Director of Development and Communications

Director of Development and Communication

Position Summary:

The Director of Development and Communication for Jessica’s House will be the professional leader for fundraising and communication for Jessica’s House. The position partners with the Executive Director, staff, and volunteers to best position the organization for effective donor cultivation and stewardship. As such, this individual must be able to cultivate the successful solicitation of high net-worth donors, securing of corporate and foundation gifts and grants, and engagement and motivation of stakeholders to help maximize the organization’s current impact and future growth.

This is a new position at Jessica’s House, coinciding with start of a capital campaign. The Director of Development and Communication will work with the Executive Director and Campaign Consultant to  help establish the capital campaign, coordinate campaign activities and support a substantial team effort involving leading volunteers and donors. The position will also be responsible for coordinating regular program communications and annual fundraising activities, including (but not limited to) major and planned gifts, grant writing and management, fundraising and donor appreciation events, annual giving, branding, messaging, social media, and communications to all constituents.

The position will require high quality communication, relationship building, and strategic thinking skills, demonstrated both in writing, one-on-one meetings, small groups and larger group presentations. While direct experience in fundraising is preferred, candidates may also be able to draw on experience in marketing and communications to qualify for this positon.

Attributes and competencies for staff at Jessica’s House:

Jessica’s House is a department of EMC Health Foundation. The parent corporation, EMC Health (formerly Emanuel Medical Center), was founded in 1917 to serve the ill of all social, ethnic and religious backgrounds in its community. It is operated on behalf of the Board of Benevolence of the Evangelical Covenant Church. The mission, core values and ethical guidelines of EMC Health Foundation are rooted in the historic Christian faith, and, still more broadly, the Judeo-Christian tradition.

• Accountability –Accountable to others, and effective in promoting an accountable culture when working in teams. Willing to make appropriate sacrifices to meet team goals.
• Compassion – Exhibits compassion towards the children and families who seek our help and for fellow staff, trainees, and volunteers. Sensitive to the nature of Jessica’s House.
• Integrity – Maintains high ethical standards. Exemplifies honesty with strong moral principles. When situations are ambiguous, is inclusive and collaborative when making decisions. Earns trust and maintains confidences.
• Positive Attitude – Consistently looks for the good in coworkers and workplace. Maintains enthusiasm for the work they do and the larger mission.
• Adaptability – Demonstrates an ability to learn quickly and adapts to changing environments.

• Organization – Able to work in a systematic manner; documents key processes as needed to allow transparency across other team members.
• Efficiency – Prioritizes tasks appropriately and focuses on higher priorities to produce key results with minimal wasted effort.
• Persistence – Demonstrates tenacity and willingness to take initiative and contribute to departmental and team goals.

• Respect – Demonstrates, through behavior and communication, a respect for the work environment and for fellow colleagues. Takes care of communal space and considers how actions will affect others. Helps coworkers when able to make the jobs of others easier or more productive.

Required experience, knowledge, skills and abilities sought:

• Experience in philanthropy and communications leadership highly desired.
• Experience in major gifts fundraising highly desired.
• Experience in managing and developing direct reports.
• Exceptional capacity for leading and motivating people; a team builder with the ability to connect on an individual level and in large groups.
• Exceptional skills in relationship building.
• Strategic thinker skilled and tactical in making direct requests for financial support.
• Excellent oral communication, presentation, listening, and interpersonal skills; able to tell a story with passion and make complex ideas and topics understandable.
• Equally comfortable talking with high net-worth individuals, corporate leaders, grassroots volunteers, and other constituents.
• Excellent writing and editing skills with a high level of attention to detail.
• Understanding and experience in social media and how it can be leveraged for donor acquisition, cultivation and program promotion.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines with a capital campaign and development—completing projects on time and on budget—including coordinating teams of professional staff, board members, subcontractors, and volunteers.
• Known for executing projects at a high-quality level, on time, under pressure, and with diplomacy.
• Experience successfully collaborating with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrates flexibility during organizational growth and change.
• Respectful and thoughtful about bereavement support and the impact of this process on the constituency served at Jessica’s House.
• Familiarity developing and implementing planned giving strategies.
• Experience and skill in budget development and execution.
• Ability to work independently and seek guidance as appropriate.
• Proven ability to manage and resolve conflict to enhance organizational learning and outcomes.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Co-Lead efforts to raise funds and awareness of the mission of Jessica’s House.
• Work with consulting team to develop and implement the capital campaign.
• Inspire staff and volunteers, including committees, grant writing and reporting, volunteer coordination, event coordination, website management, and social media communication.
• Oversee the planning, budgeting, and execution of all fundraising events, including the annual Benevon speakers’ series luncheon.

