Director of Development

Position Title: Director of Development

Position Type: Full Time

Salary: $55,000 – $60,000

Reports To: Executive Director, Light from Light

Location: United States, may work remote 

Organizational Profile: Light from Light (LFL) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in the United States, whose mission is to strengthen the foundations of progress in Haitian communities, empowering them for long-lasting change. We envision a day when there is a healthy, self-sustaining rhythm of life in the Haitian communities where we serve.

LFL’s sister organization is a medical clinic located just outside of Port au Prince called Lespwa Timoun (LT), which means “hope for children.” LFL is committed to coming alongside proven local leaders in Haiti to care for some of the most marginalized Haitians. LFL’s core beliefs are:

• We are called by Christ;

• Our beliefs are our motivation, not our mission;

• We must first seek to understand;

• Haitians live in poverty, but can be richly gifted in other ways; and

• Communities are best served by strong local leaders and vision.

About the Opportunity: The Director of Development (DOD) will oversee all fundraising efforts for LFL in the United States. The DOD will implement a comprehensive development program and establish long-range fundraising goals that reflect the organization’s needs and our partner’s priorities. This person will support LFL’s mission by securing philanthropic support at every level, which will further the impact of both LFL’s and LT’s missions. As approximately 90% of LT’s revenues are contributed by LFL, fundraising is an essential function of LFL. Functions overseen by the DOD include:

• Grant writing and annual reporting to donors, including associated budgets;

• In-person solicitation of individual, foundation, and corporate donors;

• Ongoing cultivation of individuals who have visited Haiti with LFL;

• Consistent cultivation of new church partnerships, developing both financial and human resources committed to LFL over time; and

• Oversight of fundraising-related communications efforts, including part of the annual impact report.

The ideal candidate will have a heart for Haiti (and have a willingness to learn about Haitian culture), a leadership style is that is team oriented and marked by highly motivated self-leadership. An understanding of both private and public funder development is essential. This individual will need to have the capacity to manage multiple tasks at one time, achieve ambitious fundraising goals, and represent Light from Light in a positive manner to both current and prospective donors. The DOD will work closely with the Executive Director and Board Leadership.

Job Duties and Responsibilities: Fundraising-related functions:

• Create and implement an ambitious, growth-oriented annual fundraising plan with the Executive Director to expand the LFL donor base – growing both restricted and unrestricted revenues.

• Oversee all fundraising activities, including donor acquisition, solicitation, stewardship, events and communication.

• Develop strategies and implement plans to identify, renew, and upgrade annual donors and play a lead role in developing new fundraising programs.

• Support the growth of LFL’s Sustainer’s Society (monthly giving).

• Manage the analysis and growth of LFL’s donor pool and prospect pipeline, conducting research on prospective donors, as necessary.

• Manage communication between LT and LFL as it relates to any pending grant proposals or grant reports. Ensure that LT staff are aware of any timelines associated with a proposal and/or report submission. Proactively raise issues with LT and LFL leadership to enable timely solutions.

• Learn the eTapestry database.

Other job functions:

• Reply to all LFL inquiries in a timely manner, determining how to best direct those who engage with LFL through a variety of channels (email, social media, etc.).

• Serve as a point of contact for LFL’s church partners. This will include:

o Supporting mission teams before they travel to Haiti;

o Following up with mission team members once they return back to the US; and o Identifying future leaders within church communities that are invested in the mission of LFL – whether for event engagement, donor stewardship, or ongoing volunteer engagement.

• Continually seek out new partnership opportunities with churches and other organizations across the Southeast that are invested in Haiti or would like to be more involved.

• Other duties, as assigned by the Executive Director and/or Board Leadership.

Qualifications:

• Preference given to individuals with five years of development experience.

• Experience with setting fundraising goals, project management, and process improvement efforts.

• Diverse experience, including annual giving, major and planned giving, foundations, corporate and public sector giving.

• Understanding of best practices in development.

• Ability to conceptualize and describe funding needs in a way that is compelling to all stakeholders.

• Demonstrated success in growing a donor base, including strong prospect research skills.

• Experience with managing a variety of donor communications (email, blog posts, e-blasts, etc.).

• Strong analytical and numerical skills, including the ability to understand budgets and financial information.

• Experience in soliciting and securing large gifts.

• Excellent persuasive writing and presentation skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

• Global awareness and a passion for LFL’s mission, which includes being an ambassador for the organization.

Travel:

• Travel may be necessary for the following:

o Meetings with donors or prospective donors across the United States;

o Partnership development across the United States;

o Travel to Haiti (at least 1x/year);

o Other travel, as needed, for professional development, etc.