Job description
Director, Development & Communications
Who We Are: Covenant House is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people to overcome homelessness and trafficking by providing best-in-class services and a shared commitment to unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support for each young person who walks through our doors.
Each year, the Covenant House federation reaches tens of thousands of youth through affiliated agencies in six countries, forging the largest movement for youth overcoming homelessness and trafficking across North and Central America.
We serve young people regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and seek to be a bridge for young people from homelessness to hope, meeting their immediate needs for food, clothing, protection, and medical care and supporting them to advance their goals of education and employment on their journey to stability and independence.
Covenant House encompasses a robust network of “houses” where our dedicated staff across the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Canada employ a strengths-based, trauma-informed practice model that helps young people discover and develop their resilience to overcome adversity now and into the future. In Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua, the agency is known as Casa Alianza; in Guatemala, we are known as La Alianza
WE PROUDLY OFFER THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plans
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Short/Long Term Disability Coverage
- Company paid life insurance
- 403B Retirement Plan (with annual company contribution)
- Generous Paid Time Off (15 days annually)
- Holiday Pay (12 annually)
- Stability that coincides with working for a national leader in human services
General Description: The Director of Development & Communications works closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, and Senior Leadership Team to design, implement, manage, and expand fundraising and communication strategies of Covenant House Michigan (CHM) across two (2) campuses with a goal to develop and cultivate a strong and diverse donor base that will guarantee the agency’s financial health, stability, and future growth. This role manages up to seven direct reports. Headquartered in Detroit, CHM has a second location in Grand Rapids, MI. Some travel is expected.
The individual in this role is responsible for implementing the agency’s annual development plan which includes cultivating and maintaining relationships with new and existing donors and supporters, portfolio management. The individual will also be responsible for managing agency premier special events and third party fundraising initiatives. As a member of the executive team, the Director of Development and Communications participates in strategic planning and budgeting initiatives.
The desired leader possess a high regard for integrity, in addition to a deep appreciation of mission for serving youth experiencing homelessness and has the capacity to understand the interests and motivations of other nonprofits, institutional funders, and public sector decision makers. Is solutions focused, decisive, intuitive, compassionate, and can lead by example. They will have the adeptness to create a diverse and harmonious team that can work successfully across all departments within the agency.
Educational and Work Experience:
- Bachelor degree in Business Administration, Resource Development, or the equivalent coursework in a related specialized field. A master’s degree is preferred
- Minimum eight (8) years’ experience in development with fundraising, and grant writing skills, as well as a proven track record of soliciting six and seven figure gifts.
- Minimum three (3) years’ of supervisory experience.
- Proficiency in computer applications: MS Office, Google Suite, and Adobe Creative Suite.
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including public speaking and organizational skills
- Proficiency with fundraising database management software (i.e., Razors Edge)
- Proven success working in a collaborative manner with diverse populations and external stakeholders to build bridges that strengthen relationships, trust and credibility.
Primary Responsibilities:
Development:
- Develop and implement a multi-year strategic plan for resource development, focused on increasing revenue from all sources including: foundations, corporations, government, major and planned giving, special events, and digital (email, website, social media, and peer-to-peer). This includes building the infrastructure and processes associated with it that will ensure efficiency and responsiveness to donors and prospects.
- Implement strategies to raise the agency’s visibility amongst a wide cross-section of potential supporters.
- Develop actionable strategies to identify, pursue and secure expanded revenue base.
- Build and sustain a major donor pipeline with the goal of having a robust major gift program across campuses; collaborate with the CEO around major gift cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
- Partner with Covenant House International to implement federation initiatives at the local level (branding, content sharing and collaboration, etc.).
Departmental Management:
- Set, review and embrace departmental goals, and implement new strategies and changes as needed.
- Oversee fiscal management of department to assure a balanced budget.
- Track revenue & fundraising trends, using information to predict future opportunities and avoid downtrends.
- Regularly reports (to CEO) regarding the department’s benchmarks and agency’s fundraising performance.
- Lead and supervise the Development & Communications Department.
- Create and nurture a culture of accountability by reviewing and supporting the department to execute their respective roles and responsibility.
- In consultation with the CEO and Director of Human Resources, the Director of Development & Communications will lead the selection, coaching, and discipline efforts as it regards their direct reports.
Communications:
- Oversee the design and copy of all marketing materials, including but not limited to the agency’s website, annual report, brochures, quarterly newsletters, email marketing, videos, and social media.
- Establish and maintain relationships with local media to expand the organization’s visibility for advocacy and exposure (TV, print, and online).
- Responsible for all direct response fundraising materials from concept to mailing. Including the Tidbit, lapsed donors mailing, year-end letters, annual reporting/monthly e-blasts and vendor management.
Annual Giving:
- Responsible for the development of Major Gifts programs across campuses, including research, identification of potential donors, developing the case for giving and developing and maintaining relationships.
- Supervises donor databases, ensuring accurate and timely updates for revenue management and submits reports to CEO and Director of Finance monthly.
- Responsible for ensuring the timely distribution of tax receipts.
- Compile, maintain and report on annual giving campaign statistics, including per donor gift, churn, participation etc.
- Analyze trends in the annual giving campaign(s) to identify opportunities and challenges that lend to strategy development and goal achievement.
Committee and Board Relations: (local and national):
- Nurture a positive, open and collaborative relationship with the Board of Directors and its Development & Marketing Committee.
- Develop and implement strategies to optimize collective and individual board engagement, including advancing board member contributions and board member solicitations from their respective networks
- Arrange opportunities for board education and engagement to enhance board members’ ability to serve as ambassadors of the organization.
- National Organization: When appropriate opportunities arise, the Development Director will participate in national and regional committees.
- Local Community: The Development & Communications Director will participate in the Association of Fundraising Professionals and any other community tables deemed appropriate.
- Assist the CEO with communication and engagement of the Board of Directors.
This description is a modified summary of the responsibilities, duties, knowledge, skills, experience, abilities and qualifications associated with this position. It is not an exhaustive list and may be changed at any time at the discretion of the Covenant House Michigan administration.
Covenant House Michigan is an equal opportunity employer. CHM will not discriminate against any otherwise qualified employee or applicant for employment with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, marital status, disabilities or other legally protected status.
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