Director of Development

SBF is seeking Director of Development to join us as the lead for our Development team. This position reports directly to our Vice President, Philanthropic Services and is based in Santa Barbara County.

Please review our Job Description below, before applying.

All applicants must submit a professional resume, cover letter and completed copy of our employment application, in order to be considered.

Position Summary:

The Director of Development designs, implements, and coordinates strategies to meet performance objectives, specifically fundraising goals, and the organization’s bold agenda through transformational philanthropy.  The Director engages gift prospects, stewards donors, and enhances public awareness of, and enthusiasm for Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF).  The Director’s primary function is to significantly grow the Foundation’s assets by bringing in new gifts and new donor funds through excellent relationship building and management. Through correspondence, in-person meetings, and public awareness activities, the Director engages donors and the general community in SBF’s agenda and influences their giving and volunteer support to higher levels. The Director oversees annual, major gift and special campaigns, including capital and planned giving campaigns. This position supervises two direct reports.

Specific Responsibilities:
Plan fundraising strategies and initiatives:

• Meet and exceed individual fundraising targets toward larger departmental goals.
• Identify prospects for giving; create and implement cultivation strategies that result in new gifts.
• Manage portfolio of prospective donors:
  • Create and maintain a moves management plan for each donor that will serve as a foundational communication, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plan for that individual. Execute the plan on a timely basis so individuals are retained and upgraded.
  • Make weekly personal acquisition/cultivation/ solicitation contacts and visits to prospective donors; goal to be set with VP, Philanthropic Services.
• Prepare written proposals, informational materials, donor fund and agency endowment agreements, gift illustrations and other materials needed to secure gifts.
• Work with staff to secure appropriate project information, including budgets, and create offers, proposals and asks that will be used with persons in the portfolio to secure gifts.
• Work with staff to attain strong understanding of the SBF and its services. Use this information to identify programs and projects that would attract gift support from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Maintain working knowledge of planned giving vehicles, identify and contact planned giving prospects, and act as a source of information for interested donors.
• Recommend and assist with involving the CEO, board members, program staff or other key influencers in cultivating, soliciting and stewarding donors.
• Work closely with the VP, Philanthropic Services to develop new ideas and innovative approaches to fundraising.
• Complete periodic reports as required by management that accurately reflect caseload activity and performance.
• Create, conduct and/or oversee donor solicitation campaign drives and stewardship events including, but not limited to, educational sessions, donor tours, appreciation luncheons and annual receptions.
• Work closely with development team to execute major gifts, planned giving, and program-related fundraising campaigns.
• Supervise, coach and lead direct reports. Provide mentorship, professional development opportunities and engage in a regular patter of check-ins. Complete annual performance management process with direct reports in a timely manner.
• Staff relevant working groups and committees.
• Create master schedule of timelines for strategies and projects; adjust as necessary.
• Delegate tasks to staff, committee, and volunteers; monitor their progress.
• Collaborate within, and outside of, Philanthropic Services department to plan Foundation events.

Develop public and private opportunities for growth in revenue, including grants and contracts:

• Coordinate with Programs Team and Business Development Manager to conduct research on potential grantors.
• Cultivate corporate, foundation and government contributors.
• Coordinate with Programs Team and Business Development Manager to submit grant proposals to foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• Compose compliance reports and thank-you notes for grantors.

Enhance public awareness of SBF efforts, in conjunction with the Communications Team, with donors and potential donors in mind:

• Analyze SBF’s marketing needs for development programs/operations.
• Represent SBF county-wide at a variety of events.
• Network at professional and social gatherings.
• Work with the Communications Team to create promotional and marketing communications, including donor newsletters.
• Conduct presentations on SBF for interested groups.
• Coordinate award applications for SBF, staff, and volunteers.

Manage development operations and budget:

• Set goals and objectives with the assistance of the VP. Supervise and set performance objectives for staff, including but not limited to a Development Officer or Manager.
• Negotiate with external vendors, soliciting them for donations of goods and services, where possible.
• Track expenses related to specific projects and programs.
• Report expenditures to Finance department and VP.
• Work closely with Data Manager to maintain SBF’s general database (RE).
• Keep Outlook Calendar up to date, as per SBF standard.
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Requirements:

• Ability to meet and exceed specific fundraising goals as set forth by the Vice President, Philanthropic Services.
• Five years’ experience running a successful annual, major gifts, grants, and/or capital campaign program.
• At least two years of supervisory experience, including involvement with growing staff/mentorship, performance management processes and managing staff to meet departmental goals.
• Thorough knowledge of Development department functions.
• General knowledge of other SBF department functions. Maintains awareness of internal/external factors related to SBF goals.
• Working knowledge of tax laws related to charitable contributions of cash, property, and securities.
• Exceptional written and interpersonal communication skills.

• Function independently to develop the means of accomplishing goals.
• Ability to meet with and engage a diverse group of high-evel constituents including donors, trustees and staff.

• Exceptional relationship management skills.
• Proven ability to influence and persuade.

• Excellent organizational and planning skills. Extremely well-organized and detail-oriented.

• Responsible and self-motivated.
• Excellent time management skills needed to handle multiple, concurrent projects, which are often associated with deadlines. Ability to work within specific deadlines.

• Excellent computer skills including: proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point.
• A high standard of professional ethics and discretion.
• Ability to attend occasional weeknight and weekend events.
• Participates in staff events and engages as a member of the larger SBF team.
• Experience with Blackbaud products is a plus.

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred but not required.
• Familiar with constituencies, and a proven track record of successful fundraising, in Santa Barbra is preferred.

Work Environment:

• General office environment, may be located in open seating near public area or in a shared office.
• Ability to telecommute and provide own router, modem and internet connection.
• Dogs (pets) intermittently on the premises, weekly. Please see Pet Policy for more info.
• Significant telephone and computer work (repetitive movement – typing).
• Frequent sitting, standing, walking, climbing stairs, bending and occasional lifting of light loads (10lbs.)
• Travel within Santa Barbara County, to our satellite office or to off-site event locations.
• Occasional travel outside of the county via plane, train or car for seminars or professional development.

At SBF, we value wellness and offer a very generous benefits package, including: up to 15 days of PTO in the first year of employment, 14 holidays, sick time, 401K with 4% matching in the first year and an additional 6% of profit sharing after one-year anniversary, fully paid medical and ancillary benefits and more!

This exempt role is compensated at $100-$105K annually.

All applicants are required to submit an employment application, a resume and cover letter to hr@sbfoundation.org.