Job Description
Development Director
Organization Profile
Room to Read's mission is to provide under-privileged children with an opportunity to gain the lifelong gift of education. The organization was founded on the belief that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and taking control of ones own life. We currently work in Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Zambia – countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. In 2007, we began our expansion into Bangladesh.
Room to Read is a results-driven organization that seeks to intervene early in a child's life to provide ongoing educational opportunities in their communities. We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We have developed a successful approach to building educational infrastructure and opportunities which consists of:
- Partnering with communities to build schools through challenge grants
- Establishing bi-lingual libraries
- Publishing local language children's books
- Establishing computer and language labs
- Providing long-term scholarships to girls
Since our inception, Room to Read's worldwide team has impacted over 1.7 million children by constructing more than 440 schools, establishing over 5,100 libraries, publishing 226 new children's book titles in 11 local languages, and putting over 4,000 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 and have 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$22 million, and our global staff numbers over 175; both of these figures will continue to grow rapidly in 2008. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, our Asia Regional Office is located in New Delhi, and we have program offices in Colombo, 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
Room to Read has experienced tremendous growth since its founding in 2000. We are now seeking a Development Director, to focus on fundraising from individuals and family foundations located along the eastern seaboard, Chicago and eastern Canada. This position can be based in San Francisco or New York, and the Development Director will be expected to travel approximately 30-40% annually.
The Development Director will be an integral part of our dynamic US-based development team and will report directly to the Senior Development Director.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Serve as the first point of contact and main liaison for Room to Read on the East Coast (including New York, Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago and Toronto)
- Focus on individuals and family foundations capable of making donations of $50,000+ annually
- Source and maintain relationships with donors on the East Coast, primarily individuals and family foundations with a goal of $2MM+ annually
- Integral in the cultivation, stewardship and solicitation of major donor prospects in support of Room to Read's first-ever fundraising campaign which will be launch in early 2008 with the goal of raising $50MM over three years
- Represent Room to Read at fundraising events and in donor cultivation meetings
- Coordinate and support events to spread the word about Room to Read
- Liaise with the Global Office on donor communications, strategy, and reporting
- Assist with individual and family foundation research
- Serve as the organizational liaison on logistical issues for individuals doing fundraising campaigns for Room to Read on the East Coast
- Maintain Raiser's Edge Database with accurate donor records and information
- Assist with coordination of local fundraising chapters in Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington, DC and Toronto
- Possibility of managing 1 staff member
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 30-50% of the time to the East Coast and Canada
- Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people
- Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization
- Legally eligible to work in the United States; no sponsorship provided
- Experience living or working internationally 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 401K 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 and resume by email with "Development Director" in the subject line (no letters, calls, faxes, or drop-ins) to hiring@roomtoread.org. Due to high applicant volume, you may not receive a response from Room to Read.
Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.
