Director of Development

Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA; Brownsville (Fayette County); On-site; USD 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA is seeking a senior development leader to guide fundraising strategy and donor engagement. You will work with the Executive Team and Board to align goals with the organization's mission and growth plans.

The role emphasizes major gifts, portfolio management, and development of long-term multi-year plans, with a focus on equity and inclusive practices across Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4–6 years of professional fundraising experience.
• 3+ years of managerial experience in a nonprofit environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide inspiring leadership to engage stakeholders and end domestic violence funding.
• Solicit and retain donors and major gifts.
• Develop fundraising strategies aligned with the organization's plan.
• Plan and manage multi-year development programs and budgets.
• Collaborate with the Executive Team and Board on fundraising initiatives.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Donor relations

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Team development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Donor CRM

Job description

Building lasting relationships, one donor at a time.

Quick look:

Preference will be given to candidates residing in Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 4-6 years of professional fundraising experience with 3+ years of leadership background in a nonprofit setting. Existing relationships within, Washington, Greene, and Fayette Counties are highly valued.

Minimum annual salary of $85,000 based on experience

DVSSP is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging. If you are excited about a role but your experience doesn’t match every requirement in the job description, we encourage you to still consider applying. You may be a great fit and just the candidate we are looking for!

Job Duties

• Provide inspiring and visible leadership to effectively engage stakeholders in working to end domestic violence by empowering survivors, raising awareness, and creating safer communities.


• Solicit and retain donors.


• Work closely with the Executive Team and Board of Directors to develop fundraising strategies and goals that align with DVSSP’s values and strategic plan.


• Lead the creation, implementation, and evaluation of ongoing multi-year development plans.


• Understand and stay current with all DVSSP programming initiatives that create funding opportunities for supporters.


• Stay informed on professional advances in fundraising, nonprofit marketing and communications.


• Establish and follow appropriate policies, standards and guidelines for fundraising, grants management and database management including confidentiality, gift acceptance, gift receipting, recording, acknowledgement, and reporting.


• Establish fundraising goals and metrics of success, track progress, and report results of all organization efforts to generate support from individual prospects, foundation and corporate supporters, and institutional funders. Highlight successes and proactively identify areas for improvement.


• Develop and manage efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward individual major and planned giving donors to DVSSP. Leverage the Executive team and Board members/Development Committee to build relationships with prospects and donors.


• Establish and manage a portfolio of major and planned giving donors and prospects. Enter reports of all contacts, interactions, and gifts in the donor database in a timely fashion.


• Work directly with the board and staff members to identify potential new individual major and planned giving gift prospects.


• Conduct regular portfolio review and strategy planning department meetings, including scheduling the meetings, preparing the agenda, ensuring necessary data is available for discussion.


• Work with the Board President and Development Committee Chair to plan and implement solicitation of annual board gifts.


• Support Board Members in their individual fundraising commitments; serve as staff liaison to Development Committee; attend Board of Directors meetings, prepare reports for the Development Committee Chair to share at each board meeting.


• Responsible for managing the fundraising plan and engaging with the Board, including presenting a dashboard of up-to-date Fundraising data. This person will work with the Development Committee Chair on their Board meeting presentations, including but not limited to assisting the Development Committee Chair with report preparation.


• Facilitate the development committee and the full board in being more active in fundraising; providing scripts for engagement calls, presenting a list of sponsors and establishing who the Board Members may have access to, etc.


• Develop and implement cultivation and solicitation strategies to raise support through "smart giving" avenues, non-cash charitable donations (such as, but not limited to, appreciated stocks, donor-advised funds, or IRA distributions including Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)) designed to maximize philanthropic impact while significantly reducing tax liabilities. Partner with the development team to develop the necessary outreach and marketing materials and tools.


• Plan and create the necessary infrastructure to support a planned giving program with a focus on bequests and beneficiary designations. Partner with the development team to develop the necessary outreach and marketing materials and tools.


• Support the Executive Team in their efforts to achieve foundation and government/institutional giving goals by researching new foundation and government grant opportunities, collaborating on proposals, engaging other staff, writing proposals when needed, ensuring that reporting is timely and accurate, and meeting deadlines.


• Ensure that the Fiscal Department is informed of all probable and confirmed giving for accurate development of the Annual Budget, and for the budget creation process when needed.


