Director of Philanthropy

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Summary/Objective 

Reporting to the Chief Finance and Operations Officer, the Director of Philanthropy will lead and expand comprehensive fundraising efforts by overseeing the major and planned gifts program, managing donor relations, and driving overall cultivation and stewardship through personalized donor contacts to increase resources to ACLU- DC. Additionally, the Director of Philanthropy is responsible for oversight of coordination with finance as well as reporting to the Board of Directors on revenues and engagement opportunities. 

The Director of Philanthropy is responsible for setting the overall philanthropic strategy, soliciting and maintaining donor relationships, directing the foundation grants program, and ensuring the execution of the philanthropic portfolio.  

The Director of Philanthropy works in close coordination with our legal, policy, and communications teams, the national ACLU staff, and other local and national partners to advance our revenue goals. 

Essential Functions 
 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. 

Philanthropic Strategy & Leadership 

• Develop and execute a strategic gift solicitation program to sustain and increase resources to the ACLU-DC, with a focus on the acquisition of major and planned gifts from high level prospects and donors.  
• Work collaboratively and cooperatively with other program staff and colleagues at the National office to ensure the most strategic donor-driven strategies. 
• Manage a cost-effective budget, managing expenses related to fundraising. 
• Collaborate with the National ACLU Office of Gift Planning to develop and implement strategies for cultivating planned giving relationships with new and existing donors and prospects. 
• Participate in the development of the messages, materials, and explanations of our work used in strategic donor communications.  
• Contribute to the development of the Annual Report and other materials that advance the ACLU’s mission and visibility to donors. 

Program Management 

• Create and ensure the execution of a 50 - 75-person portfolio through a process of identifying/qualifying, strategizing, directly soliciting, and stewarding leadership gifts of $10,000+, including planned gifts, from individual donors. 
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned donors in the major donor portfolio as well as support other key primary relationship managers assigned to donors in the portfolio, such as the Executive Director. 
• Create and implement comprehensive individual strategies for each major donor in the portfolio. Staff the Executive Director and other key solicitors in preparation for solicitation or stewardship opportunities, including appropriate briefing materials in advance of meetings. 
• Ensure appropriate and timely year-round cultivation and stewardship through meaningful and personalized donor contacts. 
• Ensure the tracking of portfolio activity and progress by ensuring that donor activity is kept up to date in the donor database. Create reports that reflect donor activity and program performance. 
• Maintain working knowledge of affiliate and national programmatic priorities and issues. 
• Direct the ACLU grants-to-affiliate program, including strategic prospect research, scheduling, writing, grant preparation, and reporting. 
• Assure the proper recording, tracking, and reporting of gifts from major donors in the donor database. Assure the maintenance of accurate and current data files, including giving histories, profiles, and interactions. Become proficient in National ACLU sharing formulas, produce reports for annual audits, and verify reconciliation of funds between ACLU-DC and the National office. 
• Report at regular intervals on current revenue to the Executive Director and Board of Directors. 
• Assist in projection scenarios for different financial probabilities. 

Internal Relations & Supervision 

• Work collaboratively and respectfully with other departments and colleagues. Facilitate interdepartmental communication so that staff are informed of ACLU-DC developments and activities. 
• Recruit and manage development department staff and volunteers. 
• Oversee donor engagement—including portfolio management and event execution—of Development staff, incorporating principles of community-centric fundraising into all levels of fundraising.
• Work with vendors and contractors to design and produce communications materials as needed. 
• Collaborate and delegate on ACLU functions, such as the annual membership meeting, occasional Board meetings and other ACLU events. 
• Assist the Chief Finance and Operations Officer in maintaining a strong team spirit within the office
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Chief Finance and Operations Officer. 

Education and Experience 

Required 

• Bachelor's degree. 
• Minimum of seven years of experience in nonprofit fundraising with a proven track record of soliciting, closing, and stewarding leadership gifts of $10,000+.
• Experience soliciting planned gifts is also desired. 
• Management experience of one year, with volunteer or intern management applicable. 
• Demonstrated experience developing long-term cultivation and solicitation strategies for high-level prospects and donors. 

Competencies 

• Superb interpersonal, oral, and written communication and presentation skills; demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, comfortably, and respectfully with donors, staff, and lay leaders. 
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to be detail-oriented and manage multiple projects while meeting deadlines. 
• Ability to understand and speak compellingly about the ACLU’s work across the many issue areas of civil liberties and civil rights. Ability to simplify complex themes and activities into a short, compelling presentation or written piece. Experience in working with advocacy and/or community-based organizations is desirable. 
• A confident and professional work style. Ability to take personal initiative and work independently as well as the ability to collaborate with others on donor strategies in a team-oriented approach. 
• Broad understanding of multi-faceted campaign planning, implementation, and management.
• A commitment to diversity; a personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance. Experience and comfort with donor database management and systems to track donor history and activity and ensure complete donor records. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite. 
• Ability to travel as well as work occasional overtime or irregular hours. 
• Flexibility and a willingness to take on new tasks as the responsibilities of the position evolve. Ability to work independently and stay organized in a fast-paced environment, while managing several projects simultaneously and adjusting to frequently shifting, immediate demands. 
• Strong team building and organizing skills. 

Supervisory Responsibilities 

This position is responsible for supervising the development department staff. 

Work Environment 

• Organization is hybrid. 
• On-site environment is a professional office. 

Physical Demands 

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times. 

Travel Required 

This position requires regular off-site travel within the DC area as needed. 

Work Authorization/Security Clearance Requirements 

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. 

Diversity & Equal Opportunity Statement 

The ACLU of the District of Columbia is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maximizing our team’s diversity and want to involve all those who can contribute to our inclusive culture. We support all qualified individuals within our workforce without regard to race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to supporting persons with disabilities in their work and encourage their request for needed job accommodations. 
 

Other Duties 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 
 

Compensation

Salary Range: $135,000 - $145,000

To Apply

Applications must be submitted via the Bamboo HR application page linked on our website at acludc.org. If you have a disability/ies and need accommodation regarding any part of the application process, please contact us at [email protected]. To complete the application, you will need to upload:

• Current resume
• Cover letter explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position as detailed in the job description

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis; applying sooner is encouraged. The position will remain open until filled. This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU-DC reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.