Director of Development

Intercollegiate Studies Institute; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits package

Job summary

Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) seeks a strategic Director of Development to expand fundraising efforts, lead the development team, and deepen relationships with donors who share ISI’s commitment to educating for liberty. The Director will oversee the development team, manage a small caseload of donors, and report to ISI’s President in a full-time in-office role.

The successful candidate will have strong leadership, a proven fundraising track record, and the ability to articulate ISI’s

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5-7 years of fundraising experience.
• Experience leading teams and developing programs.
• Willingness to travel for donor meetings and events.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy.
• Lead and coach the development team.
• Manage donor relationships and a caseload of major gifts.
• Collaborate with the President and Board on fundraising goals.
• Maintain donor database and use moves-management systems.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Strategic planning

Donor relations

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

ISI seeks a mission-driven leader to expand our development efforts, lead our major gifts team, and cultivate donor relationships.

Overview

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) seeks an experienced, mission-driven, strategic leader to expand its development efforts, lead the development team, and deepen relationships with donors who share its commitment to educating for liberty. ISI’s Director of Development will be responsible for developing and executing ISI’s development strategy, leading a growing team, and managing a small caseload of key donors.

This position is full-time, in-office, and reports to ISI’s President. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience.

About the Intercollegiate Studies Institute

Founded in 1953, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) is a nonprofit organization that educates for liberty, equipping future leaders to embrace and defend the principles that make America free and prosperous.

Too many college students feel isolated or attacked for questioning the ever-narrowing range of debate on campus. ISI introduces them to the American tradition of liberty and to a vibrant community of students and scholars. Our students get an education and a community they don’t find at their universities—and in the process they become articulate voices for conservative principles.

ISI is at an exciting moment in its history, with growing demand for its programs and an energized donor community. The Director of Development will lead the organization’s fundraising growth to help meet this need today.

About the Position

ISI is seeking a strategic, disciplined, and highly motivated Director of Development to lead the organization’s development strategy, manage the development team, and foster strong relationships with donors who share ISI’s commitment to a free and virtuous society. The candidate must have strong leadership skills and embody a sincere belief in ISI’s mission and be able to communicate that vision compellingly to prospects and donors, inspiring them to invest in the next generation of liberty-minded leaders.

The Director of Development will oversee the development team, participate in ISI senior team meetings, and manage a small caseload of donors, as well as supporting the President with his donor caseload.

The position offers the opportunity to build a growing, high-performing development program with a very strong foundation in place, serving an important mission with one of the most important conservative institutions in America today. The successful candidate will develop the team and form meaningful relationships with donors, scholars, and enthusiastic students around the country while leading a dynamic fundraising team to advance ISI’s critical mission to educate for liberty.

ISI is seeking a disciplined, humble, strategic leader who is achievement-oriented, growth-minded, and thrives on building a high-performing team in service of a mission to educate for liberty. ISI supports the ongoing development of its staff and offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience, plus a full benefits package.

Primary Responsibilities

• Helping to develop and lead the implementation of a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the mission, vision, and growth goals for ISI
• Working closely with the President and Board in establishing fundraising goals each year
• Leading and managing the development team, including coaching, training, and developing current and future development employees
• Working closely with the Director of Programs and Director of Digital Media to grow ISI’s current student program offerings and expand its audience and influence
• Overseeing, updating, and optimizing current systems and processes, in partnership with the development team
• Managing a caseload of 40-50 major gift donors and managing up to the President on a caseload of 15-20 donors
• Meeting with donors in person and attending events and conferences
• Creating and implementing individualized moves-management plans, for the Director’s and President’s caseloads, that align with each donor’s interests and philanthropic goals
• Maintaining the donor database and using moves-management systems to ensure timely and appropriate stewardship, and tracking all activity in Salesforce
• Representing ISI and deepening understanding of and credibility for the mission among donors and key stakeholders
• Leading weekly development team meetings and regular check-in meetings with the President and Management Team

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and an interest in nonprofit development with 5-7 years of fundraising experience
• Driven, disciplined, and strategic with demonstrated experience leading people and developing teams
• A deep appreciation for and desire to further the mission of ISI
• Ability to travel for donor meetings and events
• A high degree of personal initiative and conscientiousness
• High emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills
• Experience with Salesforce and strong Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) skills

ISI is an equal-opportunity employer. Applications will be considered as received.All submissions will be kept confidential.