Senior Director of Development

SparkWheel, Inc. is a non-profit organization focused on removing barriers preventing students and their families from being successful in school and in life. We believe there is a spark that lives inside each of us, and we are here to fuel that spark! 

JOB SPECIFICATIONS 

• Title: Senior Director of Development 
• ?Reports to: Chief Development Officer 
• Department: Development, External Relations Division, Central Office
• Location: Remote/Hybrid within Kansas or Missouri
• Classification & Status: Exempt, Full-Time 
• Work Schedule: 40-hour work week, approximately 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM 

JOB SUMMARY 

Reporting to and in collaboration with the Chief Development Officer, the Senior Director of Development is responsible for providing leadership to SparkWheel’s fund development efforts. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing fundraising plans, managing individual and major gifts, engaging in corporate and foundation relations, overseeing special events, cultivating relationships with prospects, strengthening relationships with existing donors, and working closely with the Chief Development Officer and SparkWheel leadership to align fundraising with the organization's mission and goals. This role will support in the development and coordination of the strategic approach to engaging local and community funding partners to secure funding for new and existing programs and support community engagement / relationship building efforts, with the overarching goal of securing short- and long-term financial support to achieve financial sustainability. This will include maintaining and increasing the investment of current philanthropic funders and diversifying the funding portfolio. Tasks include identifying, writing, submitting, and securing a balanced portfolio of public and private grants across the SparkWheel network, soliciting individual donations via the annual fund or through major gift solicitation, overseeing special events and fundraiser coordination. The Senior Director of Development will exercise responsibility for compliance oversight with grant terms and conditions, negotiating with funders to resolve any issues of grant obligations, and determining actions to be taken to ensure compliance. The Senior Director of Development implements the vision and goals of SparkWheel as articulated by the President & CEO.  

WHAT YOU WILL DO 

Donor Engagement and Fund Development (50%) 

• Develops and implements annual and long-range fund development plans and fundraising under the guidance of the Chief Development Officer.? 
• ?Supports the Chief Development Officer as a thought partner and fundraising strategist in the execution of all forms of fundraising for SparkWheel. 
• Develops fundraising goals, analyzes data, collaborates with other Development staff, and ensures effective communication to foster donor relationships and meet organizational financial needs. 
• Responsible for the management and oversight of department staff. 
• Collaborates with the Policy and Government Relations department to research other public funding opportunities. 
• Provides oversight and execution for a portfolio of major public funders. 
• Develops and maintains strategic relationships with key constituencies (funders, individuals, foundations, corporate/business executives, and other key stakeholders) within assigned portfolio to build a sustainable private revenue mix.? 
• Conducts donor prospect research and manages a portfolio of donors with the capacity to contribute significant support toward the priorities of SparkWheel, Inc.? 
• Conducts outreach to a portfolio of assigned prospects and oversees donor cultivation efforts to solicit and steward individuals and foundations for gifts directly benefiting SparkWheel’s programming within an assigned portfolio.? 
• Manages funding opportunities that support new and existing programs including research, oversight, and final review of grant proposals for public and private funding sources.? 
• Helps donors accomplish their philanthropic goals by developing a consistent relationship with individuals and organizations.? 
• Establishes and maintains strategic relationships with Program Directors and Student Support Coordinators and other Programs staff to support programmatic engagement, opportunities for individuals and groups representing external organizations, partners or entities to participate in school site visits, and other fundraising engagement strategies.? 
• Ensures that assigned constituent contact information is up to date in CRM in respect to all written and verbal communications, solicitations, agreements, and stewardship related activities.? 
• Maintains an active role in the fundraising community, keeping current on the latest funding trends and priorities of funders.? 
• Completes other tasks and activities as assigned by the President and CEO or Chief Development Officer.? 

Grant Proposal Writing and Compliance (30%) 

• Directs and assumes primary responsibility for the identification and submission of major foundation, corporate, state, and federal level grant funding opportunities. 
• ?Assigns ownership of funding proposals to the Director of Grants. 
• Reviews all grants/reports and provides recommendations and feedback prior to submission. 
• Negotiates or supports the Director of Grants with negotiating with funders to resolve any issues of grant obligations and determines actions to be taken to ensure compliance. 
• Works with the Senior Director of Development Operations in providing oversight on grants compliance efforts including: 
  • ?Ensures sound fiscal management in reports to city, state, and federal agencies. 
  • Works with the finance department to ensure grant funds are spent according to grant restrictions.  
  • Consistently reviews all restricted funds. 

Annual Fund Campaigns and Event Management (20%) 

• Supervises the annual fund campaign, including the planning, execution, and evaluation of strategies to increase financial support through a comprehensive individual giving program by managing cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts across various channels including mail, email, and social media. 
• Supervises special events and fundraiser coordination through a strong combination of strategic planning, team leadership, and logistical management. 
• Provides support during Agency network and multi-state/area special events conducted by SparkWheel. 
• Participates in coordination of occasional events hosted in collaboration with partners. ?Attends key events as the liaison or representative for SparkWheel.? 

Core Values & Shared Responsibilities (0%) 

• Recognizes shared ownership of agency wide Culture of Philanthropy. 
• ?Develops, promotes and practices teamwork in all activities.  
• Advocates, promotes and practices cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in all day-to-day interactions. 
• Refrains from assuming any duty that is unrelated to and/or interferes with the responsibilities of the position. 
• Highly collaborative approach. 
• No job is too small mindset. 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR 

Qualifications:  

At a minimum, the Senior Director of Development must have a Bachelor’s Degree, a Master’s is preferred. In addition, the Senior Director of Development shall have: 

• At least 5-7 years of full-spectrum resource development, fundraising and grant writing experience. 
• Demonstrated superior interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. 
• ?Strong ability to prioritize multiple projects, meeting strict deadlines, while maintaining strong attention to detail. 
• Dedication to relationship building and a commitment to working as an integral part of the team, while exercising significant initiative and autonomy. 
• Excellent knowledge and experience of computer applications such as word processing, Excel, electronic data tracking, internet, web sites, Facebook, etc. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Work Environment: Office, Remote Office, and Community 
• ?Lifting Requirement: 25 pounds 
• Travel Requirements:  ?
  • Occasional travel – both day and overnight, including conferences, meetings, travel between school sites, etc. 
  • Valid driver’s license 
  • Transportation 
  • Auto insurance 
• ?Pass various background checks 

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

OTHER POSITION INFORMATION 

Mandated Reporter:   

As a staff member of SparkWheel, Inc. you are a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect as outlined in the employee handbook. Failure to properly report to the appropriate child welfare authority and your supervisor can result in disciplinary actions up to and including termination. See Mandated Reporter Policy in the Employee Personnel Manual for specific details.  

The duties and responsibilities of this position are subject to change without prior notice.