Director, Development

Teach For America; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 74,300 - 101,300; Full time

Job summary

Teach For America is looking for a Director of Development in Birmingham, Alabama. The role involves managing a portfolio of donors, implementing fundraising strategies, and collaborating with key stakeholders to enhance public and private funding.

Ideal candidates will have over 4 years of relevant experience in fundraising and development, and a solid track record in portfolio management. Compensation ranges from $74,300 to $101,300, depending on qualifications and experience.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of related experience in development and fundraising, with direct experience managing a donor portfolio.
• Proven track record of meeting individual revenue goals.
• Experience writing grants and managing proposals is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of donors.
• Work closely with the Executive Director and advisory board members to advance fundraising efforts.
• Lead the vision for fundraising and execute donor cultivation strategies.

Skills

Relationship Building and Management

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Problem Solving and Innovation

Fundraising and Development

Portfolio Management

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

ROLE TITLE: Director, Development
POSITION REPORTS TO: Vice President, Field Fundraising
LOCATION: Birmingham, Alabama

What You’ll Do

All prospect and donor‑management roles on Field Fundraising teams are responsible for cultivating, soliciting, stewarding, and owning a portfolio of donors in our local communities who share our commitment to ensuring that all children have access to an excellent education. As a member of the Field Fundraising team, you will be part of a team‑based effort charged with developing and executing a long‑term vision and strategy to achieve our development goals for both public and private funding.

In your role, you will partner with the Executive Director, regional advisory board members, and other staff to maximize both public and private giving, playing a key role in new donor strategy and acquisition over the next three to five years. You will be responsible for raising $1 to $5 million or more from a portfolio of donors, including both public and private funding, and you will directly cultivate, solicit, and steward your portfolio.

You own management of the Alabama portfolio of donors, ensuring that key stakeholders and the primary solicitor are well positioned to engage with donors across fundraising streams and at all stages of the donor life cycle.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• 50% – Identify, manage, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of donors; own the Alabama pipeline and move donors through all stages of the donor life cycle in partnership with internal and external stakeholders.
• 20% – Work in close partnership with the Executive Director, advisory board members, and other fundraisers to build the relationships necessary to advance fundraising efforts, including regional advisory board members.
• 20% – In partnership with the Executive Director and VP of Field Fundraising, lead the setting of a vision for the local fundraising landscape and execute a plan to cultivate a portfolio of donors aimed at maximizing revenue, including new donor strategy and acquisition.
• 5% – Consistently maintain donor, prospect, and fundraising activity information in our customer relationship management system (currently Salesforce) and leverage this information to track progress, monitor gaps, and adjust strategy and approach.
• 5% – Steward team and organizational initiatives.

Your Experience

• Relationship Building and Management: Build strong relationships with prospects and donors and support key stakeholders and solicitors through a comprehensive relationship‑management plan.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a variety of internal and external constituents.
• Ability to manage up and laterally to influence teammates and Board members in service of donor stewardship and solicitation.
• Fundraising and Development: Solid foundation in best practices of development and fundraising; experience soliciting and stewarding a portfolio of donors/funders from various funding streams; contribute to complex fundraising and relationship‑management initiatives; develop and write grant proposals that are motivating and effective; track record of meeting individual revenue goals.
• Portfolio Management: Leverage the market vision and overarching strategy to determine the specific approach to steward a portfolio of local donors and execute that strategy in service of maximizing revenue to Teach For America as an enterprise; monitor progress against the portfolio to ensure continuous donor stewardship.
• Problem Solving and Innovation: Flexible orientation to problem solving, with the ability to work in complexity, adjust strategies and priorities as needed, explore new ideas, methodologies, and alternatives to create outcomes without being constrained by conventional thinking.
• Required: At least 4+ years of related experience in development and fundraising; direct experience managing a donor portfolio; track record of meeting and exceeding ambitious goals managing and/or supporting the management of a portfolio of donors.
• Preferred: Experience writing grants and managing proposals.

Work Demands

Occasional weekend or evening work hours may be required. Some local travel to engage with donors may be required.

Compensation

Tier A (Alabama): $74,300 – $101,300. Start pay depends on job‑related factors such as education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Teach For America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.