Development Director

JOB SUMMARY: 

The Development Director is responsible for coordination & oversight of all fundraising activities at the Animal Protective League (APL) to ensure that adequate income is generated on a regular, consistent basis to fund both daily operations and capital needs. This includes but is not limited to: annual giving, major gifts, donor cultivation and stewardship, appeals, monthly giving, and planned gifts. The Development Director will work with other team members as needed to support their efforts in grant writing, events, and corporate sponsorships, and will work with a variety of people and give each one of them excellent customer service. The Development Director will be a part of the Leadership Team.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:  

• Develops an annual fundraising plan with achievable goals and objectives that meets the budgetary needs of APL, and works to achieve or exceed that plan

• Identifies and solicits new donor prospects to build the donor base, including individuals, businesses, civic clubs, and other organizations in the community or online

• Develops and implements strategies and activities such as direct mail, grant writing, special events, membership, and major gift cultivation to meet annual operating goals

• Develops and implements special fundraising campaigns such as Capital and Endowment Campaigns

• Works to achieve maximum donor retention of current donors using stewardship, cultivation, and relationship-building strategies

• Works to develop a portfolio of major donors, creating individualized cultivation plans for each one, and executes those plans with the goal of making a major ask of each prospect each year

• Maintains the donor database, including keeping donor contact information up-to-date

• Administers an estate planning program for planned giving

• Networks in the community to identify new prospects and opportunities

• Maintains confidentiality of all donor issues and shelter operations

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Works closely with public relations and marketing efforts to raise awareness and visibility

• Oversees the donor acknowledgement plan

• Oversees scheduling, production and planning of all appeals; evaluates and selects donor lists and acquisition lists for solicitation and tracking information

• Works with the Leadership Team to create and deliver donor newsletters, marketing materials and other donor communications, including content for the website, social media, press releases, and other materials

• Works with Executive Director and Board committees to create donor recognition and appreciation programs; coordinates donor appreciation and stewardship events

• Finds speaking opportunities and gives presentations to area clubs, churches, and other organizations

• Works closely with Executive Director and Leadership team to research and prepare grants; maintains grant schedule and monitors financial progress

• Generates fundraising reports for the Executive Director and Board of Directors, as needed

• Attends management meetings as required

• Provides event, story and social media support

• Performs work according to established methods specified in the Standard Operating
  Procedures Manual, and the Personnel Policy Handbook

• Performs needed cleaning and maintenance of all office equipment and tools used in the job assignments

• Recruits, with Volunteer Coordinator, supervises and supports volunteers and interns for Development Department

• Hybrid work environment with onsite and remote work opportunities available

• Other duties as assigned

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS  

• Passionate about the humane treatment and care of animals

• Committed to the mission of APL

• Exceptional interpersonal skills

• Well-organized and must have a strong ability to multi-task

• Highly ethical

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Excellent time management skills

• Self-starter with a high level of initiative

• Able to work independently and as part of a team

• Possess fundraising knowledge, including basic fundraising principles and techniques, fundraising regulations, laws and licensing requirements

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with media, community agencies and businesses

• Ability to develop fundraising strategies and stay abreast of new developments in the business community, animal welfare movement and philanthropic sector

• Requires a high level of attention to detail

• Aptitude for detailed planning and working with budgets

• Comfortable with technology, including use of social media, mobile devices and other relevant media and programs

• Self-motivated, outgoing, pleasant, diplomatic, energetic, highly creative, flexible and open to new ideas

• Be a good public speaker

• Must follow all safety rules to ensure a safe work environment at all times  

• Preference given to candidates in Springfield, IL and Central Illinois region

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to stand and move around work areas, bend, stoop, reach, twist, and lift from the ground up, manual dexterity, feeling and grasping is needed for keyboarding and other work tasks

• Must be able to lift 40 pounds without assistance 

• Must be able to go up and down stairs

• Practice basic knowledge of animal handling and animal behaviors 

• Must have no allergies to animals

• Must be able to work in a high stress environment 

• Normal or corrected hearing and vision are required, along with speaking abilities 

• Must be able to drive a motor vehicle locally/regionally to visit with donors and prospects.

• Subject to moderate noise with typical work environments involving dogs and cats (barking, computers, printers and office traffic)

• Willing to work evenings and weekends as needed

• Occasional out-of-the-area travel may be required for training, conferences, and to visit other animal welfare organizations

EDUCATION/LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.  

• CFRE or ACFRE is a plus

• Five years or more of fundraising experience, including significant experience with major gifts. Demonstrated ability to prospect, cultivate and manage donors and funding sources

• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Google suite, and be comfortable working with donor management software