Director of Development

Jan 14

Anticipated Start Date: as soon as possible

Description

Summer Search Boston is Seeking a Director of Development to build the program’s fundraising capacity through leading internal development operations and external donor relations. Partnering with Summer Search National’s Managing Director of Development and Boston’s Executive Director, this hire will manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, with the goal of raising approximately $3.5M for FY 2025 and 50% of FY26’s fundraising goal. In addition, the Director of Development will supervise 2-3 staff members working collaboratively to ensure excellent development operations.

Responsibilities

Oversee Summer Search Boston’s development function, including building and implementing a strategic plan, in order to achieve a fundraising goal of approximately $3.5M for FY24 and 50% of FY25’s fundraising goal.
Assume personal responsibility for managing an existing portfolio of ~50 individual donors and family foundations, with the goal of raising over $1.25M annually from this portfolio.
Identify, research, qualify and cultivate new major gift prospects with the capacity to make five- and six-figure gifts.
Build donor-specific cultivation strategies, leveraging staff and Board leadership to solicit and steward prospects and donors.
Act as a key liaison to the Board, working with the group to promote a culture of philanthropy and offering proactive support and guidance for their development activities.
Directly supervise and mentor a Senior Donor Relations Manager and Senior Manager of Institutional Partnerships in order to ensure excellent institutional and individual donor strategy and execution, as well as data tracking and analysis against fundraising goals.
Collaborate with local and national development staff to support key network-wide partnerships with corporate, foundation, and individual donors.
Serve as the strategic lead for Boston signature fundraising events, including Voices of Summer Search.
Represent Summer Search at key networking opportunities and community events with external stakeholders.

Requirements

WHO YOU ARE

The Director of Development is a results and mission driven team player who thrives in an authentic, feedback-driven culture and excels in an entrepreneurial setting. Strong candidates for Director of Development will bring:

EXPERIENCE

You bring at least five years of professional experience in the nonprofit development field, with a successful history of advancing individual relationships toward increased support, ideally at the five- and six-figure level.

FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES

You approach fundraising through an analytical and data-driven lens and are hands-on in translating strategy into tangible activities and goals.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

You partner with prospects and donors by building lasting relationships to support the organizational mission and meet fundraising goals.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

You coach, guide and support members of your team towards achieving individual and collective goals.
As a leader you embody practices to effectively hold space, facilitate professional growth, amplify strengths, and hold staff members accountable.
Your management style reflects your ability to be adaptive, responsive, and supportive of your team to show up as their authentic and full self.

DATA MANAGEMENT

You are adept at the process of acquiring, validating, and managing accurate information within a shared system. You leverage databases to track donor data and organize information within the Development function.

CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS

You understand the root causes of societal discrimination and injustices and are self-reflective about your own privilege and positional power. You apply critical thinking and act toward liberatory and inclusive practices.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

Experience with Raiser’s Edge or comparable fundraising database and all Microsoft Office functions required.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Demonstrated experience in major gifts and community-centric fundraising practices
Must live and be able to work in the Boston area
Prior experience in serving as a liaison to Board development activities preferred
Bachelor’s degree required

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

$110,000-124,175

How to Apply for this Job

Apply Now

About the Organization

Summer Search is a 7-year mentorship program for promising students facing unjust obstacles. Students join the program in their sophomore year of high school and are supported through college or other post-secondary pursuits. We provide comprehensive support through one-on-one mentorship from trained staff, peer-led group mentorship, and summers of experiential learning, while also supporting young people to build a toolkit for navigating and challenging systemic barriers to higher education and career opportunities.

Since our founding in 1990, Summer Search has reached more than 6,500 young people and currently serves more than 3,600 high school and college students in five regions across the country – San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Our alumni become the kind of leaders our country needs -- civic leaders, advocates, industry leaders, teachers, mothers and fathers. Their collective leadership ripples out into the community and future generations and contributes to a more equitable society.

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