05/2016

director of Development & Communications

Department:Development

Reports to:Executive Director

Status:Exempt/Full-time

Work Location: Main office

Departmental Unit:Development Department

Supervises:Grant Manager, Development & Communications Officer, Development Associate, Volunteer & Community Relations Coordinator (shared with Executive Director)

ORGANIZATION: United Community Ministries, Inc. (UCM) is a community-based, non-profit organization that offers comprehensive programs and services for Mount Vernon's most vulnerable children, youth, and families in Alexandria, Virginia.

MISSION: United Community Ministries mobilizes the power of community to equip, educate, and empower people to measurably improve their lives.

AREAS of FOCUS:

DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION & AGENCY LEADERSHIP

Duties:

  • Function as an agency leader on the Senior Management Team.
  • Participate in development and implementation of the agency’s strategic plan.
  • Coordinate with Fiscal Dept. in creating Development Dept. budget and maintaining. compliance with expenditure policies/procedures.
  • Seek opportunities to promote interdepartmental collaboration.
  • Serving as a role model for professionalism in communication and coordination-of-effort.
  • Represent the agency as directed in the community.
  • Oversee, coordinate, and actively participate in grant seeking, grant writing, and grant management, including outreach to corporations, foundations, and state and federal funding agencies.
  • Meet prospective donors and supporters on a continual basis to establish effective communications with them.
  • Grow a major gifts program including identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major donors.
  • Other duties as assigned.

RELATIONSHIP CULTIVATION LOGISTICS

Duties:

  • Strategic management of Development Committee of the Board of Directors, using one-to-one member meetings and informational presentations to advance development goals.
  • Coordinate follow-up on Committee decisions and action plan.
  • Oversee maintenance of data base and materials preparation/presentation process.
  • Utilize industry best practices to identify and advance new ideas/opportunities.

DONATION SOLICITATON

Duties:

  • Develop prospect solicitation strategy for major donor solicitations, coordinating preparation of donor profile, identify discussion topics and gift target, etc.
  • Define and manage implementation of investment partner cultivation strategy.
  • Coordinate appointment scheduling logistics and solicitation follow-up.
  • Manage data system to track donor acknowledgement and other stewardship logistics.
  • Manage direct-mail and on-line solicitations.
  • Manage in-kind donation solicitations/distribution (i.e. volunteer time, supplies/materials).

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Duties:

  • Manage annual review/refinement of agency messaging strategy.
  • Develop and manage implement strong marketing/public relations strategy.
  • Coordinate brand management functions.
  • Manage special event logistics.
  • Initiate and coordinate response to media inquiries.
  • Coordinate website development/maintenance.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Duties:

  • Define and monitor department capacity requirements and staffing needs.
  • Supervise hiring/orientation/training as needed.
  • Regular one-to-one supervision meetings, monthly progress assessment, quarterly goal review and annual performance evaluation of direct report positions.
  • Monthly department staff meeting.
  • Lead semi-annual (half day) and annual (full day) department retreats.
  • Conduct annual performance reviews of staff and department performance.
  • Maintain proactive response to emerging staff performance issues.
  • Define and develop skills development strategy to address ongoing staff training needs.
  • Assure compliance with agency personnel policies re: attendance, leave requests, supervision and performance reviews, conflict-of-interest, etc.
  • Celebrate individual and team performance, highlight “learning opportunities”, etc.

COMPETENCIES:

  • In-depth knowledge of best practices within the fund development and public relations fields.
  • Proven expertise in management of large scale donor identification/cultivation process.
  • Effective a team-builder and efficient department administrator.
  • Demonstrated commitment to teaching/learning, and extremely comfortable in training roles.
  • Strong oral/written communication skills and listening abilities.
  • Creative/innovative marketing strategist.
  • Ability to interpret and balance priorities between competing demands on time and resources.
  • Proven capacity to maintain patience/tolerance and tact/diplomacy in deadline situations.
  • Well-developed ability to engage others in building relationships, sustaining momentum, etc.
  • Self-motivated and accountable for timely follow-through.
  • Well-honed negotiation/mediation and conflict resolution skills.
  • Ability to organize meetings, manage group processes and facilitate schedules/logistics.
  • Quality control: demonstrates accuracy/thoroughness in monitoring own work to ensure quality and seeks/applies feedback to improve performance.
  • Highly organized: able to manage multiple assignments to meet project deadlines.
  • Clear/strong-yet-flexible boundaries, consistent energy level and positive demeanor.
  • A high level of integrity and strong ethical values and maintains the highest standards of confidentiality with all records, including organizational and individual information.

MINUIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s degree and advanced training in fields related to task responsibility.
  • Work experience that demonstrates a capacity to lead large-scale (+$2 million) fundraising campaign, including:
  • At least ten years of progressively responsible supervisory experience in a Development Department, including at least five years at a senior management or executive level with responsibility for five or more staff members.
  • Proven success in generating major gifts (i.e. private donations in the $25,000 to $50,000 range and private grants in the $100,000 range) and mass-based donation programs.
  • At least 10 years of progressive experience in managing +$100,000 special events.
  • At least five years of additional experience in fundraising, marketing and/or public relations, achieving demonstrable success in several of the following areas:
  • Grant writing
  • Government funding
  • Capital campaigns
  • Direct mail solicitation
  • Planned giving
  • Communications management
  • Volunteer management
  • Experienced in utilizing Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel).
  • Experience working in diverse settings with people across all socio-economic spectrums and a wide variety of personalities and roles – program participants and employees/volunteers, local community partners, vendors, etc.
  • Demonstrated commitment to the nonprofit or public sectors as a volunteer.
  • Experience in interpretation and application of professional ethics within the fundraising field.
  • Access to reliable personal transportation required, including a DMV record that permits driver to be insured under United Community Ministries, Inc.’s automobile coverage.
  • Must successfully pass a criminal background check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • CFRE or ACFRE or comparable certification.
  • Workshop or conference presenter and/or consultant re: development planning process.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers to handle or feel objects. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

There are no unusual environmental conditions. Typically, the noise level in the work environment is quiet.

TRAVEL:

Travel to and from satellite UCM location and meeting sites with a 3-5 mile radius is expected. Mileage reimbursement is provided.

EEO Statement:

UCM provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, UCM complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

UCM expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper reference with the ability of UCM employees to perform job duties may result in discipline up t and including discharge.

Other Duties:

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

To apply, please submit:

  1. Your Resume
  2. Letter of Interest
  3. Three writing samples: government grant, foundation grant, and appeal letter