Development Director

Pennsylvania Prison Society; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible spending account

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Job summary

Pennsylvania Prison Society, based in Philadelphia, seeks a Development Director to lead revenue generation across individual, corporate, and foundation giving. The role oversees a growing team, collaborates with the board and executive leadership, and represents the organization in philanthropic networks statewide.

The position is primarily Philadelphia-office based with a hybrid schedule and involves travel across Pennsylvania.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of nonprofit development experience, with leadership exposure.
• Strategic thinker with a proven revenue growth track record.
• Skilled at building fundraising programs across major gifts, foundations, and partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a multi-year fundraising and partnerships strategy to grow revenue.
• Advise Executive Director, Board, and senior leadership on development matters.
• Lead cultivation and solicitation of donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Identify and manage strategic partnerships across statewide philanthropic networks.
• Supervise and grow the development team and ensure data integrity in CRM.

Skills

Nonprofit fundraising

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Donor cultivation

Campaign planning

Team collaboration

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

As a member of the leadership team, the Development Director sets and directs the Prison Society's strategy for individual, corporate, and foundation revenue generation and engagement.

This development jack-of-all-trades position involves conducting the full orchestra of fundraising activities, from cultivating and stewarding major donors, foundations, and partners, to engaging board members, representing the Prison Society in key philanthropic networks statewide, elevating events, and collaborating with the communications team to craft compelling public-facing materials. This position is supported by a development associate and works closely with the board, executive director, and communications director.

This is a unique opportunity to have a lasting impact on human rights while working alongside a remarkable team that embodies dedication, empathy, and a spirit of collaboration.

Founded by Benjamin Rush and Benjamin Franklin in 1787, the Prison Society promotes and protects the health, safety, and dignity of Pennsylvanians in prison, and supports the families of people in prison while they care for loved ones behind bars.

This statewide organization has a small staff of 21 and a large and growing network of 200+ volunteers. On any given day, you will find the Prison Society inside correctional facilities helping incarcerated people access healthcare, running virtual support groups for moms with incarcerated sons, or on the phones of our helpline fielding hundreds of calls and letters from incarcerated people and their families who are looking for basic information on issues that impact them. You can learn more about these programs on our website.

Says former Development Director Emily Cheramie-Walz, "It’s truly an honor to work on behalf of one of the oldest humanitarian organizations in the country. While it’s difficult and emotional work, it’s made easier because you’re surrounded by the most wonderful, empathetic and supportive coworkers and invested community members."

Over the last four years under the leadership of Emily and Executive Director Claire Shubik-Richards, the Prison Society's budget has tripled from $1 million to $3 million thanks to new government funding sources, major foundation commitments, and an uptick in individual giving. Emily, who has been part-time, has gotten the organization to a place where a full-time director is needed.

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This is where you come in!

What You’ll Be Doing

• Develop and lead a multi-year fundraising and partnerships strategy to grow and diversify revenue. ?
• Advise and guide the Executive Director, Board, and senior leadership, in all development matters, building a culture of giving. You will work closely with each member of our diverse board to identify how each member can fundraise.?
• As a critical member of the senior staff, you will contribute to all levels of organizational strategy.?
• Lead cultivation and solicitation of individual donors, major donors, corporate sponsors, and institutional funders, including personally managing a portfolio of individual donors, two annual fundraising campaigns, foundations, corporate partners, and philanthropic partners while overseeing and guiding the relationships held by other team members.?
• Identify, develop, and manage strategic partnerships that align with the organization’s goals, representing the Prison Society in philanthropic networks including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia, and Greater Pittsburgh Philanthropy Partnership, and at high-profile philanthropic and civic events throughout the state.?
• Supervise, nurture, and grow development staff. We currently have one, stellar associate-level staffer who wears many hats including data input and board support. With your leadership, we will expand the development team.?
• Collaborate and create with our communications team, on donor appeals and all varieties of collateral that help tell the full story of our impact. While you will rarely write a grant application from beginning to end, you will contribute content, oversight, and editing.?
• Ensure the integrity and smooth operation of our development infrastructure (CRM systems, reporting, donor communications, and compliance). While our associate level staff and interns are responsible for data entry, this position is responsible for quality assurance and training.?
• Elevate our events, with existing staff, and the potential for contracted support, you will level-up our annual Philadelphia fundraising event while creating additional opportunities for community building and fundraising across the state.

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Your Core Competencies

You have seven or more years of nonprofit development experience, with at least three years in a leadership role.

You are a development generalist and a strategic thinker with a strong track record in growing revenue. You can conduct the full orchestra of fundraising including major donors, foundations, corporate giving, campaigns, events, and philanthropic partners.

You are a scrappy, hardworking, team player who doesn't mind rolling up your sleeves. While you will be primarily overseeing the different parts of a diverse development plan, you could run the whole show soup to nuts if you had to.

You are a confident manager. You love supporting people in reaching their professional potential and personal fulfillment. You do not shrink from course-correcting performance.

Major donor cultivation is your sweet spot. You can provide examples of identifying, engaging, and nurturing major donors through significant gifts.

You are a connector with deep knowledge of the Pennsylvania philanthropic community. You have a proven record of thinking creatively about partnerships to raise visibility and fundraising.

You are approachable, caring, positive, and outgoing. Connecting with the person who donated $10 is as meaningful to you as meeting with the $100,000 donor.

You are a maestro at events. You appreciate the difference between fundraising and friendraising, and you know when to strategically pursue each. You have experience executing both. You are energized getting the show up and working the room when it's on.

Data informs you. No CRM intimidates you. You spot trends, making the data work for you. You work with development support staff to make sure data is accurate, timely, and informative. You recognize the importance of reports and good information.

You are constantly evolving as an advancement professional. Your finger is on the pulse of a shifting fundraising landscape. You adjust your approach as opportunities evolve.

You masterfully juggle multiple tasks.You prioritize and reprioritize, exhibiting excellent time management and problem-solving skills. You are detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines with excellence.

You are a clear, confident verbal and written communicator who can adapt your tone and approach across audiences and platforms. You are comfortable writing donor appeals and contributing to annual report content, grant applications, and other story-telling collateral.

What You Need to Know

• Hybrid Work Arrangement - This role is designed to be primarily Philadelphia office-based, with an expectation of four days per week in the office and one day working remotely. We recognize that flexibility can be important, and we are open to discussing a different hybrid arrangement for the right candidate.?
• Hours This position works 40 hours per week, primarily during regular business hours of 9am-5pm.
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• Manager - You will report to Claire Shubik-Richards, Executive Director of the Prison Society.?
• Travel - You will travel throughout Pennsylvania to meet with various groups—foundations, partners, donors, volunteers from diverse backgrounds, and everyone in between.
• Start date - As soon as possible.?
• Salary & benefits $90,000-$110,000. A flexible spending account, medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage provided.
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• Flexible time off We encourage a healthy work-life balance and do not cap the number of days off our employees can take. In addition, we observe 11 paid holidays.

?At the Prison Society, we don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our staff, our mission, and our community. The Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Individuals directly impacted by the criminal justice system are encouraged to apply.