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Director of Development

Spirit of America seeks a Director of Development with experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding lead donors to expand the organization’s base of donors and prospects. The position reports to the Chief Marketing Officer. The Director of Development manages a portfolio of individual, corporate and foundation prospects, the creation of compelling institutional fundraising proposals for program, endowment, and unrestricted support. This is a team management and fundraising leadership role for someone with a strong interest in national security, military affairs, foreign policy, humanitarian relief, and a deep commitment to the safety and success of America’s troops and diplomats. The position entails building new, as well as maintaining existing, relationships with foundations and high net worth individuals.  The Director of Development will supervise the donor stewardship, research, and development operations functions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Lead the development team responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive development program including cultivation, solicitation and stewardship programming.
  • Assume a portfolio of 75-100 leadership donors and meet annual revenue goals.
  • Identify, cultivate, and solicit gifts from major individual, corporate and foundation prospects. 
  • Prepare and implement written strategies for portfolio prospects and utilize effective tracking/monitoring processes.
  • Ensure timely and engaging communications with donors and prospects that compliment overall communication efforts
  • Design, document, and implement a systematic and integrated donor relations program that encompasses donor recognition events, endowed position installations, and innovative opportunities for recognition and stewardship.
  • Act as a spokesperson at public speaking events to include check presentations, outside events, informational talks. 
  • Utilize prospect tracking system to record moves, asks, and outcomes including trip reports, rating/staffing changes and gift agreements.
  • Travel approximately 35% of time and complete 75-100 personal face-to-face visits.
  • Responsible for overseeing all functions of donor database management.
  • Participate in the planning and design of organizational initiatives and policies.
  • Participate in the planning and design of cultivation and stewardship events including high level dinners, cocktail receptions, and other functions.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality as outlined in Spirit of America’s Policy on Confidentiality of Constituent Information.

Qualifications:

  • Excellent organizational and communication skills. Special emphasis placed on detail, accuracy, and ability to speak and write with confidence, persuasiveness, enthusiasm, and commitment.
  • Demonstrated ability to work easily and effectively with a wide range of people, including corporate executives, foundation leaders, volunteers, media, staff, and board-level individuals.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and proven management ability.
  • Ability to move prospects through the development process – from cultivation to solicitation and closure.
  • Excellent social skills, with large groups as well as with individuals, are required.
  • Proven skills and ability to manage multi-phase projects from inception to completion, including the ability to build consensus among team members and balance multiple concurrent priorities.
  • Detail oriented, well organized, focused and goal-oriented, with a high level of initiative and energy, is essential, as well as adept at problem solving and using judgment in situations requiring independent initiative and tact.
  • Strong writing and editing skills that include technical as well as persuasive writing mediums.

Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree required with a minimum of 7-10 years of experience, in development, stewardship, and advancement services in a mission-driven organization or institution.
  • Previous experience interacting with donors as a front-line fundraiser.
  • Demonstrated success in activities to coordinate, attract, and close major gift funding support for a university or other large non-profit organization, including face-to-face solicitation of gifts of $1,000,000 or more. 
  • Demonstrated success in gift planning and the ability to plan and execute annual and capital fundraising programs.
  • Experience managing other members in a development department focused on stewardship, research and/or operations.

Spirit of America

Spirit of America is a nonprofit citizen service organization founded in response to the attacks of 9/11. Our mission is to engage citizens in preserving the promise of a free and better life. We do this by working alongside troops and diplomats to support their safety and success, promoting values shared by Americans and our allies, strengthening relationships with allies, friends, and partners, and demonstrating that the United States is a friend to all who seek a better life. We are officially approved by Congress and the Department of Defense to work alongside deployed US troops and provide private assistance in support of their missions.

Spirit of America helps our troops and diplomats build trust and goodwill, prevent conflict, and strengthen America’s security. Our work saves and improves lives. In the world’s toughest places, people experience the best of who Americans are and what we stand for.

Spirit of America offers a competitive salary and compensation package. The position is in Arlington, Virginia. To work at Spirit of America, you must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

www.spiritofamerica.org

Spirit of America is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally-recognized basis, including, but not limited to: veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age (40 and over), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics) or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law. Our commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee, including supervisors and co-workers.

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