Director of Development

Job Description

Job DescriptionSalary: 90,000

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: California Youth Connection (CYC) was founded in 1988 by foster youth and adult supporters. It has evolved into a vibrant statewide youth leadership, advocacy, and training organization with county-based chapters throughout California, satellite offices, and an annual budget of nearly $2 million. CYC empowers and educates current and former foster youth, providing them with leadership and advocacy opportunities to be the lead agents of change for system improvements throughout the state through legislative, policy, and practice change.

We believe outstanding people are the key to our success. As an equal opportunity employer and a social justice movement, we recruit individuals without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, prior conviction, arrest history, disability, marital status, veteran status, or age.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Director of Development will be responsible for strategizing and coordinating efforts to reach financial and organizational growth objectives by ensuring the financial stability of CYC. The Director of Development customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in leading the development efforts and works in collaboration with members, staff, volunteers, Board members, and youth leaders across the state to build and lead multi-year development plans. As a skilled narrator, strong writer, and people person, the Director of Development will motivate supporters to advance CYCs work at the intersection of youth leadership and advocacy in foster care and intersecting systems. The position is responsible for meeting fundraising goals and building new donor pipelines, motivating and leading staff across the organization to engage in fundraising efforts, increasing the capacity of fundraising operations, and contributing to strategic conversations about growth. The Director of Development may supervise and direct the work of one or more full-time employees.

WORK LOCATION AND CONDITIONS: This is a hybrid remote position that will involve working from home, in the field, and at various meeting and conference locations throughout California, which will be scheduled between the employee and the Executive Director. Regular work hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some weekend and evening work may be required.

CLASSIFICATION: The Director of Development is a full-time, exempt employee of CYC, is employed at will, and reports directly to the Executive Director. As an employee of CYC, the Director of Development is subject to the policies and procedures outlined in the Employee Handbook.

COMPENSATION: The annual salary for this position is $90,000. Because we recognize that the practice of salary negotiation can contribute to pay inequities, this salary is non-negotiable. We will share more about our approach to compensation with the final candidate.

Full compensation includes a generous benefits package with paid health benefits (medical, dental, vision, and chiropractic), vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, paid Wellbeing Days, a Winter Break, life insurance, and an employer contribution to the CYC retirement plan.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

FUNDRAISING STRATEGY AND DONOR RELATIONS

• Lead multi-year development planning, including creating and implementing effective strategies and structures for raising funds across diversified revenue streams.
• Oversee and introduce data-driven processes and systems to support ambitious goals.
• Creatively cultivate, solicit, and steward new major donor prospects and current major donors, with a focus on donors with capacity to give $1,000+.
• Build a broader movement of donors, including securing new major gifts to support campaigns.
• Expand CYCs corporate sponsorship and underwriting relationships.
• Oversee and expand CDSS funding.
• Explore and implement strategies for researching and securing local, county, & federal grants and contracts.
• Increase CYCs profile and preparedness to partner with universities on large-scale, grant-funded research initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations related to fundraising and development.

FUNDRAISING OPERATIONS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Research revenue opportunities and economic trends, analyze internal operations, and identify areas for cost reduction and process enhancement.
• Prepare detailed reports for funding calls, management team, and the rest of the organization.
• Set and achieve measurable quarterly and annual fundraising goals, such as pipeline metrics, retention goals, cultivation touchpoints, and number of proposals submitted.

• Build and manage a pipeline of new foundations and major donor prospects.
• Complete foundation proposal research, writing, editing, submission, and engagement.
• Develop effective marketing strategies and prepare persuasive messaging to attract new donors and funders in collaboration with Communications Manager.

MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT

• Lead daily development operations and collaboration efforts by ensuring staff is performing tasks consistent with their job duties and progressing towards completing organizational goals.
• Interview, hire, build, and sustain a staff community that encourages understanding and implementation of organizational values, respect, collaboration, teamwork, and healthy conflict resolution.
• Ensure direct reports are properly onboarded, oriented, and understand CYCs policies, procedures, and logistics.
• Implement a culture of performance management and coaching to ensure staff are managed effectively and held accountable for high performance. Provide ongoing, timely, and direct feedback about performance.
• Assess and support staff in their professional development, including leadership and project management skills; research and create training and development opportunities for staff.
• Train members, staff, volunteers, Board, and youth leaders in fundraising operations and metrics.

GENERAL DUTIES

• Additional duties as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Strong work ethic with an enthusiasm for and demonstrated commitment to CYCs mission and values, including a love for working with the current and former foster youth and seeing them as the catalyst for change.
• Collaborative, team-oriented leader who is dedicated to advancing racial and economic justice.
• Excellent project and time management skills (managing deadlines and workflows, delegating, managing and motivating a team, and creating processes) with the ability to thrive in an environment with a variety of projects and assignments that require attention to detail.
• A deep understanding of community organizing as a distinct method of social change.
• Ability to develop trusting relationships with individuals from diverse lived experiences.
• Excellent individual and group communication skills (written and verbal); ability to apply these skills across a range of relationships and environments, including with youth and young adult program participants, co-workers, and other colleagues in the field.
• Excellent judgement and sound decision-making skills with the ability to apply creative and critical thinking to improve existing programming.
• Proactive, gets joy from seeing results, and a curiosity and love of continuous learning.
• Exercises discretion and independent judgment in performing duties.
• Values and fosters healthy interpersonal workplace relationships.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, Gmail, Google Docs and Calendar, database programs, and other online information management.
• Ability to travel on a flexible, as-needed basis, approximately 10 percent of the time, to build relationships with prospects and funders.
• Understanding of and ability to collaborate across multiple systems within the various teams of the organization.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelors Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in a related field; MBA and/or other finance-related degrees and fundraising certification(s) preferred.
• At least five to ten years of nonprofit fundraising, business development, marketing, community organizing, or partnership experience.
• Proven record of accomplishment of securing new major donor pledges and gifts by using creative, customized donor-centered strategies.
• Previous relevant experience coaching, motivating, and giving feedback is preferred.
• Experience partnering with youth leaders to raise funds for youth movements is preferred.
• Working knowledge of fundraising outside of traditional methodologies.

CALIFORNIA YOUTH CONNECTION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act and, if applicable, Los Angeless Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

CYC encourages all applicants to apply and seeks to hire qualified staff who reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, geography, socioeconomic status, and other unique attributes that make us who we are.

remote work