ability to work well both independently, and within a team
• Commitment to cultural sensitivity and respect for differences
• Commitment to the continuous improvement of service quality and the organization’s mission
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office), Raisers’ Edge experience preferred

Core Competencies 

• Continuous improvement-minded:  Takes initiative to identify and execute strategies and processes to continuously improve one’s leadership to strengthen organization’s overall impact.​
• Develops and motivates others: Motivates others and supports their development through strong coaching and mentoring. Effectively stewards self and others through both small and large scale change. ​
• External representation and relationship building: Represents the organization among external stakeholders, and builds strong, trusting relationships with stakeholders​
• Leads with vision: Has an inspiring vision for the future of the organization, beyond the status quo, and communicates it effectively; leads with courage and willingness to take risks in service of impact​
• Manages with data: Understands data; analyzes data and identifies insights and implications​
• Strategic thinking and resource management:  Considers the future of the organization proactively and responsively; weighs diverse inputs to inform strategies; identifies innovative opportunities when relevant; makes and communicates decisions that effectively balance tradeoffs between financial sustainability and impact​
• Team building: Builds strong relationships with teams and colleagues; fosters effective teams and collaborative interactions​

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Occasional local and national travel

Benefits:

Youth Guidance offers a competitive benefit package for eligible full-time employees including the option to participate in medical, dental, and vision plans as well as short-term disability, life insurance, flex spending accounts, pet insurance, 401k, a wellness program and more. You may also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Compensation: 

$97,000 -$105,000

Pay is determined by your educational background and relevant professional experience. 

Our Values

At Youth Guidance, we believe that creating a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected is fundamental to realizing our vision of bright and successful futures for all young people. We acknowledge that many systems and institutions intended to support youth do not provide fair treatment or access for everyone. We strive to celebrate the unique qualities of youth and recognize them as empowered leaders, problem-solvers, and experts of their own experiences.

Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer. Youth Guidance does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Salary : $97,000 - $105,000