Development & Communications Director: Fundraising Leader

Twin Pines Housing; Hartford (VT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Five or more years of direct fundraising or development experience, including donor cultivation and solicitation.
• Strong relationship-building, writing, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Interest in affordable housing and the communities served by Twin Pines.
• Willingness and ability to meet personally with donors and prospective supporters and share Twin Pines' mission and impact.
• Experience with grant writing, major gifts, planned giving, communications, and donor databases is desirable.
• A sense of humor and positive attitude are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the organization's annual fundraising plan.
• Manage the annual fund, including planning, writing, and coordinating three to four direct mail appeals each year.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors through regular personal visits, phone calls, and correspondence.
• Draft personalized acknowledgement letters, stewardship reports, and donor communications for the Executive Director.
• Plan and implement donor recognition and stewardship activities.
• Manage the organization's major gifts program, including identifying prospects, coordinating donor strategies, and maintaining cultivation plans.
• Schedule and coordinate donor meetings for the Executive Director and members of the Board of Trustees.
• Prepare donor briefing materials and talking points for cultivation and solicitation visits.
• Maintain a prospective donor pool of approximately 50 people capable of making gifts of $10,000 and higher over a three-year period.
• Qualify identified prospective donors through individual visits and develop a strategy for moving qualified prospects through the donor cycle.
• Research, prepare, and submit grant proposals and progress reports to government agencies, foundations, corporations, and other funding organizations.
• Coordinate grant information with finance, property management, resident services, and executive staff.
• Maintain grant calendars and ensure timely reporting and compliance with grant requirements.
• Support and help grow Twin Pines' newly established planned giving program, including researching additional gift vehicles appropriate for the organization to offer.
• Identify and cultivate planned giving prospects, with particular attention to long-tenured and older donors.
• Develop marketing and educational materials introducing planned giving to donors as the program grows.
• Develop and produce organizational communications, including newsletters, annual reports, brochures, and other printed and digital materials.
• Manage and regularly update the organization's website.
• Interview residents, donors, staff, and community partners to develop compelling stories demonstrating the impact of Twin Pines' work.
• Create content for newsletters, annual reports, website updates, social media, press releases, and donor communications.
• Develop and maintain the organization's social media presence.
• Write press releases and serve as the primary media contact for organizational announcements, development projects, and special events.
• Maintain consistent organizational messaging and branding across all communications.
• Plan and coordinate donor appreciation events, project groundbreaking ceremonies, ribbon cuttings, and other public events.
• Support organizational celebrations, staff events, and community outreach activities.
• Coordinate ordering of staff appreciation items (swag) as part of the organization's annual staff appreciation effort.
• Coordinate community events in collaboration with partner organizations, municipalities, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board of Trustees and assigned Board committees, preparing meeting materials, agendas, reports, and minutes as assigned.
• Manage all logistical and administrative aspects of Board and committee meetings, including agenda preparation, meeting packets, reports, minutes, and Zoom/hybrid meeting technology.
• Support Board fundraising efforts and committee work, providing timely fundraising reports and donor information to Board leadership.
• Participate as a member of the senior staff leadership team, contributing to organizational planning, budgeting, and strategic initiatives.
• Collaborate with department directors to communicate organizational priorities and achievements.
• Manage the organization's donor database (eTapestry), ensuring accurate gift entry, donor records, and constituent information.
• Generate monthly fundraising reports and donor analytics for the Executive Director, CFO, and Board.
• Maintain donor acknowledgement systems and gift tracking.
• Analyze fundraising results and recommend strategies for improving donor engagement and revenue.

Skills

Relationship-building

Writing

Communication

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Fundraising experience

Job description