Los Angeles- Director of Development

Director of Development- Los Angeles

About College Track
College Track is a comprehensive college completion program that empowers students from underserved communities to graduate from college. From ninth grade through college graduation, our 10-year program removes the academic, financial, and social-emotional barriers that prevent low-income and first-generation students from earning their college degree. In 1997, we started with 25 students in East Palo Alto, and today, we have ten centers located in underserved communities across California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C. Metro Area with more than 3,000 students on the path to upward social mobility.

Seven years ago, College Track opened our first Los Angeles center with 57 students in the diverse community of Boyle Heights. Today, more than 600 smart, talented, and determined students from Boyle Heights and Watts are on the path to a college degree--and a life of choice and opportunity. In FY20, College Track Los Angeles will expand and open a third center in the South Los Angeles community.

To learn more, please visit www.collegetrack.org

Our Impact
College Track students graduate from college at a rate that is more than double the national average for low-income and first-generation students. Five years out of college, our graduates are employed full-time, and over 85% report earnings greater than their parents. By helping our students maximize the value of their four-year college degree, which includes minimizing student loan debt, securing internships, and limiting the need to work while in college--we prepare them to succeed in the 21st century economy.

Our Values
At College Track, our values drive the way we do our work, and we look for individuals who share our passion. We blend an entrepreneurial spirit with our nonprofit roots, cultivating a dynamic culture where everyone's contributions are valued and encouraged.

* COMMITMENT: We have an unwavering belief in our students.​
* PASSION: We are dedicated to changing our nation’s college completion story.​
* JOY: We create environments rich with smiles and laughter.​
* AUTHENTICITY: We believe relationships matter.​
* EXCELLENCE: Our students deserve nothing but the best.

Position Overview
The Director of Development serves as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting College Track in Los Angeles. Reporting to the Regional Executive Director, the Director of Development is responsible for all regional fundraising and development activities. The Director of Development both supports the Executive Director's fundraising activities and is a key fundraiser responsible for expanding and diversifying the funder base. The position requires the ability to develop and implement a strategic development plan and build and manage a team of development professionals. The Director of Development must be confident in his or her ability to raise $3.7m in their first year, with the expectation of raising more than $7m by 2025, and confident in their ability to cultivate and steward major gifts from individual philanthropists ($25,000+). The successful candidate will help forge new relationships to build the visibility, impact, and financial resources of College Track in Los Angeles. He/she must be an exceptional manager who sets high expectations and is passionate about enabling the development team to meet those expectations.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

Regional Development Strategy
* Create and implement an effective, region-wide development strategy across a wide-range of development programs that meet or exceed revenue goals supporting the long-term sustainability of our existing centers in Boyle Heights and Watts and sustaining the expansion into South LA.
* Oversee the development and execution of individual and institutional giving strategies and manage team toward meeting or exceeding revenue goals
* Develop strategies to host regional development events that raise funds and awareness of College Track’s work in Los Angeles
* In partnership with College Track national and the Regional Executive Director, create and lead the implementation of strategies to leverage marketing, branding, and social media opportunities to raise awareness of College Track and advance the region’s revenue goals
* Deeply understand College Track’s work and programmatic needs and build relationships with the site teams, students, local alumni and college students to support fundraising efficacy
* Help shape organizational strategy and play a leadership role in implementing the region’s local operating plan as a member of the Leadership Team

Major Gifts
* Develop a revenue growth plan and strategy that includes building a major gifts program that drives growth
* Identify, cultivate, and solicit a diverse base of individual donors, including local advisory board members with the potential to contribute at a level of $25,000 or more annually
* Identify major donors' philanthropic interests and oversee the implementation of a major donor stewardship strategy that provides donors an outstanding experience through their charitable investment of time, advocacy, and financial support
* Work with the Regional Executive Director and College Track’s national development team to partner with members of the Local Advisory Board and the National Board of Directors to identify and capitalize on major gift opportunities
* Serve as a primary development contact for major donors

Development Operations
* Oversee the creation of first-in-class regional development systems to manage the entire development process, from prospect research through collections to stewardship and everything in between
* Identify areas for operational improvements and drive continual improvements of processes
* Design regional systems to produce grant proposals and reports, generate social media posts and newsletters, organize marketing and stewardship materials, and plan events
* Oversee the regional development team to document all development activities in Salesforce and send thank you letters within 48 hours
* In partnership with the Regional Executive Director, develop the region’s annual revenue projections
* Lead monthly regional development meetings with the Vice President of Development, Chief of Regions, the regional development team and Regional Executive Director
* Ensure the College Track Los Angeles collaborates with national finance and development staff so that all grant proposals, proposal budgets, regional financial documents, and grant reports are timely, accurate, and aligned with organizational strategic priorities and grant obligations

Team Management
* Hire, manage, coach, and retain a team of high performing development professionals who effectively execute fundraising across different aspects of the development pipeline – institutional philanthropy and individual giving
* Establish and maintain a development team culture that embodies College Track’s values and operating principles

National and Local Advisory Board
* In partnership with the Regional Executive Director, create a Local Advisory Board strategy and help recruit new board members, growing the local advisory board to 10 members in the next year
* Develop strategies to leverage each Local Advisory Board member’s individual skills, inspiring them to invest personally in College Track, help organize College Track events, and actively open doors and fundraise on behalf of College Track
* Oversee the creation of agendas and materials, and help lead Local Advisory Board meetings
* In partnership with the Regional Executive Director and national development team, support engagement of National Board members to meet and exceed fundraising targets

Skills & Experience Required
* 7+ years of experience in nonprofit fundraising
* Demonstrated success building a development function
* Proven ability to effectively develop and steward long-term relationships with high net worth individuals
* Proven track record in corporate, foundation, government and major gift fundraising, including closing six figure gifts
* Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships
* Strategic thinker with ability to manage short-term and long-term plans and goals, with a record of achieving results.
* Demonstrated successful management of a team, including demonstrated experience driving the professional growth of staff members required.
* Strong organizational skills
* Extensive experience with donor database management; Salesforce experience highly preferred.
* Ability to work both independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside College Track
* Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree preferred

Qualities:
Additionally, the ideal candidate embodies the following qualities: A tenacious problem solver who is driven by results; believes in the potential of all students to reach their full potential; high level of self-awareness, humility, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence; committed to succeeding in a team environment, possesses a high standard of discipline and growth mindset orientation

Compensation & Benefits
College Track offers a competitive salary based on the organization’s compensation philosophy, which is grounded in market data. We also offer comprehensive health & welfare benefits and top of the market paid time off.

To Apply
Please upload a resume and cover letter with your application. We will only contact candidates chosen for further consideration. No phone inquiries please.

College Track is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce. College Track does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.