Development Director, Asia/Pacific
Job Description
Organization Profile
Room to Read is an international educational non-governmental organization (NGO) that partners with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children's literature, constructing schools, and providing long-term, holistic scholarships to girls. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education empowers people to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries, and future generations. Through the opportunities that only education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.
We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka,Vietnam, and Zambia - countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children.
Since our inception, Room to Read's worldwide team has impacted over 3.1 million children by constructing more than 760 schools, establishing over 7,000 libraries, publishing 327 new children's book titles in 11 local languages, and putting over 6,800 girls onto long-term, holistic scholarships. We are one of ten non-profits to have won the Fast Company / Monitor Group Social Capitalist award five years in a row, we've received Charity Navigator’s highest rating (4 stars) for three straight years, and we've been featured in a variety of media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and PBS.
Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$25 million, and our global staff numbers over 225. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have smaller fundraising offices in Hong Kong, London, and Delhi. We have an Asia Regional Office located in New Delhi, a Southern Africa Regional Office in Pretoria, and program offices in Colombo, Dhaka, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane. Our long-term goal is to help 10 million children to gain the lifelong gift of education.
Position Overview
We are seeking a Development Director, Asia Pacific, to focus on fundraising from individuals, corporations, and family foundations located in the Asia Pacific region (including primarily Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and other geographies as necessary). This position will be based in Hong Kong and the Development Director, Asia Pacific will be expected to travel approximately 20-25% annually.
The Development Director, Asia Pacific, will be an integral part of our dynamic development team and will report directly to the Chief Development Officer, located in San Francisco at our Global Headquarters.
Duties & Responsibilities
• Serve as the first point of contact and main liaison for Room to Read in the Asia Pacific region.
• Source and maintain relationships with donors in the Asia Pacific region (including individuals, corporations and family foundations) with a goal of raising a minimum of US$2MM+ annually.
• Represent Room to Read at various fundraising events and in donor cultivation meetings.
• Work in conjunction with the Hong Kong-based Development Associate and local volunteer chapters in support of events to spread the word about Room to Read.
• Liaise with the Global Office on donor communications, strategy, and reporting.
• Systematically conduct research on individuals, corporations, and family foundations with the goal of uncovering new prospects in the region.
• Ensure that donor records are accurate within Raiser's Edge and Salesforce.com databases.
• Manage the Hong Kong-based Development Associate whose primary responsibilities include maintaining accurate donor records, overall financial management and coordinating with local volunteer chapters.
Qualifications
Required
• Bachelors degree
• Minimum three years non-profit development experience
• Minimum 5-6 years work experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented organization
• History of dedicated volunteer activity and/or commitment to non-profit organizations
• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute major gift activities
• Positive initiative and mature judgment
• Highly organized and self-motivated
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to ask for and close gifts of $100,000 and above
• Computer literate, with experience in word, excel and Raiser’s Edge a plus
• Able to balance competing priorities, complex situations and tight deadlines.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills in English
• Ability to listen is essential
• Able to ask leading questions that encourage prospects and donors to talk about themselves and their activities
• Ability to travel 20-25% of the time internationally, primarily in the Asia Pacific region
• Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people
• Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization
• Work experience in Asia, Hong Kong strongly preferred
• Hong Kong working visa is a plus
To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:
• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact an up-and-coming non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker - you are not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic, take initiative, and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment
Compensation
Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include health, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, and a provident fund match. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through the lifelong gift of education.
Application Procedure
Please send a cover letter, resume, and hourly requirements by email, with "RtR Asia Dev Director" in the subject line, (no letters, calls, faxes, or drop-ins) to cv@burke-associates.com. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.