SUMMARY

The Development Director will be responsible for leading organizational fundraising strategy and donor organizing efforts. As a new addition to our team, the Development Director will help the organization raise $9M over three years to support JLF’s grantmaking and operations functions. This is a leadership position that will collaborate across teams to execute individual and institutional giving, with a movement philosophy that centers organizing. This role will report to and work in partnership with JLF’s Co-Executive Directors.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Holistic Fundraising & Donor Organizing Strategy

  • Develop JLF’s fundraising plan and ensure effective execution across the organization.

  • Hold the overall donor organizing strategy from the grassroots to the grasstops in conjunction with other staff. 

    • Lead strategy and implementation for JLF’s grassroots organizing program, working closely with others to implement overall strategic direction.

    • In partnership with the Co-Executive Directors and Brick by Brick Program Director, ensure Brick by Brick, JLF’s cohort-based funder and donor organizing fellowship, is fully integrated into JLF’s broader fundraising strategy.

  • Lead overall messaging direction ranging from digital and emails, to institutional reporting.

Individual Giving 

  • Lead individual giving strategy for the organization including:

    • Maintaining long-term relationships with existing donors

    • Identifying and building relationships with new and prospective donors

  • Collaborate with the Co-Executive Directors to support donor and funder meetings, including scheduling, materials development, making the ask, and coordinating follow up.

  • Create and execute strategy for two annual drives that integrate grassroots and peer-to-peer fundraising.

  • Hold a portfolio of 50 individual giving relationships, leading end-to-end relationship development, and making five and six figure asks directly. 

  • Create new and update existing donor materials, including packets and decks, with writing support from other JLF team members.

Institutional Fundraising 

  • Partner with the Co-Executive Directors to develop and implement JLF’s institutional fundraising strategy detailing how to secure specific foundation gifts through relationship management and tailored pitches. 

  • Project manage institutional giving workstream, including prospect research, materials development, outreach, and solicitation.

  • Manage overall grant writing, reporting, and submissions for all institutional funders, with writing support from other JLF team members. 

Development Operations

  • Lead the creation and project management for JLF’s annual development plan that outlines duties and responsibilities for all staff, including financial targets, donors likely to increase, and other metrics.

  • Oversee development systems (fundraising calendar, Salesforce database, donor and prospect records etc.) to ensure clear process ownership, communication, and collaboration.

  • Incorporate external and internal fundraising trends and data into organizational strategy development.

  • Ensure all staff make timely thank you calls and letters after donations are made.

COMPETENCIES

  • Connects fundraising to donor organizing and sees relationship-building as interconnected parts of a broader theory of change, rather than isolated revenue streams.

  • Experience with expanding donor and institutional pipelines, and successfully moving prospects from initial engagement to meaningful support, including securing five or six figure gifts.

  • Approaches donor engagement as relational and values-driven, with the ability to meet supporters where they are and steward them through complex or politically nuanced conversations.

  • Strong project management skills and experience leading engaging, cross-functional teams in fundraising work. 

  • Commitment to mission and values of a progressive Jewish social justice organization.

  • Deep understanding of anti-oppression principles and practices, particularly racial, economic, and gender justice and liberation approaches.

  • Both/and thinking: the ability to maintain a collaborative mindset, acknowledge and respect seemingly contradictory perspectives, and approach complex problems with curiosity and creativity.

  • Proficiency with digital tools (G-Suite, calendar systems, Notion, Salesforce or another similar database, Zoom).

  • Comfort and skill with respectful, direct communication (radical candor).

  • Ability to know and communicate your own boundaries.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

  • 5-7 years of experience overall in community organizing, grassroots movement building, fundraising/development, and/or philanthropy and grantmaking.

  • 3-5 years of experience specifically in a development role.

  • Life experience within the impacted communities and with the issues that many of our grantees are working to address is an asset, including but not limited to: racism, racial justice, and BIJOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or other Jew of Color) communities; Sephardi and/or Mizrahi Jewish communities; economic justice, poverty, and class; and experiences of systemic and structural marginalization within and beyond the US Jewish community. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY 

  • No supervisory responsibility at this time

PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT 

  • This position works indoors and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

  • This position is largely sedentary, with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer; however, some movement may be required depending on the specific job duties. This position requires the ability to: operate a computer daily, as well as other home- or in-office devices such as a copier or printer as needed; communicate effectively with coworkers and external parties, including - for example - via email, phone, and/or video conferencing; and, occasionally, lift up to 25 lbs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. 

POSITION TYPE & EXPECTED WORK HOURS 

  • This is a full-time position requiring 32 hours of work per week. Business hours are Monday through Thursday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm in the time zone where the candidate is located. Additional hours are semi-regularly required.

  • JLF operates on a 4-day work week, Monday through Thursday. 

  • Employee may be asked to provide occasional staff support to JLF Steering Committee meetings, which sometimes take place on Sundays between the hours 10am – 5pm ET

TRAVEL 

  • Periodic domestic travel (approximately 20-25%) will be required for fundraising and organizational events, as well as donor organizing retreats, scheduled in consultation with employee. 

OTHER DUTIES

  • This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time, exempt role with a salary of $130,000. Proteus provides employees working 20 hours or more a week with a generous benefits package, including: health and dental insurance, life insurance, FSA, retirement contributions, personal renewal funds, PTO (vacation, sick, and personal time), paid family leave, and other benefits. 

TO APPLY

Research has demonstrated that people who hold structurally marginalized identities (cisgender women, trans & nonbinary people, people of color, etc.) are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet more than 80% of the listed skills, competencies, and experience. If this applies to you, we encourage you to still apply!

Please submit your application here. 

EQUITY AT PROTEUS 

Proteus Fund believes that one of the greatest strengths of an organization is the rich diversity of its staff and board and is committed to providing equal employment and promotional opportunities based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under the law. Proteus Fund’s policies and practices are to reflect Proteus Fund’s commitment to nondiscrimination in all areas of employment.

ACCESSIBILITY 

Proteus Fund is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Proteus will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at jobs@proteusfund.org. Additionally, throughout this document, use of the pronoun “they” is intended to be inclusive of humans who identify as non-binary as well as those of gender expansive identities and experiences