• Implement social media strategic plan for all development and program promotion.
• Work with staff and volunteers to continually steward our core donor base, as well as to identify prospective donors and introduce them to Jessica’s House.
• Implement a strategy for enhancing and solidifying relationships previously established and maintained by the founders to ensure sustainability.
• Oversee major gift stewardship plan, including targeted communication, collateral, and recognition.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual and corporate donors. Record and detail meetings and phone calls/email exchanges with individual donors, corporations, and foundations in database.
• Promote multi-year pledges that contribute to financial stability and long-term sustainability for the organization.
• Work with the Executive Director, staff, and volunteers to cultivate opportunities for increased awareness, grants, and sponsorships at the local and national level.
• Work with outside experts on bequests and planned giving to develop a planned giving program for Jessica’s House.
• Coordinate the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including, but not limited to, newsletters, direct mail pieces, brochures, reports, invitations, press releases, and websites.
• Proofread and coordinate delivery of correspondence, stewardship and recognition related communication, as well as prospect inquiries and donor gift proposals.
• Ensure integration of marketing and social media strategies with donor cultivation.
• Attend team and organizational meetings, activities, and events as required.
• Support volunteers to accomplish their annual goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Duties:

• Volunteers

  

  Director of Development and Communication

  Position Summary:

  The Director of Development and Communication for Jessica’s House will be the professional leader for fundraising and communication for Jessica’s House. The position partners with the Executive Director, staff, and volunteers to best position the organization for effective donor cultivation and stewardship. As such, this individual must be able to cultivate the successful solicitation of high net-worth donors, securing of corporate and foundation gifts and grants, and engagement and motivation of stakeholders to help maximize the organization’s current impact and future growth.

  This is a new position at Jessica’s House, coinciding with start of a capital campaign. The Director of Development and Communication will work with the Executive Director and Campaign Consultant to  help establish the capital campaign, coordinate campaign activities and support a substantial team effort involving leading volunteers and donors. The position will also be responsible for coordinating regular program communications and annual fundraising activities, including (but not limited to) major and planned gifts, grant writing and management, fundraising and donor appreciation events, annual giving, branding, messaging, social media, and communications to all constituents.

  The position will require high quality communication, relationship building, and strategic thinking skills, demonstrated both in writing, one-on-one meetings, small groups and larger group presentations. While direct experience in fundraising is preferred, candidates may also be able to draw on experience in marketing and communications to qualify for this positon.

  Attributes and competencies for staff at Jessica’s House:

  Jessica’s House is a department of EMC Health Foundation. The parent corporation, EMC Health (formerly Emanuel Medical Center), was founded in 1917 to serve the ill of all social, ethnic and religious backgrounds in its community. It is operated on behalf of the Board of Benevolence of the Evangelical Covenant Church. The mission, core values and ethical guidelines of EMC Health Foundation are rooted in the historic Christian faith, and, still more broadly, the Judeo-Christian tradition.

