Development and Communications Director

DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

REPORTS TO:

Executive Director

ABOUT US:

Little Lights recently celebrated 25 years of ministry in under-resourced communities in Washington, DC, particularly focusing on empowering residents of three public housing communities in Southeast DC: Potomac Gardens, Hopkins, and Benning Terrace. Little Lights is a Christian community-based organization offering academic tutoring, one-to-one mentoring, and spiritual programs for kids, workforce development programs for teens and adults, and family strengthening and spiritual programs for adults and families. Little Lights is also committed to fighting racism.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Development & Communications Director is a vital role at Little Lights, working closely with the Executive Director to craft and implement a multi-pronged approach to fundraising that focuses on individual donors, foundation funding, and church partnerships. Alongside sitting on the director team and providing overall organizational oversight, the Development & Communications Director manages a team of four staff members in raising close to two million dollars annually and maintaining a strong communications presence that connects supporters with the mission of Little Lights.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Cultivating Relationships with Donors & the Board of Directors
  Proactively building relationships on behalf of Little Lights with donors and prospective donors, volunteers, the board of directors, and the broader community of supporters through one-to-one meetings, calls, email, and events.
  Tracking board donations and influenced giving, providing fundraising tools and resources to board members, and meeting regularly with the Fundraising Committee of the Board.
  Strategically Directing All Written, Visual & Digital Communications
  Overseeing the Graphic Designer and Development and Marketing Coordinator in the creation, design, and printing of all communications including but not limited to newsletters, annual reports, direct mail letters, digital fundraising campaigns, monthly e-newsletters, videos, paper suites, signage, promotional materials, and web copy.
  Overseeing Fundraising & Cultivation Events
  Managing the event-planning process from start to finish for various in-person and virtual fundraising and cultivation events, including the annual Little Lights Benefit, the Little Lights Giving Day, and the Little Lights Breakfast.
  Working with the Development & Marketing Coordinator to create promotional materials, strategizing and implementing communications plans, managing registration, crafting a compelling program, writing program scripts, securing venues, etc. to create avenues for supporters and potential supporters to connect with the work of Little Lights.
  Directing All Donation Processing & Database Management
  Overseeing the Development Coordinator in maintaining all donor records in Salesforce, GiveLively, and Stripe, and ensuring accurate and efficient tracking and reporting.
  Working with database consultants and points of contact to make sure systems are working efficiently and are meeting our organizational needs
  Overseeing the donation processing and stewardship process to ensure a positive donor giving experience, with a special focus on the smooth functioning of our monthly giving program.
  Managing the Grant Writing and Reporting Process
  crafts persuasive and compelling grant proposals, submits accurate and timely reports, and continues to grow our network of foundation funders.
  Collaborating significantly with the Program Team to obtain information needed for proposals and to ensure that the data being collected matches our grant reporting needs
  Stewarding the Little Lights Brand & Web Presence
  Managing the Little Lights website, ensuring smooth operations, updated web copy, and the most compelling case for our work.
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree
  5 years minimum of demonstrated nonprofit fundraising and communications success
  Previous supervisory experience
  Experience working in or with one or all of the following highly desired (faith/Christian based organization, at-risk youth, largely minority population)
  Demonstrated success in leading teams or projects
  Excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills
  Experience speaking publicly and making pitches for donations
  Proficiency in Microsoft Office, specifically Excel and Word
  Experience in Salesforce, GiveLively, GrantHub, Stripe, Mailchimp
  A high degree of professionalism
  Ability to genuinely build relationships with donors and foundations
  Exceptional organizational and administrative skills
  Strong attention to details, systems, and processes
  Ability to think creatively and strategically
  A “self-starter” mentality and ability to take initiative
  A heart for serving low-income youth and families

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The Development & Communications Director will be expected to work occasional evening and weekend hours for special events, and may be asked to carry materials for events and around the office.

SALARY:

$80,000-$100,000 commensurate with experience. Health coverage and Short-term and Long-term disability coverage included, along with paid Federal holidays and generous paid personal leave.

START DATE:

As soon as possible

LOCATION:

Currently a mixture of remote work and on-location work.

TO APPLY:

Send your cover letter and resume to [email protected] No phone calls, please.