Development Director, Education Policy / Teacher Quality

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is currently seeking a Development Director to lead our fundraising and development activities. This is a perfect opportunity for someone who is persistent by nature, and who views development work as a race to win and a puzzle of human dynamics to solve. 

A successful applicant must enjoy building relationships, have a strong foundational knowledge in education policy, write persuasively, be organized to a fault, and believe strongly in the work of our organization. Practical development experience is not nearly as important as possessing these personal attributes all of which make for a great fundraiser. This is a great opportunity not only for someone who has made development work a career, but also for someone who wants to gain the essential skills necessary to one day lead a nonprofit organization. 

Organization Description

NCTQ believes every child deserves effective teachers and every teacher deserves the opportunity to be effective. We’re placing two big bets on the smartest, surest path to get there: 1) improving teacher preparation, and 2) improving teacher policies and practices to support the recruitment, development, and retention of effective teachers. 

We are a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research and policy organization deeply committed to strengthening and diversifying the teaching profession. As an equal opportunity employer, we seek to hire staff that bring diverse perspectives and experiences. Our work is dynamic and fast-paced, and our staff is passionate. This position is 100% remote -- just like the entire NCTQ office.

Job Summary

Working directly with the President, the Development Director will have primary responsibility for helping design and then implementing a comprehensive fundraising plan to grow a $4M annual budget through the solicitation of philanthropic and individual support. S/he will expand and diversify NCTQ's donor base/pipeline and work closely with other team members to secure funding for new initiatives. It is expected that the amount raised by NCTQ will increase in future years as the Development Director systematically and effectively strengthens the organization's overall fundraising capacity.

The Development Director will serve as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting NCTQ. The successful candidate will help forge new relationships to build NCTQ's visibility, impact, and financial resources.

Core Responsibilities

• Actively work with the President and senior staff to develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy to include foundation grants and major gifts from high net worth individuals
• Collaborate with the leadership team to develop and implement NCTQ's financial strategy
• Have primary responsibility for development and execution of all proposals; write and archive all proposals with a long-term relationship-management approach
• Oversee research on funding sources and trends, with foresight, to help position NCTQ ahead of major funding changes or trends
• Develop and implement a stewardship program aimed at cultivating deeper ties with donors
• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program
• Provide oversight to the Development Associate

Attributes

Dogged persistence Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail A ‘people’ person A real competitive streak  Views rejection as only a temporary setback, without taking it personally 

Skills

5+ years of professional experience in education policy Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of stakeholders  Bachelor's degree  Previous experience in development work will be a major plus, but not a requisite 

Salary

We offer competitive compensation commensurate with experience and an attractive benefits package including a full health care coverage, paid vacation, and retirement matching contribution policy. 

Our remote work environment is bolstered by virtual and in-person opportunities to connect (pandemic permitting). We hold bi-weekly staff meetings, monthly happy hours, quarterly social outings, and semi-annual in-person retreats to keep our team connected and thriving. We offer stipends to assist with office supplies and cell/internet expenses.

Apply Now!

To apply, please submit the following materials to jobs@nctq.org with the subject line Development Director by April 15, 2021. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Materials to Submit:

Resume (titled: LASTNAMEresume)

Writing prompt (titled: LASTNAMEcover)

Writing prompt instructions:  In lieu of a traditional cover letter, please choose three of these four questions to answer:

What makes you a strong applicant for this position? (150-250 words) Using examples from your own life, convince us that you are a persistent person. (150-250 words) In the job description above, we refer to development work as a “puzzle of human dynamics to solve.”  What do you think that means?  Why do you think you would be good at solving that puzzle?  (100-200 words) Using examples from your own life, convince us that you are a competitive person--whether you compete with others or yourself. (150-250 words)