National Development Director (SS)

Location: San Francisco Bay Area or New York City

What if we lived in a world in which young people, regardless of circumstances, have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and lead their families and communities to thrive?

Through a combination of year-round mentoring and transformative summer experiences , Summer Search aims to unleash the potential of young people while also building a toolkit for navigating and challenging systemic barriers to higher education and career opportunities.

Since our founding in 1990, Summer Search has reached more than 7,000 young people and currently serves more than 3,600 high school and college students in five regions across the country – San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Our alumni are three times more likely to graduate with a 4-year degree than their peers and become the kind of leaders our country needs -- civic leaders, advocates, industry leaders, teachers, mothers and fathers. Their collective leadership ripples out into the community and future generations and contributes to a more equitable society.

THE OPPORTUNITY

In support of a new strategic plan, organizational growth, and an ambitious fundraising goal, Summer Search is seeking a National Development Manager. This hire will work hand-in-hand with the Vice President (VP) of Development to track revenue goals, lead team meetings, ensure development materials are up to date, interface with donors and prospects, and serve as a liaison to the national Board of Directors. This is a great opportunity for an emerging development leader to gain a front-row seat to all aspects of fund development at a national, multi-site organization.

Specifically, the Development Manager will:

Manage and coordinate the smooth execution of major donor fundraising

• Oversee the short- and long-term tracking towards the $5.3M central revenue target. This entails managing the master development calendar of major donor activity, prepping and leading weekly development team meetings, and reporting out on goal progress to key stakeholders.
• Create and/or optimize systems for tracking revenue and donor touchpoints, keeping a holistic view on all team deadlines and deliverables. Manage up/down/across to ensure key players meet deadlines.
• Work hand-in-hand with the VP of Development and provide high-touch back-end support on all donor activity. Author proposals, letters of inquiry, thank you notes, stewardship/impact reports and other donor correspondence on the VP’s behalf.
• Support the qualification of major donor prospects and conduct background research to help identify interests. Track donors and prospects in a moves management system maintained in Raiser’s Edge.
• Work with development, program, and marketing staff to create templates for proposals, reports, and other donor-facing materials. Maintain materials to ensure they are up-to-date and error-free.
• Synthesize external research and internal updates, publications, and other materials that can be shared to educate and inform staff, donors, and board.
• Take on special assignments and projects at the discretion of the Vice President of Development.

Serve as a helpful and highly visible liaison to the national Board of Directors

• Work directly with VP of Development and Chief Executive Officer to support the stewardship and engagement of the National Board of Directors. Interface directly with Board Members and serve as proxy to Vice President of Development as needed.
• In partnership with the VP of Development, coordinate the board development committee and nominating committee, inclusive of meeting preparation, note taking, and creating committee reports for the full board meetings.
• Facilitate new board member onboarding, inclusive of coordinating communications with new Board members and entire Board, executive administrative tasks to ensure smooth onboarding.
• In collaboration with the Executive Assistant, ensure that the board receives regular communications and engagement opportunities that help increase their involvement in the organization.

WHO YOU ARE

The Development Manager position calls for:

• A motivated and self-led professional with at least 3 years of professional experience in fund development or a transferable field (e.g., client services, relational sales). You have experience in providing high-touch support and engaging executives, board members, donors, and/or comparable stakeholders. Experience partnering with and supporting staff at a national multi-site nonprofit is a plus.
• An excellent task and project manager, with a strong sense of follow-through. You succeed at managing multiple workstreams and motivating, coordinating, and directing others to stay on track. You are comfortable delegating and “managing up/down/across” the organization.
• A flexible and well-organized team player. You are comfortable with ambiguity and can succeed in a highly entrepreneurial and fast-paced environment. You possess strong attention to detail and capacity to balance competing priorities.
• A thoughtful communicator and relationship builder who operates with a high degree of tact and professionalism. You approach all interactions with a warm, energetic, and authentic personality. You interact diplomatically with staff, board members, donors, and other external stakeholders. You convey ideas clearly and concisely in writing and in-person interactions.
• A tech-savvy development operations expert. You understand the technical aspects of fund development, including donor qualification, portfolio management, and moves management. You bring competency in CRM databases (Raiser’s Edge preferred) and Microsoft Office applications, with strong proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. SharePoint and email marketing tools experience is a plus.
• A passionate advocate who is committed to Summer Search’s mission and values. You believe that students have innate potential, and that through relationships and experiences, students can fully realize their potential. You thrive in an organization that values authenticity, gratitude, relationships, well-being, and a commitment to social emotional learning and personal growth.
• A catalyst for equity, diversity, and inclusion. You possess cultural sensitivity and humility, with an understanding of systemic and institutionalized racism facing communities of color. You actively work to ensure that Summer Search’s equity, diversity, and inclusion principles are infused into daily work practices.

WORK LOCATION

This position may work out of the Summer Search national office in the San Francisco Bay Area or Summer Search New York City office in Lower Manhattan.

OUR BENEFITS

We are committed to staff learning, growth, and development. Our investment includes:

• Competitive salaries. The salary for this position is $74,000 - $84,000.
• Medical insurance with up to 90% employer contribution.
• Dental, vision, FSA, life, and disability insurance plans.
• 401 (K) and Employer Match up to $2,000 annually.
• Generous time off including 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, and 18 holidays (3 floating holidays of your choice, a birthday day-off, 10 company-wide holidays, and a 1-week December closure).
• Individual, local, regional, and national training, plus a $200 professional development stipend for external training.
• A commitment to developing leaders from within the organization.
• An organizational culture that supports staff well-being and holistic self-care/community care.
• Ample opportunities to connect with the students and communities we serve.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

With a staff that cares deeply about social justice and racial justice, we believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds create a rich work environment and enhance our ability to pursue our mission. We are committed to building an organization with raised consciousness in order to impact how we work with students, as well as how we work together as a team.

We hope you will join us as we continue to build a justice-centered organization that fosters a work environment where all people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued.

HOW TO APPLY

Click here to submit a resume and targeted cover letter that answers the question, "What excites you about Summer Search and the Development Manager opportunity?" Please address your cover letter to Megan Sussman, Vice President of Development.