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26 Oct 2022

Full-Time Director, Philanthropic Acceleration

DEPLOY/US – Posted by [email protected] Anywhere

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Job Description

Director, Philanthropic Acceleration 

Between 2020 and 2050, America will be governed by fifteen Congresses and at least four Presidents. Sustained periods of one-party rule are extremely unlikely. Bipartisan leadership on climate change is essential. 

DEPLOY/US is the only organization in the country focused on building the capacities, amplifying the voices, and scaling the impact of the entire field of organizations engaging right-of-center constituencies on climate change, as a crucial foundation for bipartisan breakthroughs. 

We seek a Director, Philanthropic Acceleration to join our exceptional, politically diverse team. 

The Director, Philanthropic Acceleration will build and lead a fund development strategy encompassing major gifts, venture philanthropy, and foundation investments that will catalyze the next level of DEPLOY/US’ ambitious work accelerating climate leadership across the political spectrum. Because DEPLOY/US’ strategy includes grantmaking to an entire field of nonprofits, rapidly growing our revenue is critical to DEPLOY/US’ success. This position is our team’s first professional fundraising role. Fundraisers who excel at both strategy and execution should apply. 

DEPLOY/US hires talented experts who are passionate about our unique mission and strategy, embrace being part of a politically diverse team, and are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the sometimes mundane tasks that are necessary within a nimble, early-stage organization. 

The Position 

The DEPLOY/US Director, Philanthropic Acceleration will serve as a strategist and expert operator. With substantial and growing investments from both high-net-worth individuals and leading private foundations, DEPLOY/US is at an exciting moment and is ready to accelerate its fundraising success. Our unique strategy to build durable, bipartisan support for US climate leadership is urgently needed, our work is rapidly gaining in traction and support, and a jump to the next level of funding and impact is within reach. Assessing and prioritizing the prospects for the next level of investment, then building and implementing the system to secure those investments is at the heart of this position. 

Responsibilities 

In this highly collaborative position, the Director, Philanthropic Acceleration will serve as both strategist and tactician across the breadth of DEPLOY/US’ fundraising initiatives, working closely with the CEO, senior leadership team, development associate, and others, as appropriate. The Director, Philanthropic Acceleration will ensure that DEPLOY/US’ community of funders is effectively identified, secured, and stewarded to power growth in the scale of our operations and the velocity of our work. As DEPLOY/US nears $6 million in annual fundraising, the Director, Philanthropic Acceleration will build the system and support the processes that will secure multiples of that level of investment. Note that the vast majority of funds DEPLOY/US raises are granted to the field. 

The Director, Philanthropic Acceleration’s responsibilities will be strategic, analytical, and tactical. They will likely include the following, though may shift based on emerging opportunities and learning: 

  • Assess past, current, and future funding opportunities, and build an implementation plan for pursuing and successfully closing six, seven, and eight figure gifts. 
  • Ensure all donors are respectfully and effectively stewarded, appreciating early investors in DEPLOY/US’ mission and recognizing that sustaining and growing relationships of support depends upon follow through and ability to meet commitments. 
  • Work with the CEO and leadership team to cultivate a sense of community and engagement among DEPLOY/US’ funders through the DEPLOY Dialogues and new initiatives in which supporters can engage and learn about effective decarbonization strategies, high-leverage philanthropic opportunities, etc. 
  • Identify and build the tools that position DEPLOY/US for next-generation fundraising success, recognizing both the importance of sophisticated data and technology as well as the centrality of human relationships to philanthropic success. 
  • Act as a player/coach in determining when to best employ the CEO, Vice President, Programs, Special Advisor, board members, and others in identifying prospective funders, engaging individuals and foundations, and securing a contribution where appropriate. 
  • Serve as a trainer and mentor to members of the Board of Directors and other supporters working to engage their networks to build funding support for DEPLOY/US’ work. 
  • Care for every detail and complete every task needed to produce inspiring written materials, donor briefs, leadership talking points, and sincere acknowledgements and substantive reports that demonstrate DEPLOY/US’ as an organization worthy of sustained and increasing investment. 
  • Employ Raiser’s Edge to effectively create the campaigns and demonstrate the sophisticated moves management that advances DEPLOY/US’ next level of funding. 
  • Develop and track clear metrics to measure the overall success of fundraising efforts and individual campaigns.
  • Partner with the CEO, Vice President of Finance, and Development Associate to regularly produce and update revenue projections for DEPLOY/US and philanthropic trends overall. 
  • Produce understandable and actionable reports, as well as frequent communications, for leadership that enable DEPLOY/US to not only build long-term systems, but nimbly pivot when opportunities arise. 
  • Work with the CEO, senior leadership team, Development Associate and other relevant team members to frame and test hypotheses, monitor progress, and capture and apply learning. 

