Director of Development

Job Description: Director of Development 

SUMMARY: The Director of Development leads the organization's fundraising strategy to meet short and long term revenue goals for an org-wide donor portfolio of $2.5-$3m+ and 350-400+ donors. The position works closely with the CEO, the Vice President of External Relations, and the Board of Directors to build and deepen relationships with individual and institutional donors. 

POSITION CLASSIFICATION: 

• FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt 
• Work Schedule: 12 month, Full-Time (40+ hrs/wk) 
• Location: In-Office (Edina) 
• Basis of Pay: Salary 
• Pay Range: $115,000 - $125,000, plus incentives 
• Department: External Relations
• Benefits: Youth Frontiers offers a robust benefit offering, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-Term disability, Dependent Care FSA, 403(b) retirement savings with employer matching, generous PTO, paid volunteer time, and much more!

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES & DUTIES: 

Lead, Manage, and Hold Accountable: Development Team 

• Lead: Develop staff into their roles, guide personal development of team members, align team's vision with larger organizational vision and initiatives, orient team to goals, inspire productivity, and embody core values and culture. 
• Manage: Approve payroll and time off requests, give technical guidance to execute essential functions of employee roles, successfully onboard employees, conduct employee reviews, appropriately answer or direct any questions, help the team navigate the organization and resources, and provide support, assistance, and guidance so they can succeed. 
• Hold Accountable: Give direct feedback to employees on an ongoing basis, document and address performance metrics, and escalate issues to broader leadership or HR, such as reasonable accommodation needs or position change recommendations. 

Development Vision & Strategy

• Set key objectives, tactics, and metrics for the development team that supports a long-term growth strategy. Collaborate with executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and the Mission Advisory Committee to align development mission with long-term mission of the organization. 
• Lead the design and execution of sound and efficient internal systems and processes for all phases of the donor cultivation cycle. Track and develop donor portfolio plans and collaborate with the marketing team to create donor communication strategy. 
• Oversee management of donor databases to ensure data meets the needs of the organization. Ensure standard operating procedures for donor activities are documented and followed by all members of the organization as appropriate.
• Lead the development of YF’s next long-term fundraising campaign, including research, planning, prospect and pipeline development, solicitation, and stewardship. Collaborate with marketing and finance teams to ensure consistent messaging and clarity on restriction of donated funds. 

Relationship Management

• Build and manage an individual portfolio of 150 major donors. Participate in all phases of the solicitation process and escalate at-risk relationships appropriately. 
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with board members, staff, Youth Frontiers leadership, and external partners to enlist active support for YF's fundraising efforts. 
• Develop highly personalized donor communications in collaboration with Marketing & Communications, including proposals, stewardship reports, and program updates. 
• Serve as a visible spokesperson and advocate for Youth Frontiers’ mission and programs in the community and a conduit to build new relationships. 
• Travel as needed to meet with existing and prospective donors in support of program objectives. 

Development Operations

• Utilize wealth screening information, individual research, and networks of existing donors to identify prospective major donors. 
• Lead strategy sessions and help inform leadership of major gift strategies, with a special focus on long-term and planned giving efforts. 
• Identify estate and planned giving prospects and partner with leadership to secure new planned gift intentions and steward existing planned giving donors. 
• Build out the annual sponsorship plan to deepen engagement and drive growth (in terms of revenue and number of partners) from corporate supporters. 
• Utilize networks of existing supporters, market-specific research, community events, etc. to identify corporate sponsorship prospects. 

Donor Database Population and Reporting 

• Lead and support ongoing efforts toward operational excellence. 
• Provide monthly and quarterly revenue projections and forecasting.
• Record all interactions with donors and prospects within donor database. 
• Track personal progress towards weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals including outreach and donor meetings. 

All positions at Youth Frontiers may perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, communications, or a related field
• 7+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including major gifts, annual giving, and corporate and foundation relations 
• 3+ years experience in strategicleadership, ability to design and implement long-term development plans tied to mission and growth goals
• 3+ years of collaborative management, leading a team of development professionals and fostering cross-departmental partnerships (especially with school relations and marketing and communications)
• Proficiency with CRM/donor management systems, preferably Salesforce
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to take initiative and anticipate the needs of a diverse group of donors, stakeholders, and colleagues
• Goal and results driven, strong organizational skills, ability to meet deadlines in a fast paced environment

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience launching and managing a donor campaign 
• Strong experience developing a team (hiring, training, etc)

Youth Frontiers seeks to hire from a diverse pool of applicants and encourages people from all backgrounds to apply. Youth Frontiers will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital or familial status, public assistance status or any other legally protected status.