Primary Functions: The Director of Development is responsible for leading the Development and
Communications teams to achieve the annual fundraising goal of approximately $2.0 million and external communications. The Director of Development is an experienced major gifts fundraiser, stewarding a portfolio of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Director of Development formulates a dynamic plan to secure new sources of support by accessing and identifying financial needs in the school, researching potential funders, and composing case statements and unique funding proposals. The Director of Development serves as a key liaison to stakeholders including individuals, community organizations, corporations, and foundations invested in Cristo Rey Research Triangle's success.
Organization Summary
Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School is an affordable Catholic high school located in Durham, North Carolina. Our mission is to deliver a career-focused college preparatory education for students with limited economic resources. We provide a unique educational experience by integrating rigorous academic curricula with four years of real-world work experience. In our third year of operation, we are growing from grades 9-11 and 210 students to serving 400 students in grades 9-12 and a robust graduate support program. While we currently have a $4.5 million budget, we expect to have a projected $8 million budget at full enrollment.
Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School is part of an expanding national Cristo Rey Network where each student works one day per week in an entry-level corporate job to develop professional skills while earning half the cost of their education. There are currently 39 Cristo Rey Network high schools across the country, with additional schools coming. Collectively, our schools serve over 12,000 students in grade 9-12 and have over 28,000 graduates. The Network goal is for 70% of graduates to achieve a college degree within six years of high school graduation.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Understand, embrace, and implement the school's Cristo Rey and Jesuit mission and philosophy, and model the school's philosophy in working with students, parents, colleagues, benefactors, corporate partners, and administration.
Fundraising Responsibilities:
? Direct a comprehensive fundraising program for an annual goal of approximately $2.0 million
including Annual and Capital.
? Work closely with the President on major and principal donor strategies.
? Prepare and pitch proposals for funding by individual donors and foundations and explore creative, multi-year requests;
? Work closely with the Director of Corporate Work Study to engage current and prospective job
partners with philanthropic activities of Cristo Rey.
Communication Responsibilities
? Develop and implement a strategy to continuously raise the school's profile in the Research Triangle across mediums in collaboration with the Communication Manager.
? Develop and implement comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for all donors.
Dir of Development
? Steward a portfolio of major donors and ensure they are engaged in the work of Cristo Rey through
creative impact reports, thoughtful acknowledgements, and personal interactions.
? Collaborate with the leadership team to provide content for and input on publications, newsletters, and marketing materials, as well as ensure messaging and branding of all communications and event activities meet high standards.
Administrative Responsibilities
? Work closely with the President to set fundraising goals that are approved by the Board of Directors and accomplish goals against monitored expenses.
? Build annual expense budget for all development functions and monitor expenses throughout the year.
? Provide support to the President in areas of board reporting and board member identification and recruitment.
? Staff all meetings in the Development Committee of the Board of Directors.
? Participate in Cristo Rey Network meetings and events as necessary and represent Cristo Rey
Research Triangle at conferences, meetings, and events.
? Hire and manage a professional fundraising team responsible for the calendar of appeals, individual, corporate and foundation proposals, scholarship management, relationship building, database management, stewardship, communications, and special event fundraising.
? Provide guidance, leadership, and direction, including clearly defined performance expectations, and encourage professional development for the development team.
? Utilize CRM system to track and plan all donor interactions and file correspondence as appropriate.
Ensure that CRM system is properly maintained, and gift acknowledgements are timely.
? Collaborate with the Business Office to ensure accurate record keeping for audit and reporting
purposes.
? Perform other duties and special projects as requested by the President.
Experience Requirements
? High energy and passion for the Cristo Rey mission is essential.
? Understanding of the various social and professional networks within the Research Triangle
? Professional experience in a non-profit organization; demonstrated success in advancement and
development managing and forging relationships with multiple donor sources.
? Proven experience in building new relationships and cultivating existing relationships.
? Demonstrated experience in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting stewarded individual gifts,
foundation grants, and gifts of $100,000 and above.
? Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships.
? Ability to construct, articulate, and implement annual strategic development plan to secure
fundraising for operations and capital improvements.
? Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.