Development Director

Position Summary

Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) is seeking a Development Director to lead all aspects of the organization’s development process, including planning, corporate sponsorships, individual giving, donor and partner communications, stewardship, and creating sustainable fundraising policies, processes, and systems. The Director will be tasked with strategizing how to diversify and maximize support for our annual ROMBA conference and our portfolio of year-round mission-based programming that includes a Fellowship, Out Women in Business, and an Alumni Network.

The organization is looking for a rising leader who is creative, passionate, and is capable of setting a big-picture vision and suggesting innovations to operations and programming but isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves. The successful candidate will work tirelessly to find and foster that unique win-win relationship with each partner and identify key stakeholders to champion the cause within organizations.

About Reaching Out MBA

Reaching Out MBA is a national organization committed to increasing the influence of the LGBT+ community in business by educating, inspiring, and connecting MBA students and alumni.

For over 20 years, Reaching Out has grown to include a range of programming that educates, inspires, and connects an increasingly diverse LGBT+ MBA community. Among the organization’s many strengths is the unique perspective it develops through the intersectionality of underrepresented and historically excluded identities.

Reaching Out MBA strives to reflect diversity in thought and representation and provide inclusive environments welcome to everyone. The organization centers recruitment of speakers representing all types of diversity, amplifying underrepresented voices in its programming, and transparency of its efforts to and progress toward its inclusion and diversity goals.

The organization hosts the world’s largest gathering of LGBT+ business students and alumni—ROMBA conference—which includes panels, workshops, receptions, and a career fair with 100 corporate partners across industries recruiting LGBT+ MBA talent. Typically, the fall ROMBA Conference draws as many as 2,000+ in-person participants. However, in response to the current climate of COVID, the conference will be entirely virtual in 2021.

Also among Reaching Out’s notable programs and events are the Out Women in Business Conference (OWIB) to connect a future generation of women in business and its Fellowship program, a joint effort between prominent business school programs and Reaching Out, aimed at developing the out LGBT+ and active ally business leaders of tomorrow.

Reporting Relationships

The Development Director reports to the Atlanta-based Executive Director and currently has no supervisory responsibilities.

Essential Job Functions

The Development Director role requires a “roll up your sleeves” approach and keen attention to detail. Superior relationship building, donor stewardship, and corporate partnership development are key to the success of the Development Director. The following outlines the core responsibilities of the role:

Fundraising Management

• Establish annual and long-term internal revenue benchmarks that are realistic yet ambitious, with scheduled milestones to assess and share progress with key stakeholders
• Partner with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to identify new giving opportunities that add incremental value for individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations
• Leverage our fundraising database to identify opportunities to improve development efforts and build out the pipeline of potential partners and donors
• Track internal KPIs for the development program across existing and potential funding sources. Ensure their adoption for organizational decision-making
• Manage the organization’s accounts receivables and invoicing for corporate and school partnerships
• Manage partnership logistics for Reaching Out events, including booth placement, registration, and speaking opportunities

Tactical Execution

• In collaboration with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, research, identify, and solicit new partnership opportunities with corporations, individuals, community organizations, and other relevant entities
• Manage and deepen relationships with our existing portfolio of ~100 corporations using a proactive, service-oriented model that aligns our programming to their interests in mutually beneficial partnerships
• Strategically incorporate Reaching Out’s alumni network into development efforts, cultivating prospective alumni donors for individual annual contributions
• Enhance, expand, and manage an individual major gifts program with a particular focus on alumni engagement
• Provide ongoing support and coordination of the Board of Directors’ fundraising activities
• Explore foundation and grant funding opportunities, as applicable to current and planned programming, and manage the proposal process for appropriate funding opportunities

Indirect Responsibilities

• Through networking and research, be a thought leader on industry best practices, trends, and opportunities across all aspects of development
• Understand current issues and concerns in the LGBT+ community to align programs and partnerships with current needs on campus, in the workplace, and abroad
• Provide editorial direction and content for external communications, including social media, solicitation materials, and other collateral
• Identify opportunities in LGBT+ business and education communities for Reaching Out representatives to attend and/or speak
• Assist with ad hoc organizational and program-related tasks as needed

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.

Experience

Five or more years in development/fundraising, including successful management and cultivation of corporate partnerships (required) and successful planning and implementation of individual giving programs (preferred). Additional experience with building foundation relationships is a plus.

Skills

• Works effectively as part of a team but is confident in making decisions and driving projects independently.
• Exceptional communicator and relationship builder, able to tailor messages to priorities and interests of diverse audiences.
• Organized, with strong attention to detail.
• Creative and flexible at finding solutions.
• Flexibility to travel for events or donor meetings as needed.
• Familiarity with development databases and donor communication tools is a must.
• Raiser’s Edge NXT experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with QuickBooks Online is a plus.

Strong personal commitment to issues of equality and empowerment. While direct knowledge and experience in an LGBT+ mission area are not required, the ideal candidate will be passionate about mobilizing people and resources to educate, inspire and connect the LGBTQ MBA community.

Compensation + Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $100,000-$115,000 with a bonus up to 10% at fiscal year-end (June 30).

Reaching Out MBA offers a competitive salary and benefits commensurate with experience and skills. Reaching Out MBA is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates that identify as any gender and any sexual orientation.

A competitive benefits package is provided, including:

• Competitive compensation and annual bonus
• Health and Dental coverage
• 403(b) retirement plan with an organization match up to 3%
• Individual professional development and training budget

As a reflection of our firm’s commitment to equity and equal pay for all, it is Cooper Coleman’s requirement that salary ranges or salary starting points be published for every search we conduct. The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender and racial wage gap and discriminates against women, people of color, and other historically excluded populations by causing individuals to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.

Location

This is a remote position. The successful candidate may reside anywhere in the United States and is expected to work from home and travel as needed.

Travel

During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel will be minimal. In the future, however, great travel opportunities will resume with approximately ten trips per year.

Background Checks

Before sending your resume for this position, please read it over for accuracy. Cooper Coleman verifies its candidates' employment and academic credentials at the time of offer, and our clients frequently conduct background checks before finalizing an offer.

EEO + Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Reaching Out MBA is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates that identify as any gender and any sexual orientation.

We are a community of LGBT+ MBAs and other professionals with ever-growing diversity in sexual orientations, gender identities, and races and ethnicities. One of our strengths is the unique perspective we bring through the intersectionality of our identities across underrepresented groups.

To create a more equitable business community, we strive to reflect diversity in thought and representation and provide inclusive environments where everyone feels welcome.

We recruit a Board of Directors, student organizers, and speakers who are diverse across gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, and industry experience.

We amplify underrepresented voices in our programming.

We are transparent about how we’re doing in achieving our diversity and inclusion goals.

Current metrics and our goals on diversity, equity, and inclusion for July 2022 and July 2025 can be found at https://reachingoutmba.org/diversity-equity-inclusion/. 

Submission Instructions (read carefully)

 The position is open until filled. Cooper Coleman is leading this search on behalf of Reaching Out MBA. To apply, please visit this link (www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches). Inquiries and nominations of qualified candidates can be sent to:

Johnny Cooper, Principal

johnny@coopercoleman.com 

Kindly use the position title as the subject line of your email. All inquiries will be held in confidence. 

A cover letter is not required with your initial application. Candidates invited for interviews will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of interest indicating their specific qualifications for the opportunity, desire to join Reaching Out MBA, and connection to its mission.

 Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the successful candidate has been selected.

Cooper Coleman LLC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or identity, age, ability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.