Family Connections – Director of Development

NOTE: This job is no longer available.

Mission
FamilyConnections is dedicated to improving the development of young children and building a strong foundation for their success by educating and supporting the adults in their lives – parents, child care providers, teachers and community leaders.

History
In January 2004, Connections Resource Center and Austin Families, Inc. merged to form FamilyConnections. After 10 years of serving children and families in the Austin area, Connections Resource Center was well-established as a thriving, community-based organization for parents and child care providers. Austin Families, Inc. was the Central Texas region’s child care resource and referral agency. Today, FamilyConnections continues the good work of their founding organizations.

Reports to Executive Director. Position is based in Austin, Texas.

Summary
The Director of Development will create fundraising strategies that increase support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other sources, providing the vision, leadership, strategic direction, management and coordination for all fundraising efforts. He or she plays a key role in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting annual and major gifts. The Development Director will work in close collaboration with the Executive Director and other senior staff to achieve fundraising goals.

Responsibilities

• • Plan, administer, and implement all annual and long-range fundraising activities.
• • Manage annual fundraising efforts including personalized mail, direct mail, electronic fundraising and face-to-face solicitation.
• • Implement a major gifts program for individual and corporate support.
• • Maintain a proactive, creative leadership role in the research, identification, cultivation, and solicitation of individual, corporate and foundation gifts.
• • Coordinate the Board’s role in fundraising and manage the Development Committee within the Board’s structure.
• • Collaborate with Community Outreach Coordinator to develop a strategy for identifying and building relationships with private foundations. Assist with grant writing, as needed.
• • Develop and maintain close working relationships with the philanthropic community, individual and corporate donors, Board members and volunteers.
• • Manage the development operation in a fiscally sound manner by ensuring that the appropriate systems and procedures are in place to support fundraising goals.
• • Ensure that all donors are appropriately thanked and receive regular communication by making donor stewardship a priority.
• • Prepare and/or oversee all communication pieces including, but not limited to, direct mail letters, case statements, brochures, newsletters, and sponsorship proposals required to support fundraising efforts.
• • Serve as a visible spokesperson and advocate for FamilyConnections’ mission and programs.

Qualifications

• • Bachelor’s degree required with preference given to individuals with a background in social work, family services or child development.
  • A minimum of three to five years hands-on fundraising experience, preferably with a social service organization.
  • A record of measurable results in organizing and implementing activities such as: major gifts, annual gifts, corporate and foundation giving, direct mail and special events
  • A successful track record of personally identifying, cultivating and soliciting individual donors, corporations and foundations.
  • An ability to conduct basic prospect research.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to successfully work with a wide range of people at varying levels both inside and outside the organization.
  • Proficient in using office tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email and the internet.

Personal Qualities

• • Self starter who initiates and pursues objectives in an organized and efficient manner, prioritizes activities and maintains level of activity without direct supervision.
• • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• • Able to work within a nurturing “family friendly” office environment.
• • A strategic thinker who can see both the details and the big picture.
• • Self-motivated and eager to be successful.
• • Respectful of the organization’s resources.

Salary and Benefits
A competitive salary based on the successful candidate’s education, skills, experience, and potential for contribution toward future success of FamilyConnections is offered as well as an impressive and unique benefits package.

Application Instructions and Deadline
The deadline to apply for this position is 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 30, 2009.

We fully respect the need for confidentiality of information supplied by interested parties and assure them that their backgrounds and interests will not be discussed with anyone, including the leadership of FamilyConnections without prior consent, nor will reference contacts be made until mutual interest has been established.

To apply for this position, please email your résumé, cover letter, writing samples, and three references to jobs@baconlee.com. Please include the position to which you are applying in the subject line of your email.

Beverly Seffel and Mollie Butler
Bacon Lee & Associates
P. O. Box 15018
San Antonio, Texas 78212
Email: jobs@baconlee.com