Director of Development (Fundraising)

Job Title: Director of Development

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports to: Executive Director

Department: Development

Company Overview

Founded in 2010, Blueprint Schools Network (“Blueprint”) is a national nonprofit organization that promotes educational equity and improves life outcomes for students by partnering with states, districts, and schools to plan, implement, and monitor school improvement initiatives.  Blueprint’s whole-school improvement is grounded in a framework of five core strategies.  These strategies emerged through analyses of the attributes that drive student achievement and represent common elements capable of closing the opportunity gap.

The foundation of the Blueprint Math Fellows Program stems from our framework of five strategies that recent research has identified as the biggest drivers of student achievement in high-performing schools.  One of the strategies that consistently demonstrated the most significant gains in student achievement is providing data-driven, small-group, differentiated instruction. In 2010, we launched our small group differentiated instruction strategy “the Blueprint Math Fellows Program” as a standalone intervention service. Blueprint is actively growing  and is currently partnering with public school districts and charter school networks  in Oakland (CA), Pittsburg (CA), Denver Metro Area - Commerce City (CO), East Saint Louis (IL), Nashville (TN), and Washington (DC) to plan and implement math tutoring programs.

The Opportunity

The Director of Development serves as a critical member of Blueprint’s national leadership team and will help to expand and define the vision of what fundraising initiatives look like for the future.  As a part of this leadership team, you will be integral to developing Blueprint’s strategic plan and aligning the development strategy moving forward.  Working with a team that you have the opportunity to build, you will develop and implement an individual donor giving program, pursue competitive grant funding, manage relationships with public and private donors while expanding overall awareness about the organization.  As a creative and entrepreneurial Director, you will be responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of all external stakeholders including individuals, foundations, corporations and the Board of Directors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Required activities include (but are not limited to):

Development & Stewardship:

• Create an organizational culture of shared development responsibility;

• Oversee ongoing development initiatives;

• Design and implement annual development and communications plan;

• Build a robust donor base of foundations, corporate partners and individuals;

• Supporting the writing and submission of state and federal grants;

• Develop portfolio management and monitor donor and gift lifecycle using moves management for Major Donors;

• Collaborate frequently with Executive Director and Board on Board Development; and

• Ensure that all supporters are appropriately managed and stewarded.

Evaluation:

• Oversee grant administration and with the support of Blueprint team members, ensure post-grant award compliance; 

• Ensure that all development efforts are effective and implementing best practices;

• Recruitment and selection of Development and Communications Associate; and

• Provide guidance, direction, and oversight to Development and Communications Associate.

Communications:

• In partnership with the Development and Communications Associate, the Media/PR Consultant, and the Blueprint Website Design Consultant, oversee the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including, but not limited to, newsletters, brochures, social media, and Blueprint’s website;

• In partnership with the Development and Communications Associate, communicate with the Media/PR Consultant and Website Design Consultant, regarding webpage maintenance to ensure that new and consistent information is posted regularly;  

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to coordinate communication materials for meetings with the Board of Directors; and

• In partnership with the Media/PR Consultant, manage all media contacts and oversee organizational response to inquiries about Blueprint

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Technological Abilities: Knowledge of and experience with development tools and systems to support tracking and retention of donor information 

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Self-starter with entrepreneurial spirit to build new development initiatives both internally with board members and externally with potential funders

Collaboration: Colleague and manager who knows how to bring the best out of employees.  Ability to frame external work as collaborative win-win with potential funders. Able to collaborate with multiple teams under pressure to meet tight deadlines and funding goals, and simultaneously manage multiple priorities

Core Values and Attributes

Blueprint’s core values are:

• Place students and schools first

• Act with integrity

• Achieve results

• Value diversity

• Collaborate

• Act with humility

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a related field

• A background in fundraising working with multiple levels of donors, including corporate partnerships, foundations, major donors, grants, and annual giving. 

• Located in or near a Blueprint region:  Oakland (CA), Denver (CO), East St. Louis (IL), Nashville (TN), or Washington (DC)

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Fund Raising Executive certification (CFRE) preferred, but not required

• Experience working in or with K-12  education

Compensation and Benefits

This is a remote position based in/around a Blueprint region that may require limited travel to site locations.  The salary range for this position is competitive.

Blueprint provides 100% paid monthly benefit premiums for individual/employee only coverage (medical, dental, vision) with coverage beginning on your first day of employment.  

Tuition Discount - Masters of Education Program:  Blueprint is proud to partner with Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development to offer the opportunity to receive a 33% tuition discount towards an (online or on-campus) Master of Education (EdM) in a variety of programs or a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study. 

401K - Blueprint offers the ability for employees to contribute to a 401K/Roth plan after 1 year and 1,000 hours of service. 

Generous Paid Leave

Blueprint Schools Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.

Please apply through the Blueprint Website.  Provide your resume and cover letter which details your past fundraising/development achievements and how you might use your prior experiences to promote Blueprint's mission to provide equitable educational opportunities.