Job Description

Job Title: Director of Development |  Location: Jackson, MS |  Reports to: CEO/President

Classification: Full Time Associates (Exempt) |  Supervisory Function: No

Job Summary:

The Director of Development will lead the foundation's development initiatives in collaboration with the president, board of directors, and staff. This role involves creating and implementing a comprehensive development program aimed at enhancing both current and endowed assets. The Director of Development is expected to foster and deepen relationships with existing donors, philanthropic organizations, and grantees, while actively seeking to connect with new prospective supporters. This outreach will focus on broadening the foundation's support base and encouraging diverse participation in its mission and programs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and monitor an effective development program to increase the Foundation's current and permanent assets, including semi-annual fund appeals and other appeals as needed.
• Work with the president and board of directors to position all development activities within the Foundation for the Mid South’s mission and Strategic Plan.
• Develop and write proposals on an ongoing basis for submission to new corporate, foundation, and government-funded grant opportunities.
• Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with major gift donors following the Foundation’s donor engagement strategy.
• Provide leadership and management of the database for internal tracking systems and for developing and maintaining prospect records for mailings, solicitations, and other fund development efforts.
• Provide regular reports and updates to the President and board of directors as requested.
• Assume responsibility for certain aspects of budget management and financial reporting for development internally and to the board of directors.
• Design and implement donor engagement strategies by conducting comprehensive internal and external analyses of past donor engagement efforts and existing networks, evaluating current offerings and practices to identify opportunities for enhancement and alignment with best practices in the sector.
• Develop and manage actionable plans by creating a strategic approach that defines goals and initiatives for donor engagement, including necessary resources and capacity-building needs, while establishing measurable outcomes to track success over time.

Competencies Required:

• Mission Alignment: Demonstrates a strong commitment to the foundation’s mission and values, inspiring the team to align their goals with organizational objectives and foster a collective sense of purpose.
• Effective Communication: Communicates organizational goals, priorities, and changes clearly and consistently, fostering an environment of trust and collaboration while providing constructive feedback to enhance team members' skills.
• Project Management: Understands and articulates how team activities contribute to the organization’s overall effectiveness, proactively identifying opportunities for process improvement and addressing potential challenges within a broader context.
• Financial Acumen: Possesses a solid understanding of budgeting, financial reporting, and resource allocation, making informed decisions that align departmental goals with organizational financial priorities.
• Resource Mobilization: Develops and implements strategies to secure funding and resources, building and maintaining relationships with donors and partners while engaging the team in fundraising and stakeholder management.
• Analytical Ability: Analyzes data and performance metrics to assess departmental effectiveness and derive actionable insights, guiding the team in leveraging data for goal achievement and continuous improvement.
• Coaching: Provides tailored feedback and guidance to support team members' professional growth, fostering a supportive environment that encourages initiative and continuous learning.
• Board Engagement: Cultivates positive relationships with board members, facilitating communication and collaboration, and involving them in strategic discussions to leverage their expertise for foundation initiatives.

Salary Range: $68,500 USD to $85,000 USD

Benefits: Competitive salary and benefits, including 401(k) retirement savings and planning, medical, dental, vision, life AD&D, vacation, medical, and paid holidays. Other benefits include cell phone and gym reimbursement, education assistance, and professional development.

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred

Experience: At least 10 years of professional fundraising and major donor solicitation is required; experience at a community foundation or within the nonprofit sector is preferred.

Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to secure major grants and gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other private funding sources.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and implement long- and short-range development initiatives in conjunction with strategic planning processes.
• Ability to conduct research, gather data, analyze information, and prepare effective, accurate, and timely reports and other documents to support development objectives.

Technology Skills:

• Experience using data management software for business growth and development, specifically Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge
• Email Marketing and Communications tools such as Mailchimp, constant contact, and active campaign.
• Experience in fundraising platforms software (fund charity, Donor Box, Just Giving, and Network for Good.
• Document and file sharing Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive): For collaboration, sharing documents, and tracking fundraising performance. Dropbox: For secure file storage and sharing. Microsoft 365 (OneDrive, Word, Excel): Offers cloud storage and collaboration tools similar to Google Workspace.

Ethics & Integrity:

• High level of professionalism and ethical standards, with a commitment to confidentiality and integrity in managing sensitive information.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and adherence to compliance guidelines.

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