• Accountability –Accountable to others, and effective in promoting an accountable culture when working in teams. Willing to make appropriate sacrifices to meet team goals.
• Compassion – Exhibits compassion towards the children and families who seek our help and for fellow staff, trainees, and volunteers. Sensitive to the nature of Jessica’s House.
• Integrity – Maintains high ethical standards. Exemplifies honesty with strong moral principles. When situations are ambiguous, is inclusive and collaborative when making decisions. Earns trust and maintains confidences.
• Positive Attitude – Consistently looks for the good in coworkers and workplace. Maintains enthusiasm for the work they do and the larger mission.
• Adaptability – Demonstrates an ability to learn quickly and adapts to changing environments.
• Organization – Able to work in a systematic manner; documents key processes as needed to allow transparency across other team members.
• Efficiency – Prioritizes tasks appropriately and focuses on higher priorities to produce key results with minimal wasted effort.
• Persistence – Demonstrates tenacity and willingness to take initiative and contribute to departmental and team goals.
• Respect – Demonstrates, through behavior and communication, a respect for the work environment and for fellow colleagues. Takes care of communal space and considers how actions will affect others. Helps coworkers when able to make the jobs of others easier or more productive.

• Required experience, knowledge, skills and abilities sought:

• Experience in philanthropy and communications leadership highly desired.
• Experience in major gifts fundraising highly desired.
• Experience in managing and developing direct reports.
• Exceptional capacity for leading and motivating people; a team builder with the ability to connect on an individual level and in large groups.
• Exceptional skills in relationship building.
• Strategic thinker skilled and tactical in making direct requests for financial support.
• Excellent oral communication, presentation, listening, and interpersonal skills; able to tell a story with passion and make complex ideas and topics understandable.
• Equally comfortable talking with high net-worth individuals, corporate leaders, grassroots volunteers, and other constituents.
• Excellent writing and editing skills with a high level of attention to detail.
• Understanding and experience in social media and how it can be leveraged for donor acquisition, cultivation and program promotion.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines with a capital campaign and development—completing projects on time and on budget—including coordinating teams of professional staff, board members, subcontractors, and volunteers.
• Known for executing projects at a high-quality level, on time, under pressure, and with diplomacy.
• Experience successfully collaborating with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrates flexibility during organizational growth and change.
• Respectful and thoughtful about bereavement support and the impact of this process on the constituency served at Jessica’s House.
• Familiarity developing and implementing planned giving strategies.
• Experience and skill in budget development and execution.
• Ability to work independently and seek guidance as appropriate.
• Proven ability to manage and resolve conflict to enhance organizational learning and outcomes.

• Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Co-Lead efforts to raise funds and awareness of the mission of Jessica’s House.
• Work with consulting team to develop and implement the capital campaign.
• Inspire staff and volunteers, including committees, grant writing and reporting, volunteer coordination, event coordination, website management, and social media communication.
• Oversee the planning, budgeting, and execution of all fundraising events, including the annual Benevon speakers’ series luncheon.
• Implement social media strategic plan for all development and program promotion.
• Work with staff and volunteers to continually steward our core donor base, as well as to identify prospective donors and introduce them to Jessica’s House.
• Implement a strategy for enhancing and solidifying relationships previously established and maintained by the founders to ensure sustainability.
• Oversee major gift stewardship plan, including targeted communication, collateral, and recognition.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual and corporate donors. Record and detail meetings and phone calls/email exchanges with individual donors, corporations, and foundations in database.
• Promote multi-year pledges that contribute to financial stability and long-term sustainability for the organization.
• Work with the Executive Director, staff, and volunteers to cultivate opportunities for increased awareness, grants, and sponsorships at the local and national level.
• Work with outside experts on bequests and planned giving to develop a planned giving program for Jessica’s House.
• Coordinate the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including, but not limited to, newsletters, direct mail pieces, brochures, reports, invitations, press releases, and websites.
• Proofread and coordinate delivery of correspondence, stewardship and recognition related communication, as well as prospect inquiries and donor gift proposals.
• Ensure integration of marketing and social media strategies with donor cultivation.
• Attend team and organizational meetings, activities, and events as required.
• Support volunteers to accomplish their annual goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Supervisory Duties:

• Volunteers