Development Director

Oil Change International (OCI) seeks an experienced, collaborative, social justice-driven Development Director to drive its fundraising to the next level. The climate crisis is here, and the time is now to fight hard against the fossil fuel industry. You can contribute by applying your passion and fundraising skills to this fight! Help power our campaigns and research by diversifying and increasing our funding base to meet the urgency of the moment. 

The Development Director will work in partnership across the organization to secure funding to grow, diversify, and sustain the revenue base. This new position reflects our commitment to strategic fundraising as well as the urgency of leveraging global concern and action about climate change to expand our capacity and impact. Approximately 40% of the Development Director’s time will be focused on major donor and online fundraising strategy and implementation, 35% on strategy development, team management responsibilities, and organizational leadership, and 25% on foundation fundraising strategy coordination.

This new position represents an ideal opportunity for a development professional who seeks to marry their commitment to social justice and environmental protection with their fundraising expertise and success to grow a diversified, sustainable development program. OCI is financially secure: we have long-term relationships with foundation partners, a growing number of donors, a financial reserve, and Board participation in fundraising. 

The Development Director will create and successfully implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports the strategic and financial growth of the organization. They will collaborate with organizational leadership, Board members, communications team, and program staff to ensure the fundraising strategy is consistent with the organizational priorities, needs, and messaging. The Development Director will coordinate with other staff and supervise an initial team of two part-time members to meet or exceed revenue goals. The Development Director serves on the Senior Leadership Team and reports directly to the Chief of Staff.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead in the development and execution of a robust organizational fundraising strategy (15%)

In close coordination with the Senior Leadership Team and other colleagues, facilitate a process to formulate and help execute an organizational fundraising strategy each year. This includes coordinating fundraising activities across the organization and focusing on three main sources: major donors, online fundraising, and foundations.  With fundraising and associated team members, collectively establish priorities with regular planning, coordination calls, clear work plans, and measurable objectives. Align strategies and work plans with organizational priorities while ensuring a sustainable workload for both individuals and the team as a whole. 

Provide vision for and execute plan to grow major donor and individual donor fundraising (40%)

Develop a strategy and work plan, working with senior leadership, appropriate communications and operations team members, and the Board fundraising committee, for scaling up major donor efforts, including outreach, cultivation, and increased number and size of donations. Drive the implementation of the major donor strategy, including engaging in direct cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, while creating the system to coach, engage, and support staff, Board members, and the Board Fundraising Committee in appropriate ways. Working with relevant team members, develop annual fundraising goals, strategies, and timelines to grow our online and individual fundraising base, including developing offline engagement strategies and supporting the development of materials.  Identify opportunities for and then execute major donor and individual supporter online, in-person, and/or hybrid events to encourage increased giving. Prepare appeals and collateral materials in accordance with the work plan and Oil Change messaging and coordinate with an outside mailhouse on production and distribution of print materials if needed.

Coordinate implementation of a comprehensive foundation strategy (25%)

Working closely with the Executive Director and Chief of Staff, coordinate and implement a plan and systems for executing the organization’s foundation strategy. Ensure tracking and vetting, in coordination with organizational leadership and program staff, of prospective funding opportunities; ensure promising opportunities are pursued, and outreach is tracked. Coordinate systems for regularly cultivating and stewarding foundation staff.  Support the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, Program Directors, and Program Managers in foundation outreach.  Train and coach staff to increase their comfort level and success in foundation fundraising.

With support from a grants manager, ensure grant proposals and reports, including due dates, are tracked and reports and proposals are completed, submitted on time, and filed appropriately.  Coordinate development of proposals and reports, including identifying which program and other staff members are drafting and submitting them; provide direct grant writing support specifically on general support proposals and reports as relevant. Ensure that frequently requested proposal materials are kept up to date, grant agreements are filed and shared, and program officer contact info and contact lists are updated.

Strengthen and manage donor operations and communications (10%)

Working closely with appropriate team members, utilize, manage, and make recommendations for our donor and data management systems (current systems are GrantHub, ActBlue, ActionKit, and DonorPerfect). Regularly evaluate organizational communications materials as donor cultivation tools and recommend ways to strengthen and/or supplement them. Regularly evaluate current practices for sharing information about Oil Change with current and prospective institutional and individual donors and recommend ways to strengthen and/or supplement them. 

Organizational Leadership & Culture (10%)

Collaborate with the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, and other members of the Senior Leadership Team in setting and driving organizational vision and strategy. Take on organizational leadership responsibilities, including developing and implementing processes, helping to set organizational priorities, and other activities as agreed to support the organization’s staff and the development and implementation of the organization’s strategy. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, model comprehensive management and effective leadership, demonstrating values-based judgement and empowering decision making; proactively working to resolve conflicts and issues as they arise; demonstrating strong interpersonal communication skills; and fostering collaboration, equity, and inclusion as part of your work. Collaborate with executive leadership and other members of the Senior Leadership Team to ensure a healthy, inclusive and empowering organizational culture and structure that moves us closer to living out our organizational values and commitment to racial justice and equity, including through direct feedback, transparent practices, and collaborative workspaces.