• Supervise the work of your department to acquire new entry-level individual donors and corporate/business supporters. Create and retain a pipeline of mid-level individual donors.


• Routine auditing and oversight in managing the donor database and gift entry process to ensure accuracy and the opportunity to leverage data to enhance fundraising and communications efforts.


• Partner with the Executive Team to cultivate relationships with elected officials at all levels of government. Participate, as needed, in general advocacy efforts on behalf of domestic violence victims on a local, state, and national level to ensure increased awareness regarding the issues of domestic violence by the general public and policymakers.


• Work with the Executive Team and Development Committee to network and nurture agency presence in the community, ensuring a strong presence for the organization in all the counties served (Washington, Greene and Fayette).


• Represent DVSSP as a spokesperson and at events, as needed.

Supervision Responsibilities

• Establish goals and manage fundraising and awareness-building events for best ROI.


• Guide the work of creating effective donor communications and donor-centric marketing materials.


• Oversee the work of donations and resources to solicit, coordinate, store, distribute and manage all non-monetary donations.


• Work collaboratively across the organization to coordinate messaging and communication priorities that support fundraising, programming, outreach, and other strategic initiatives. Ensure that all information disseminated by DVSSP follows brand standards, is accurate and up to date and that all staff impacted are aware.


• Supervise the Communications Specialist, who will serve as the primary creative author for all communications, including but not limited to newsletters, direct appeals, e-marketing, impact reports, digital content, ads, annual report, event collateral, outreach materials, and stakeholder stories.


• Oversee organizational branding and messaging, including print and digital assets to promote giving and event attendance, sponsorships, and community engagement/advocacy.


• Oversee the development of a digital marketing strategy to reach targeted audiences particularly related to Giving Days, including website, SEO, and social media marketing.


• Ensure and oversee agency participation and support with national awareness campaigns.

Core Competencies

• Possesses vision and initiative to set and achieve goals with a willingness to do more than is required or expected in the job.


• Demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for learning new skills and assuming new/changing roles.


• Possesses confidence to make decisions and work in high pressure or crisis situations.


• Takes full accountability for meeting commitments and achieving expected results.


• Accepts challenges and uses creative approaches to assess and solve problems.


• Communicates effectively by using available technologies. Ensures that own communication is easily understood by speaking and writing clearly using standard grammar and spelling.


• Provides a culturally competent and flexible approach when working with those from various cultures by acknowledging, accepting, and accommodating differences.


• Embraces evaluation techniques to ensure effective service delivery.


• Exhibits a primary prevention mindset as a means toward ending domestic violence.


• Supports and role models the core values of trauma informed care.

Skills, Abilities, Education, Qualifications, and Experience

• Minimum of 4-6 years of professional fundraising experience


• 3+ years of managerial experience in a nonprofit environment


• Dynamic professional with a collaborative workstyle


• High level of accountability in personal motivation, self-direction, and detail-orientation


• Creative and strategic thinker with ability to proactively develop new ideas and to manage tactical implementation


• Excellent project and time management skills with the ability to multitask and reprioritize, situational adaptability


• Excellent communication abilities, including clear, fluid, and informative writing, ability to vary writing style to meet needs, and editing skills


• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to relate to all audiences with professionalism to build foster relationships


• Knowledge of fundraising principals, ethics, and techniques, and annual appeal process


• Ability to present numerical data effectively


• Demonstrated and/or prior experience with the entire Microsoft Suite of applications with emphasis in Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.


• Experience with a Donor CRM system preferred


• Proven track record of previous success


• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills


• B.A., or B.S. in related field, (M.S.W. or M.A. preferred) or equivalent work experience


• Ability to provide on-going supervision, training, and professional development


• Collaborate with peers and other departments within the agency


• Working knowledge of community resources


• Ability to maintain confidentiality


• Proficient computer, Internet, and email skills

Clearances, Licenses, and Physical Requirements

• Final determination of suitability for employment will be contingent upon a successful:


• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint processed in accordance with Public Law 92-522 and the Child Protective Services Law (Title 23, Pa C.S. Chapter 63), Federal Criminal History Background Check


• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance


• Must not be present on Megan's Law or Dru Sjodin search registries


• PA State Police Report of Criminal History Clearance


• Possess current PA driver’s license, insurance, and reliable vehicle


• Must complete a Motor Vehicle Record check