The National Employment Law Project (NELP) seeks a dynamic, experienced, and skilled Development Director to work with our Executive Director and all members of the leadership team to drive NELP’s fundraising activities across multiple channels. The Development Director (DVD) is a new position within the organization and will report to the Executive Director. The DVD will supervise the Development Manager and other development staff.

Who We Are

NELP is a national non-profit with offices in New York, Washington (DC), Seattle, and Berkeley, promoting federal, state, and local policies to create good jobs, strengthen workers’ upward mobility, enforce worker rights, and improve benefits and services for the unemployed. In collaboration with national and grassroots partners, NELP advances its work through research, advocacy, litigation support and technical assistance designed to raise wages, end wage theft and workplace violations, strengthen unemployment insurance, ensure employer accountability for workers in contract employment, encourage fair chance hiring practices, and promote a comprehensive policy framework to build a good jobs economy. For more information, see www.nelp.org.

What You Will Do

As NELP’s Development Director, you will be a visionary and imaginative thinker—someone capable of managing and growing NELP’s existing fundraising activities, while at the same time exploring new and innovative approaches. You will convene internal discussions among program, communications and development staff to explore how our current strategies and long term plans give rise to new and creative fundraising opportunities.

You will have lead responsibility for building an overall development strategy and team, and will oversee and coordinate all fundraising activities within NELP, creating the requisite systems as necessary. You will be responsible for ensuring establishment of annual and long-term goals and strategies for securing revenue, drafting and reviewing funding proposals and donor appeals and tracking the status of all solicitations, identification of priority areas and opportunities, management of donor relationships, timely and accurate reporting, and regular updating of the Executive Director, executive management, and board of revenue streams.
You will be expected to work creatively and communicate effectively with the members of the Executive Management Team to manage fundraising for NELP. You will also communicate directly with foundation program officers, partner organizations, individual and institutional donors, VIP contacts, Board members, and vendors.

As the Development Director, you will manage or oversee all of NELP’s fundraising and development activities and be specifically responsible for the following:

Strategic Development:

• Developing annual and multi-year fundraising goals that include expected revenue and sources. Create a detailed work plan to accomplish goals.
• Evaluating the status of fundraising activities and expected revenues from prospects and project funding on a multi-year basis.
• Working with the members of the Executive Management Team and key program staff to identify priority areas and strategic opportunities for funding, including alliances and collaborations.
• Identifying ways to make NELP’s existing revenue-generating activities more predictable, lucrative, and sustainable over a multi-year period.
• Participating in the organizational budgeting process and ensure that revenue projections and program allocations are in-line with expected funding.
• Overseeing the development and implementation of the development department budget.

Grants Management:

• Leading the team that manages approved grants and pending proposals, including processing award letters, organizing all documents electronically, and tracking reporting and renewal deadlines.
• Drafting and submitting proposals and reports, working with program staff and the finance team as necessary.
• Coordinating and supervising funding renewal processes, with a focus on the major grantors.
• Tracking all current grants and reporting obligations.

Prospecting, Cultivation, and Stewardship:

• Identifying and researching potential new sources of funding, including foundations and individuals, through research, discussions with external partners and staff, and staying current on trends and opportunities.
• Identifying and cultivating non-foundation institutional donors—e.g., unions and high-road businesses and associations.
• Tracking and documenting contacts, activities, and status related to all funders and prospects.
• Guiding the development of prospect materials such as funding proposals/applications.
• Meeting with and/or arranging meetings for key staff with current and prospective funders.
• Ensuring that current donors receive timely updates and reports, and are included in key organizational activities such as the annual gala.
• Working with communications staff to develop informational materials to distribute to potential donors.

Staff and Board Collaborations:

• Serving as the point person for all staff questions or suggestions related to fundraising.
• Providing oversight to staff on specific opportunities, including acting as a “project manager” for proposal development.
• Ensuring all staff are aware of development activities through written and oral updates.
• In consultation with the Executive Director, developing one-to-one relationships with board members and engaging them in fundraising activities, including personal giving.
• Working closely with the Executive Director and Board Chair, building and staffing a board development committee.
• With the ED and DD, providing staff support to the NELP Board, as needed.
• Actively contributing to NELP’s work in becoming an anti-racist organization that reflects and embodies internally the values of social justice, diversity, and inclusion.

Individual Donors:

• Prioritizing the expansion of an individual donor program for NELP, including piloting new approaches and strategies.
• Working with the communications team to ensure that individual donors receive attractive and timely updates on NELP activities, as well as marketing materials.
• Drafting and preparing semi-annual written appeals and regular e-appeals.
• Ensuring that donations are recorded and acknowledged.
• Reporting donations to the finance department.
• Preparing necessary materials to participate in appropriate giving funds, like the Combined Federal Campaign, and track donations.
• Maximizing the functionality of NELP’s Salesforce database to support donor cultivation and relationship management.

Who You Are

• You are passionate about development and have 7 years of grant writing, research, communications, project management, business development, or other professional experience directly relevant to the responsibilities of the DVD position.
• You have a deep understanding of private philanthropy and the grant-seeking process.
• Ideally you have experience in developing or managing an individual donor program.
• You proactively maintain an awareness of current trends in funding and sector-specific opportunities.
• You enjoy and are experienced in working with and leading teams. You have at least 4 years working with diverse teams to articulate and communicate program objectives and activities in ways that are clear and compelling to donors. You are skilled in bringing together various individuals and perspectives to arrive at consensus. You are able to work with individuals from various cultural backgrounds.
• You are a skilled communicator and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You are able to translate complicated or technical information for an outside audience.
• You are a strategic thinker and demonstrate clear judgment.
• You count among your strengths organizational and analytical skills.
• You are highly skilled in translating high level objectives into tactical project plans and possess excellent project management skills.
• You are a problem solver.
• You are confident and comfortable working with numbers and budgets and have a track record in making informed projections. You have an understanding of nonprofit management and finance.
• You are comfortable managing multiple projects simultaneously and are able to multitask.
• You are proficient in working in Salesforce or other relational database.
• You are both willing and interested in fully embracing new communications systems and solutions.
• You are comfortable with ambiguity and change.
• Ideally, you have experience working in an advocacy organization or public agency focused on labor law and policy, labor unions, or workers’ rights.
• You have a Bachelor’s degree or, ideally, a Master’s degree.

Start date and compensation: This position will be based in either our Washington, D.C., or New York City office. The position will start as soon as possible and reasonable, given the candidate’s transitional needs. Salary is competitive within the non-profit sector and commensurate with experience and education. Excellent benefits package. The position will require some travel.

To apply: Email cover letter, resume, and three references to [email protected], noting “Development Director” in the subject line. If you have questions regarding this announcement, please forward those to [email protected], noting “Development Director Questions” in the subject line. No phone calls or other email inquiries please. We will consider applications on a rolling basis.

NELP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and formerly incarcerated individuals are strongly encouraged to apply