Director of Development

POSITION: Director of DevelopmentORGANIZATION: Urban AlchemyLOCATION: San Francisco or Los Angeles, CaliforniaWEBSITE: Urban Alchemy hires individuals who were once incarcerated and trains them to transform people and places through love and respect. They provide services that heal communities challenged by the intersection of extreme poverty, mental illness, addiction and homelessness. When individuals are suffering in our public spaces, Urban Alchemy offers solutions. When a neighborhood, street, or intersection earns a reputation as a place to avoid, they turn it around. Urban Alchemy staff, known as Practitioners, create a peaceful and supportive presence, helping our communities rebuild a sense of pride one person at a time. Urban Alchemy is a nonprofit organization founded in 2018. They quickly grew from a small program in San Francisco to a thriving social enterprise with over 1,300 staff and an approximate $110 million annual budget. They currently have operations in California, Alabama, Oregon, and Texas and continue to expand nationally. Over 95% of Urban Alchemy employees, including leadership, have experienced incarceration andor homelessness.REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: The Director of Development reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer.POSITION SUMMARY: The Director of Development will provide overall direction and leadership to Urban Alchemy's fundraising functions, which include major gifts, institutional giving, individual giving, capital campaign and grants for the organization. Urban Alchemy is a relatively new organization and growing rapidly so the Director of Development must be comfortable leading and managing in a dynamic environment.The Director of Development will spearhead the development and implementation of a robust fundraising strategy for their dynamic and rapidly expanding nonprofit social enterprise. With the organization currently raising $2 million to $4 million annually from foundation, corporate, and individual sources, this position becomes pivotal as Urban Alchemy embarks on a groundbreaking $30 million comprehensive campaign to guide their fundraising endeavors over the next few years. The Director of Development will be instrumental in shaping the fundraising landscape of Urban Alchemy, taking the lead in building out their fundraising strategy and administrative capacity. As the organization's dedicated fundraising staff person, the Director of Development will play a transformative role in establishing and executing comprehensive fundraising programs. This is an exciting chance for a seasoned development professional to make a significant impact, contributing to the sustained growth and influence of their high-profile nonprofit social enterprise.The Director of Development will be a trusted and valued professional partner to the CEO, COO and Board of Directors. The Director of Development will build, lead and develop a talented team of fundraising professionals.SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Key responsibilities for the Director of Development include:Strategic Planning: Develop and implement a strategic fundraising plan aligned with the organization's mission and financial objectives.Donor Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government entities to secure financial support.Campaign Management: Lead fundraising campaigns, capital campaigns, and annual giving programs, overseeing the planning, execution, and evaluation of each initiative.Major Gifts: Cultivate and solicit major gifts from high-net-worth individuals, working closely with the executive team and board members to expand the donor base.Grant Writing and Proposal Development: Identify grant opportunities, prepare grant proposals, and manage the grant application process to secure funding from foundations and government agencies.Stewardship: Implement effective stewardship strategies to recognize and retain donors, ensuring ongoing engagement and support.Event Management: Oversee the planning and execution of fundraising events, including galas, donor receptions, and community outreach programs.Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments to integrate fundraising efforts with marketing, communications, and programmatic activities.Financial Oversight: Monitor and report on fundraising performance, ensuring revenue goals are met and expenses are within budget.Team Leadership: Supervise and motivate a fundraising team, providing guidance and mentorship.QUALIFICATIONSSeven to 10-plus years of significant nonprofit fundraising experience and proven track record of raising in excess of $5 million annually.Five-plus years of experience in major donor cultivation and solicitation. Proven track record of building donor relationships and closing gifts in the five- six- and seven-figure range.A proven track record of maintaining effective relationships with donors and determining the optimal scenario for successful gift solicitation.Experience working with volunteer fundraisers to successfully close major gifts among their networks.Ability to establish and monitor priorities, maintain flexibility and meet deadlines with limited direct supervision.Exceptionally strong strategic thinking, analytical and prospect research skills, and goal orientation are essential.Proven track record of managing, motivating and developing the full potential of a talented development staff.Outstanding stewardship and relationship management skills with meticulous follow-through and excellent presentation skills while exercising creativity. Demonstrated donor recognition strategies.Successful experience in making cold calls as well as developing cultivation and solicitation strategies.Works well under pressure in a demanding, fast paced work environment. Ability to operate with purpose, urgency and accuracy.Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with both internal and external constituencies, as well as written and verbal required. Adept at crafting compelling and high-quality proposals, reports, solicitation letters and donor correspondence.Proven experience in telling the story of an organization and its effectiveness. Excels at articulating organization goals, outcomes, objectives, and evaluation strategies to donors.Leadership skills; proven results in collaboration and participation with internal and outside stakeholders.Ability to engage and motivate groups of diverse individuals.Solid comprehension of, and ability to articulate the Urban Alchemy's programming, mission, goals and accomplishments.Capital campaign experience is a plus.Experience with Planned Giving is a plus.Willingness to work a flexible schedule including evenings and occasional weekends.Excellent research skills.Proven track record in grant andor proposal writing.Experience working in a recognized donor database system.Passion for and experience working directly with underserved, diverse communities a plus.PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The Director of Development should embody the following personal characteristics:A deep commitment to goals and mission of Urban Alchemy.A personable, flexible, diplomatic, and respectful demeanor.Proven ability to serve as a team player, mentor, and leader to motivate and inspire staff and colleagues.Transparency in all work.A well-organized and focused individual that is capable of and interested in increasing the effectiveness of the development team.Extremely proactive approach to work. Someone that is solutions oriented.Must have a growth mindset. Comfortable with startup situations with high ambiguity and bringing about organizational structure.A good listener and strategist. Comfortable receiving input from many sources and able to analyze and formulate disparate information to a sound, well-organized trepid yet tactful. Determined yet respectful of others' concerns. A skilled negotiator who is open to other viewpoints.Ability to work both independently with minimal supervision and cooperatively in a team environment.Self-starter with ability to quickly create a positive network of relationships.A hard worker with a high energy level. A "˜doer' with a willingness to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety of fundraising related activities.Ability to work well under pressure and adapt easily to changing situations and priorities. Good judgment and consensus building skills.Willingness to accept additional responsibilities as requested by the CEO andor Boards of Directors.Impeccable integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and a sense of humor.EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree is required. Advanced degree is a PENSATION: The target compensation range for this position is $170,000 to $185,000, which will be based upon background and experience.CONTACT:Scott E. MillerScott Miller Executive Search3041 Baker StreetSan Francisco, CA 94123Urban Alchemy shares a special bond with society's most vulnerable because they see themselves in their struggle. When doing their work, they recognize the humanity in those who are struggling and treat them how they once wished others had treated them. People who have been incarcerated, experienced homelessness andor come from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply because they believe they have unique skills and abilities to engage with people who are struggling. Urban Alchemy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Urban Alchemy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.

Created: 2025-02-21