POSITION: DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
LOCATION: LOS ANGELES
REPORTS TO: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SUPERVISES: DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT
SALARY RANGE: $110,000 - $125,000
ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION
LIFT is a national nonprofit on a mission to invest in families to break the cycle of poverty. We believe that racial and gender wealth gaps stem from structural inequities that keep them trapped in a cycle where poverty, like wealth, is passed from generation to generation. At LIFT, we interrupt the generational transmission of poverty by partnering with parents of young children to build well-being, financial strength, and social connections – or as we like to put it, Hope, Money, and Love. LIFT’s one-on-one coaching program empowers parents to set and achieve goals that put families on the path toward economic mobility – such as going back to school, improving credit, eliminating debt, or securing a living wage. In addition to coaching, LIFT parents also receive direct cash infusions to reinvest in their families and goals.
LIFT is at an exciting moment in its organizational trajectory. We aim to scale our impact by 1) making continuous improvements to our direct service model, 2) partnering with health care, postsecondary education, early child development, and government organizations to deliver LIFT’s model and influence change in those systems, and 3) influencing policy through the amplification of the voices of parents living in poverty on issues impacting their lives and communities. We are looking for team players who thrive in a growth environment of continuous improvement; are committed to LIFT’s work to combat intergenerational poverty and expand opportunity for families; and uphold LIFT’s values.
*LIFT operates sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, DC, and New York. Currently, LIFT is operating as a hybrid work environment. Accordingly, this role will be expected to work in the LA office at least two days a week.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Reporting to the regional Executive Director, the Development Director is responsible for the management, coordination, and execution of the region’s fundraising efforts to meet the year’s budgetary targets with sight to long term financial growth and sustainability. The Development Director will serve as a thought partner to the regional Executive Director and will co-lead on regional revenue strategy and will be his/her/their right-hand for implementation. This role will oversee institutional fundraising with the Development team and manage a development portfolio that includes individual and institutional donors and major campaigns like events. Success for the Director looks like our members and program having the support and resources they need to succeed.
Travel requirement, in addition to local travel and connection to the LA office, is once a year for approximately 3-4 days for LIFT’s annual All Staff Retreat in one of its regional cities.
AS THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, YOU WILL…
- Serve as a thought partner with the region’s Executive Director and will co-lead in developing the region’s overall development strategy, with a special focus on ensuring that the Executive Director is effectively leveraged with existing and potential funders.
- Lead the annual revenue planning process in collaboration with Executive Director and the National Development Team
- Manage fundraising pipeline including overall stewardship and cultivation strategy.
- Identify new opportunities for grant funding, lead grant proposal and report strategy, and steward existing foundation relationships
- Build, cultivate, and steward a prospect portfolio with the goal of generating $3,500+ gifts
- Manage Salesforce to integrate data and research into the donor cultivation process, building strategies to increase donor support and enhance donor experience
- Lead the planning and execution of the region’s annual Family Supporter Network and/or fundraising campaign, including soliciting sponsorships and managing donor relationships
- Plan small donor cultivation events in partnership with the Executive Director, Development Coordinator, Operations Associate and the program team
- Support the Executive Director in managing strategy for LIFT-LA’s current foundation relationships, including editing and approving grant proposals and reports provided by LIFT National’s Grants Consultant
- Regularly generate and analyze fundraising data for discussion with the Executive Director and to inform strategy adjustments
- Develop a deep understanding of programmatic offerings and innovations, and use these learnings to drive and inform development strategy
- Work with the Executive Director to engage the region’s Advisory Board, including recruitment and selection of new members, communication, and preparation for meetings
- Support the Development Coordinator in creating and implementing a communications strategy including newsletters, marketing touchpoints and donor stewardship
- Continue to grow and implement the ethical storytelling and compensation processes and support the Development Coordinator and program staff in the collection stories from members, coaches, staff, and donors
- Ground our fundraising in race, equity, and social justice; work in partnership with the Executive Director, program team and the Development Coordinator to strive towards a community centric fundraising model; work to ensure that the families’ we serve are centered in our fundraising efforts including their voices and narratives being prioritized in our communications and in donor conversations
- Directly supervise region’s Development Coordinator and support the Executive Director in engagement of the Operations Associate in events and development and fundraising activities
OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE
- 6-10 years of nonprofit fundraising experience with front-line gift experience required, with proven track record of successfully closing individual gifts
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution required; relevant advanced degree preferred
- Knowledge of Los Angeles’s fundraising landscape, with the ability to network and collaborate with a wide array of stakeholders
- Detail oriented, results oriented, and strong attention to follow-through
- Ability to effectively identify, cultivate, and steward new prospects
- Strong strategic thinking skills with an ability to use data to make decisions and to translate strategy to action
- Superior verbal and written communication skills with an ability to articulate a clear and compelling vision and lead others to implement it
- Sound judgment, excellent customer service, and solid organization skills
- Salesforce experience preferred
- A team player with a proven ability to motivate, engage and work collaboratively at all levels with prospect donors, volunteers, staff, colleagues, and similar constituencies
- Ability to coach and mentor peers and executives on effective fundraising practice
- Must be able to attend evening events and work some weekends
- You take responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work and achieve results with appropriate levels of oversight. You receive feedback in a constructive manner.
- You help create a work environment that appreciates diversity and encourages equity by treating others with respect, listening to, and demonstrating appreciation for others’ perspectives, and using culturally sensitive language.
- You manage staff in ways that improve their ability to thrive in their role. You empower coworkers to grow and succeed through feedback, instruction, coaching, and encouragement.
- You align the direction, services, outputs, and performance of their department with the rest of the organization. You align actions with team and organizational goals.
- You are committed to LIFT’s mission and demonstrate LIFT’s recently updated values of:
- We let brilliance
- We strive for social justice.
- We create thriving environments.
- We build deep relationships.
- We root change in learning.
Don’t think you have everything for this role but are still interested? Please don’t hesitate to apply. We’d love to hear from you! LIFT is an equal opportunity employer and believes that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. LIFT’s goal is for our people to reflect the communities in which we live and serve and to ensure representation of people of color, those who identify as women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in our organization.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Salary Range: $110,000 - $125,000. LIFT’s compensation philosophy is to pay competitively for our non-profit sector and ensure equity across the organization. The compensation range we offer represents a good faith estimate of what we may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as qualifications and experience, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information at the time of hire, but not based on a candidate’s protected status.
- Benefits:
- Employer-paid health care coverage (100% for employees, 75% for dependents)
- 403(b) retirement savings plan including an employer match contributionof up to 5% after one year
- Generous paid-time-off policy starting with 4 weeks in the first year (5 weeks in years 2-4, 6 weeks at 5+ years), Federal holidays, the day after Thanksgiving, Cesar Chavez day, and wellness days including a one-week organization-wide paid closure over the winter holidays (the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays), and a one-week organization-wide paid closure over the summer fiscal year transition (the week in which Independence Day is celebrated)
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
- Partial cell phone coverage
- Pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits
- Please see here for a more in-depth overview of LIFT’s Benefits and Culture.
TO APPLY
Please visit www.whywelift.org/careers to apply and submit a resume.
