Development Director

ABOUT US: At New Jersey Future (NJF), we believe that great places help build great lives. To help create and preserve our great places, we promote sensible and equitable planning, redevelopment, and infrastructure investments that foster vibrant cities and towns; protect natural lands and waterways; enhance transportation choices; support a strong economy; and provide access to safe, affordable, and aging-friendly neighborhoods for everyone. We do this through original research, innovative policy development, coalition-building, advocacy, community partnerships, and hands-on strategic assistance. Embracing differences and advancing fairness is central to our mission and operations, and we are firmly committed to pursuing greater justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work and culture. New Jersey Future is located in downtown Trenton, NJ. For more information, visit www.njfuture.org.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Development Director is an experienced professional and strategic thinker who will help advance the organization’s mission, guide the organization’s corporate and individual giving fundraising strategy, oversee and execute its related events and relationship-building activities, and manage relationships across fundraising platforms. The Development Director will supervise and coordinate a collaborative team, partner with the internal Communications team, and work closely with the organization’s staff and board to increase support for the organization. This position reports directly to the Executive Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising and Advancement

Provide strategic leadership for planning, implementing, evaluating, and administering all corporate and individual relationship-building and fundraising strategies. Work collaboratively with the Communications Director and team to develop and implement messaging that supports fundraising and outreach efforts and the advancement of the organization’s mission. Supervise the Digital Communications and Marketing Manager on communications and event planning and implementation, including website development and updates, email marketing, internal communications, social media strategy, and outreach targeting the NJF messages to current and potential supporters. Write solicitation and follow-up letters, emails, and other advancement and marketing materials. Prepare and engage staff and Trustees as ambassadors for NJF as part of their roles with the organization.

Corporate and Organizational Giving

Seek proactive opportunities to communicate about NJF’s mission and work with potential corporate and individual funders. Maintain centralized target lists of contacts within organizations for foundation and corporate giving. Direct NJF’s sponsorship program as part of the event management function as noted below. Develop sponsorship packages with aligned benefits, develop prospect lists, and utilize existing donor database history to attain sponsorship goals. Oversee sponsor benefit details, including ticket packages, exposure for sponsors on digital and print media, ads, exhibits, and other benefits.

Individual Giving

Explore expansion of the individual giving program, including major gifts and legacy giving. Work with the board and staff to implement. Develop a prospective donor list of major gift supporters and create and implement a strategy for relationship development.

Grant Management

Manage the organization’s grant management pipeline, workflow, and schedules. Work collaboratively with the program directors and teams to coordinate the administration of grant requests and reports to ensure that the process involving multiple deadlines, staff, and requirements is systematized efficiently with project schedules and master documents. Assist in writing, editing, and reviewing funding proposals and reports to ensure quality control and deadline requirements. Cultivate and maintain relationships with crucial grant management contacts within funder organizations.

Event Management

Manage and oversee fundraising events, including the NJF Smart Growth Awards, the NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference (in partnership with APA-NJ), and other cultivation and stewardship events. Provide input to program managers and directors on other events as needed.

Database Management

Oversee the NJF database management/CRM system to help NJF optimize data capture, track engagement and activity of individuals and organizations, develop donor prospects and leads, segment and analyze data to increase and diversify engagement, and target communications to maximize effectiveness. Help identify a replacement for the current CRM system, help lead the transition to a new system and its integration with programmatic and financial operations, and evaluate database needs and systems going forward. Ensure confidentiality of all data, contacts, and lists owned by NJF. Provide support and training to select staff within NJF on CRM tools, features, processes, and guidelines.

Staff Management

Hire and supervise direct reports, including preparation of work plans, professional development, training, mentoring, and performance evaluation. Conduct regular check-ins with direct reports and other staff involved in development and advancement work as needed.

REQUIREMENTS 

• Minimum five years of work experience in fundraising and project management in a nonprofit organization.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Excellent project management skills, including successfully directing and managing an organization’s fundraising strategy, program, and staff.
• Experience managing individuals and teams.
• Experience in developing and managing events, especially fundraising events.
• Clarity to establish and achieve specific, measurable, attainable, and time-sensitive goals.
• Capacity to respond quickly, be flexible, and positively adapt to change.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to write and speak about complex issues in a compelling manner.
• Experience in developing and managing a CRM system and using it to effectively market, track individual and organizational engagement, and fundraise.
• Substantial interest, confidence, and ability to build stakeholder relationships.
• Motivated by the organization’s issues and solid mission-driven work ethic.
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience with justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and practices and employment of these values.
• Comfortable with self-reflection, willing to learn, and capable of honestly working through conflict.
• Demonstrated track record of working well in a diverse team environment.
• Ability to learn quickly and work well in a fast-paced environment.

COMPENSATION: The salary for this full-time position is in the range of $75,000 to $95,000 and depends on the candidate’s experience and skills. Salary is negotiable.

BENEFITS: New Jersey Future values hard work and a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible, family-friendly employment policies. Our competitive benefits package for full-time employees includes 100% employer-sponsored medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance coverage for staff, and partial sponsorship of dependents. In addition, we offer a generous health reimbursement account and options for pre-tax flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care costs. New Jersey Future employees enjoy a defined contribution 401(k) retirement plan with a variable employer match, flexible work schedules including the opportunity to work partially remotely, generous paid time off policies, and paid holidays. To encourage the use of public and active transportation, we offer commuter transit subsidies and access to a company car for work meetings. New Jersey Future is committed to the growth and development of staff and fostering a creative, inclusive workplace culture.

 

New Jersey Future employees are working on a hybrid work-from-home and in-office schedule.

Compensation: $75,000 to $95,000