Qualities and Qualifications 

To build and lead a fund development strategy, the candidate must fundamentally understand and embrace DEPLOY/US’ bipartisan decarbonization mission, and its primary implementation strategy to build the capacity and impact of the entire ecosystem of civic enterprises and leaders working right-of-center on climate change. We welcome candidates from diverse political backgrounds and perspectives who may have gained relevant fundraising experience in a systems change, climate-focused, faith-based, or other nonprofit organization, as well as those who have raised funds for a startup or investment company. We anticipate receiving applications from candidates with substantial career experience who are drawn to this position because of DEPLOY/US’ mission and unique strategy and opportunity, as well as from exceptional candidates earlier in their careers. 

Candidates ideally will demonstrate most if not all of the following credentials: 

  • An authentic commitment to DEPLOY/US’ unique mission and strategy, ideally with an understanding of climate change policy and the value of right-of-center engagement. 
  • Seven years or more of progressive fundraising experience as a Director of Development, Director of Strategic Partnerships, or Director of Major Gifts. 
  • Demonstrated success in assessing funding pipelines and prospects and crafting individual and campaign-wide strategies. 
  • Past success in working with an engaged Board of Directors to leverage their networks, communicate the mission, and successfully support donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. 
  • Facility using Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT or a similar sophisticated platform in all aspects of moves management. 
  • Outstanding written and oral communications to represent DEPLOY/US’ unique mission with sophisticated, thoughtful donors. 
  • Proven experience securing or directly supporting six and seven-figure gifts for an early stage, rapidly evolving initiative, movement, or organization is ideal, but not required. 
  • Experience in securing funding for systems-change and/or field-building work is helpful, but not required. 
  • Previous experience working with a dispersed team, in a virtual environment, and mentoring exceptional early career talent will be helpful. 

Strong candidates will also have the following qualities: 

  • Exceptional personal integrity, a strong work ethic, a commitment to continuous learning, with a self-improvement and servant leadership orientation. 
  • Strong strategic and systems thinking, combined with an entrepreneurial mindset and a get-it-done attitude. 
  • Scrupulous attention to detail while also recognizing that creativity and flexibility are essential for long term success. 
  • Credibility, enthusiasm, and innovation for the DEPLOY/US strategy as it enters its next level of fundraising, while remaining true to its lean, agile roots. 
  • Outstanding interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence to engage with individuals and teams representing a broad range of backgrounds, philosophies, and giving potential. 
  • Enthusiasm and learning orientation for the stewardship necessary to bring potential donors from an understanding of a new and unique initiative to an investment. 
  • Flexibility in thinking and enthusiasm for learning and adapting quickly as circumstances require or data suggests. 
  • Preference for tangible success over theoretical process, notwithstanding the need for system building. 
  • Ability to work well under pressure, embrace ambiguity, and concurrently manage a wide range of responsibilities. 
  • Supreme reliability with a say-to-do ratio approaching 100%; willing to sweep the floors if that is what needs to be done. 
  • Willing and able to occasionally travel within the United States. 
  • Must be eligible to work in the United States. 

Compensation 

DEPLOY/US offers a very competitive total compensation package from generous salary (range available for serious candidate inquiries) to extensive benefits and generous PTO. Benefits include flextime, 401k with a 4% match, a wellness stipend, and more. DEPLOY/US operates remotely with team members working from home. 

How to Apply

  • To Apply: Submit a thoughtful cover letter, detailing your interest in DEPLOY/US’ mission and strategy, your experience in roles requiring both high-level strategic leadership and hands-on tasks, and your demonstrated past success in a rapidly scaling organization or field. Title your cover letter and resume with your last name (e.g., “Smith cover letter.pdf” and “Smith resume.pdf”). Submit your cover letter and resume (pdf files only) to our search consultant, Carolyn O’Brien Consulting, LLC at [email protected]. Candidate nominations are also welcome.
  • DEPLOY/US is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes candidates regardless of age, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, medical history, and other non-merit characteristics. 

Job Categories: Climate Change. Job Types: Full-Time.

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