Development Director, Texas
Citizen Schools
Citizen Schools is a leading national education initiative that uniquely mobilizes thousands of adult volunteers to help improve student achievement by teaching skill-building apprenticeships after-school. The organization’s fast-growing Texas site is seeking an entrepreneurial and experienced Development Director. The Development Director, Texas will be responsible for driving the resource generation required to further scale Citizen Schools’ innovative and proven program model throughout the state of Texas. S/he will have primary responsibility for implementing plans, building the systems/infrastructure, and leading the state fundraising efforts. In FY2008, the state fundraising requirement is $1.6 million and covers the operating costs of 6 campuses in 2 cities. Texas will grow to serve as many as 15 campuses with a budget dup to $3.5 million annually by 2012. This revenue growth will be accomplished through the solicitation of major gifts, corporate and foundation support, special events, and public sector grants. S/he will have leadership responsibility for each fundraising segment, will engage Citizen Schools’ staff in reaching goals, and will be charged with creating the state development structures required to succeed. This is a full-time position and reports to the Executive Director, Texas with a dotted line to the Director of Development Operations. This position is located in either Austin or Houston, Texas.
Responsibilities Include:
Fundraising Strategy and Implementation
•Expand Citizen Schools’ donor base/pipeline by crafting and implementing a comprehensive development strategy to raise funds from individual, corporate, and foundation donors, as well as government grants.
•Develop and implement annual workplans related to financial sustainability to ensure integration of strategies with the National Network team.
•Partner with the Executive Director in the cultivation and fundraising strategy for new sites.
•Work collaboratively with the national development team to align fundraising efforts with overall strategic plan and organizational goals.
•Engage the state leadership team and national leadership team as necessary to secure lead investors with commitments of $100,000 or more.
•Co-manage the State Advisory Council and engage national Board members when relevant.
•Coordinate statewide fundraising events.
•Manage the Raiser’s Edge database of key influencers, contacts, and investors for the state. Maintain a best-in-class donor management system.
•Lead the state to reach high levels of stewardship; work effectively with colleagues across the growing Citizen Schools national network to raise funds locally, share information, resources, and leads, manage relationships effectively, and collaborate on national efforts.
Research and Relationship Management
•Lead broad research and engagement strategies for new funding sources. Ensure that Citizen Schools is positioned ahead of major funding changes or trends.
•Conduct research using diverse methods to identify prospective funders and capacity (foundations, corporations, individuals, and public sector agencies).
•Arrange and attend events, conferences, and meetings to generate new leads.
•Write persuasive proposals and correspondence to prospective and prior funders; develop collaborative proposals in conjunction with national development team.
•Take primary responsibility for key funder relationships and ensure effective communication, involvement, and appreciation for each funder.
•Identify and implement strategies to strengthen, grow, and leverage each relationship, including connecting to other prospects and supporting sites in multiple states.
•Communicate with colleagues across the organization to understand funder objectives, requirements, and related program activities, and to ensure fulfillment of commitments.
Qualifications:
All candidates should have demonstrated leadership skills, a passion for education and community, and effective collaboration skills. The ideal candidate will possess an impressive track record of deepening relationships with funders or clients and personally cultivating and closing new relationships that achieve breakthrough results.
Other qualifications include:
•4+ years of relevant experience in fundraising, relationship management, or business development, preferably in an educational or nonprofit setting.
•Comfort operating in an entrepreneurial, resource-limited environment. Energized by the opportunity to build the local presence of a strong, nationally branded leader in after-school
•Maturity to work with highly visible civic, philanthropic, and business leaders nationally.
•Results-driven; excellent time and project management skills.
•Ability to effectively collaborate with, motivate and inspire Citizen Schools staff locally and nationally that are not direct reports, but are vital to the success of building a sustainable state model.
•Strong team orientation, ability to provide and accept feedback, and ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
•Highly developed interpersonal skills, excellent oral presentation and written skills
•Demonstrated skill in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Skill with relational databases (including Raiser’s Edge) preferred.
•Ability to travel 25% of the time within the state, to national conferences, and to strategic meetings, trainings and events at Citizen Schools’ national headquarters in Boston.
•Ability to model Citizen Schools’ core values: Pride, Joy, Respect, Courage, Teamwork, Perseverance, and Vision.
•Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
Salary & Benefits:
Compensation is commensurate with experience. Full benefits include health care, 403B, three weeks vacation, and professional development opportunities.
Citizen Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.
About Citizen Schools:
Citizen Schools is a leading national education initiative that uniquely mobilizes hundreds of staff and thousands of adult volunteers to help improve student achievement by teaching skill-building apprenticeships after school. Citizen Schools has been recognized as a national model program by the U.S. Department of Education. Founded in Boston in 1995, Citizen Schools is expanding across the country and currently serves 3,000 students and engages 2,200 volunteers in 15 cities. Learn more at www.citizenschools.org.