Assistant Director of Development, educational equity

The Job As The Opportunity Network (OppNet) launches a new strategic plan and continues our significant growth, we are seeking an Assistant Director of Development to help lead the vision and strategy of our institutional giving revenue stream. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Assistant Director of Development is a key member of the Institutional Advancement Team at OppNet and helps drive OppNet toward our current $13M revenue goal and ~$5.6M institutional giving goal (current and future fiscals). 

The Assistant Director of Development is responsible for the development of grant proposals and reports; prospecting and research of funding opportunities; cultivation of new and existing funding relationships; liaising with OppNet’s program teams and other departments to understand needs and programming; effectively and compellingly communicating OppNet’s mission, programming, accomplishments, and needs to external audiences in both verbal and written form; and assisting with the development and management of the systems and processes that advance the efficiency and function of the Institutional Advancement Team. 

The position requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, organization and attention to detail, project management skills, people management skills, initiative and resourcefulness, professionalism and discretion, and the ability to think creatively and strategically. 

The Organization Since 2003, OppNet has ignited the drive, curiosity, and agency of historically and systematically underrepresented students on their paths to and through college and into thriving careers, powered by our commitment to access and community. This year, OppNet will reach more than 10,000 students of color across the nation to support them in achieving their college and career goals.

OppNet’s founding Fellows program works with 1,000+ students over the course of six years, from 11th grade through to college graduation, to provide college guidance, five summers of paid internships, career exposure and skills training, and support in growing personal and professional networks.
OppNet’s Career Fluency® Partnerships program works with 35+ schools, youth-serving nonprofits, and corporations across 20+ cities to build their capacity to amplify college and career outcomes for their own students.
Through Opportunity Ignited, OppNet provides advisory services to corporations seeking to embed values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their businesses.

All of the work OppNet leads is in service of realizing our vision of a nation connected through vibrant communities and networks actively in pursuit of social justice and educational equity—a nation where all young people can freely create their own path to enduring success that honors their passions, ambitions, and full identities.

The Person The ideal candidate is a strategic and driven individual with a passion for fundraising and for educational equity. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to meaningfully support the full lifecycle of institutional fundraising, including grant proposal and report writing, prospecting and research, and cultivation and stewardship.

The candidate should possess excellent, clear, and compelling written and verbal communication skills (including and beyond proposal and report writing) and be an attentive and open-minded listener, with the ability to synthesize information and connect the dots, while also knowing when and how to seek more information, context, and rationale on directives and projects. The candidate should have excellent project management skills; a maturity in soliciting and receiving feedback; the ability to think creatively, critically, and strategically; strength in prioritizing; and be organized and pay attention to details. 

Further, the ideal candidate will personally connect to the important work OppNet does and value diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) across the organization. The candidate will demonstrate DE&I values by actively participating in all organization-wide learning sessions and self-reflection, as well as working with others to enact changes that contribute to meeting the organization’s DE&I goals.

Responsibilities Portfolio and Relationship Management (50%)

Manage a portfolio of funders and prospects, including all information regarding the status of the relationship, proposal and reporting deadlines, compliance requirements, and stewardship strategy and communication.
Track national philanthropic trends and monitor giving to like-minded organizations.
Research and apply keen and insightful analysis for new institutional funding prospects for program initiatives, capacity building, and general support grants.
Serve as lead copywriter and copy editor for letters of intent, proposals, applications, reports, and other communications to funders and prospects.
Liaise with program teams and other departments to maintain up-to-date knowledge/understanding of program activities, outcomes, and needs, and to keep teams abreast of funding opportunities and grant awards, including, as appropriate, reporting implications and needs.
Coordinate communications, meetings, and site visits with funders and prospects to build relationships throughout the year, including developing and/or adhering to processes that bring other key OppNet staff and leadership along in the preparation for, execution of, and debriefs on meetings, site visits, etc. 
Maintain crisp, clear, updated files on institutional funders and prospects.

 

Language, Systems, and Processes (20%):

Coordinate language development with Institutional Advancement Team, including development of new language as appropriate, as well as splicing, synthesizing, and expanding upon existing language, depending on the specific needs and aims of each piece of writing.
Assist in the maintenance of all team files, systems, and processes, including taking ownership of certain existing systems and processes, as well as partnering to conceptualize, build, and maintain new systems and processes, where identified and needed.
Maintain donor database (Salesforce), including data entry, creating new records, entering revisions and updates, and adding notes and actions.
Schedule, coordinate, and participate in external and internal meetings as requested.
As needed, assist with volunteer, visibility, and employee engagement opportunities.
Provide additional support to Institutional Advancement and organizational projects.

 

People Management (15%)

Assign and oversee projects of OppNet’s development consultant, ensuring all internal and external deadlines—including submissions of LOIs, proposals, reports, and related communications—are met with quality, accuracy, and timeliness.

 

Learning, Development, and Program Reflection (15%):

Participate in organization-wide DE&I learning sessions, equity working groups, and optional identity-based affinity groups.
Attend weekly team meetings, All Hands meetings, All Staff meetings, team retreats, and annual institution-wide retreat.
Develop professional and personal intentions as they relate to OppNet’s DE&I commitment, incorporated into annual performance reviews.

Requirements

5+ years of direct and consistent fundraising and grant writing experience, with demonstrated success in managing a growing portfolio of donors and prospects.
Excellent and persuasive communication skills, with keen and strong facility in grant proposal and report writing and acute ability to adapt messaging to fit audience and goals.
Demonstrated ability to research and qualify prospects, as well as manage personalized interactions as a key representative of the organization.
Self-motivated, resourceful, and detail- and deadline-oriented, alongside ability to see “big picture,” think strategically, and translate strategy into goals and actions.
Comfort in a team-oriented environment with open communication and constructive feedback.
Commitment to The Opportunity Network’s mission, and appreciation for and commitment to helping to operationalize equity and inclusion across OppNet’s work.

 

Requirements to Work for OppNet

OppNet requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including new hires, unless an exemption has been approved.
Hybrid In-Person: This position is classified as one that will primarily work remotely; however, candidates for this position must be available for scheduled and ad-hoc in-person engagements with OppNet stakeholders throughout the year.

Salary and Benefits The salary range for this role is $83,484 - $87,000 and is commensurate with skills and experience. 

 

OppNet also offers a competitive benefits package to eligible employees, including

Medical (health, dental, and vision): OppNet pays up to 88% for total premium costs
HRA (up to $4500 for families)
Flexible Spending Account (for Medical, Dependent Care and Transit/Parking)
Family Leave (100% for twelve weeks of family leave)
Life Insurance (100% of the insurance premium) and Retirement (full-time employees are eligible to participate in our 403 (b) retirement benefit program).
Time Away from Work
Full-time employees are eligible for 57 fully paid non-working days (22%)
PTO: Full-time employees earn 20 PTO days per year
Wellness: Full-time employees earn up to 12 wellness (sick time) days per year
Birthday: Staff members can take one paid personal day during the month of their birthday (which is not deducted from employee’s PTO balance)
OppNet Extended Holidays (13 total days)
Winter Recess: December 19–30, 2022
Extended Memorial Day Weekend: May 26–29, 2023
Extended July 4th Weekend: July 3–4, 2023

All Federal Holidays (12 total days)

Application Instructions Please use this link https://tinyurl.com/4jbe25sr to submit a resume and cover letter, outlining how your professional background and experience relate specifically to the responsibilities and qualifications listed above, salary requirements, and earliest available start date.