Director of Development

NOTE: THIS IS A VIRTUAL POSITION THAT CAN WORK FROM ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. NYC OR DC HOME BASE IS PREFERRED.

Imagine Worldwide exists to demonstrate that children with learner-centered, tech-enabled solutions in their hands can become literate and numerate, driving their own instruction. More than 264 million children and youth worldwide do not have access to school. And hundreds of millions more children go to school but never learn to read or do math. Our purpose is to work with schools and communities worldwide to address these seemingly intractable problems.

We work hand-in-hand with community-based partners and schools in Africa and Southeast Asia to provide children with research-based learning solutions on a portable tablet. Our model does not require connectivity, a power grid, or a trained teacher; learning is delivered autonomously with adults as coaches and mentors. To date, our learning solutions have served more than 12,000 students across Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, and the USA, with plans to expand into Burkina Faso and Senegal in 2022. We are positioned to scale significantly to reach millions of children.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

At an exciting time of growth, Imagine Worldwide seeks a Director of Development to lead a comprehensive fundraising effort. In close partnership with a highly engaged CEO and board, this position will build upon our strong financial footing and base of individual and institutional funders – including the Omidyar Network, Valhalla Charitable Foundation, and Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation – to secure the support needed to scale and replicate our program worldwide. Joining a close-knit international team that operates with a fierce sense of urgency and mission, this position will make a significant impact on Imagine’s ability to serve millions of children across the globe. This position reports to the CEO.

Specifically, the Director of Development will:

• Work in close partnership with the CEO, design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that drives growth and sustainability, with a goal to raise $12-15M in renewals and new gifts between 2022-2024.
• Maintain and grow a portfolio of existing major foundation and individual funders, leveraging the CEO and board in donor stewardship and retention. Take ownership of developing donor-specific strategies, meeting preparation and follow-up.
• Lead the research, qualification, and management of a robust pipeline of new donor prospects. Perform due diligence, conduct outreach, and design cultivation tactics that reflect an understanding of the prospect’s interests and fit with Imagine Worldwide.
• Serve as “chief grant writer,” taking ownership of letters of inquiry, proposals, renewals, and reports, and tightly manage a fundraising calendar to ensure the team is working against a defined timeline and assigned tasks.
• Maintain a stewardship calendar to ensure all donors and partners are engaged, kept updated and feel valued.
• With support from a graphic designer, develop written and visual content in the forms of donor communications, pitch decks, e-newsletters, social media content, and website updates.
• Leverage Imagine’s proprietary research and data, impact stories, and insights on the broader field (e.g. EdTech, autonomous learning, international education, innovation in education) in all communications.
• Design and implement consistent processes for donor data and moves management tracking, pipeline management, and reporting.
• With support from the operations team, maintain and optimize existing technology systems, including a CRM database (Pipedrive), project management tool (Asana), and Google Suite.
• Envision and pursue creative ways to engage and educate a broader set of individual major donors through greater exposure to our program, such as donor trips, sponsoring an entire community of learners, etc.
• Become a knowledgeable ambassador for Imagine Worldwide with an understanding of the context, trends, and key players in the broader international and tech-enabled education field.

WHO YOU ARE

• A well-aligned match with Imagine Worldwide’s mission and values. You are excited to scale a tech-enabled global solution to help children build literacy and numeracy skills. You thrive in a multicultural organization that values equity, humility, respect, flexibility, tenacity, collaboration, urgency and accountability, and above all, putting kids first.
• A versatile and well-rounded fund development professional. You bring at least 7 years of work experience in fundraising, with a track record of prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding institutional and individual supporters. You enjoy both the behind-the-scenes and donor-facing aspects of fundraising.
• An exceptional writer, storyteller, and communicator. You are skilled in analyzing, breaking down, and communicating complex ideas in ways that inspire others to action. You create high-quality and compelling materials that clearly articulate the “why” behind an organization’s mission and impact. Extensive grant writing/reporting and collateral production experience is required; experience in digital marketing is a plus.
• A “big picture” thinker with the ability to implement tactically. You approach challenges and opportunities through an analytical lens and take a hands-on approach to translating strategy into tangible activities and goals. You integrate fundraising best practices and data-driven decision making with new thinking and approaches
• A thoughtful relationship builder who develops rapport easily and fosters long-term connections. You have a warm, energetic, and authentic personality that translates to building lasting relationships with a range of personalities. You are a natural networker with the ability to deepen existing relationships and develop new ones.
• A tech-savvy and highly-organized project manager. You are experienced in leading multiple projects with tight deadlines. You are skilled at building processes and systems, and strategically use limited resources to create the biggest impact. You are proficient in donor relationship management and utilize technology to track data for the full donor lifecycle.
• An action-oriented, resourceful, and collaborative team member. You thrive in a lean nonprofit setting with the ability to stay focused and nimble in the face of growth and change. You possess a “get it done” attitude, with the ability to drive innovation, solve problems, and maintain a high degree of flexibility and creativity in a dynamic environment.
• An authentic personality who leads with humility and cultural awareness. You work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. You carry yourself with the same dignity and positivity you provide others. You resonate with Imagine Worldwide’s approach to work respectfully with international partners and communities.

The following experiences and skills are nice to have, but not required:

• Personal connection to countries where Imagine Worldwide works
• Experience fundraising for international education and/or global development nonprofits, including working with a global team
• Experience and/or knowledge of bilateral and multilateral aid
• Experience fundraising in Europe and Middle East

JOB LOCATION AND COMPENSATION

Imagine Worldwide is a virtual organization. This hire can work from anywhere in the United States, with a preference for a home base in New York City or the Washington, D.C. area. Salary range is $125,000 - $140,000 plus a robust benefits package.