The Senior Director of Development leads a team of professionals and is responsible for developing, directing and implementing a multi-year, multifaceted local and national fundraising strategy. The Senior Director will expand and enhance Clarke’s fundraising capacity in collaboration with the Board of Trustees and senior leadership, overseeing the stewardship of Clarke’s vast portfolio of individual and institutional funders, from small annual donors to six-figure partners, and executing strategies for continuing to expand Clarke’s pool of local and national supporters.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Management and Administration

o Foster a team culture that embraces networking and professional development.

o Lead, mentor and supervise the Development Team comprised of a Director of Foundation Relations, a part-time Grant Writer,  regional Development and Communication Managers and a Development Analyst

o Manage the revenue and expense budgets, initiatives and calendar of appeals, campaigns and activities

o Oversee fiscal and financial operations related to gifts and grants, working in close collaboration with the Accounting and Finance Team

o Oversee functionality and renewals of the Foundation Directory,  Classy, Clarke’s online donation platform, and Raiser’s Edge, the donor database

National Fundraising Leadership 

o Develop, direct and implement an ambitious multi-year, multifaceted fundraising strategy setting annual goals

o Collaborate with the Chief Communications Officer to develop and implement multi-channel national campaigns, sponsorships and appeals

o Spearhead alum engagement

o Oversee special events across Clarke’s five locations and donor cultivation events at each location; create other opportunities for donor cultivation and engagement. 

o Work on special projects and other duties as assigned by the Chief Communications Officer

Foundations and Grants

o In collaboration with team members, strategically expand Clarke’s foundation portfolio

o Collaborate with the Director of Foundation Relations and a part-time grant writer on foundation cultivation and stewardship

o Enhance and expand the role of fundraising committees as a vehicle to identify and cultivate foundation support and transformational giving

Major Donors and Planned Gifts

o Lead and oversee the organization’s major gift strategy employing the Moves Management approach 

o Coordinate primary relationship management with major donors, working toward successfully closing gift solicitations in the five- and six-figure range

o Oversee and drive cultivation and stewardship efforts

o Execute planned giving strategies

Board, Committees and Volunteers

o Support the Development and Communications Managers in galvanizing regional supporters and business/community leaders

o Collaborate with the Chief Communications Officer to build on the Board’s Give/Get Policy to develop and implement an annual trustee cultivation and stewardship program

Other Duties:

· Participate in Clarke’s Leadership Team

· Participate in cross-functional work teams when relevant to communications work

· Travel and attendance at events outside of traditional business hours, including evenings and weekends, are required

Physical demands:

· Stand or sit for long periods of time

· Travel by train, bus, plane and/or car

The ideal candidate is a strategic planner with demonstrated major gift and foundation relations experience. The individual exhibits:

• A minimum of seven to ten years of strategic-level fundraising experience and management/supervisory experience 
• Demonstrated experience leading foundation relations, ideally with a portfolio of national foundations supporting early childhood education, special education and/or children with special needs
• Demonstrated success in identifying and securing foundation grants of five figures and greater
• Demonstrated success generating increased individual giving through events, annual appeals and online giving
• Knowledge of planned giving principles
• Experience working at a multi-site organization
• Excellent interpersonal skills and relationship building skills
• Strong leadership and management skills with an established record as an innovator, problem-solver, collaborative team builder and motivator
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and strong decision-making skills
• An “outcome orientation” with the ability to effectively manage multiple responsibilities while maintaining the big picture as it relates to the mission and the financial success of the organization
• Strong written communication and editing skills and experience writing grant proposals, reports and campaign materials
• A strong track record of effectively partnering with thought leaders and executives
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and hands-on experience with Raiser’s Edge or other donor database
• Commitment to the organization’s mission and desire to learn the field 
• Willingness and ability to travel
• Bachelor’s degree required