Director of Development

The Director of Development will lead all aspects of fundraising for the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, including identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewards ship of individuals, foundations, and corporations. The Director will work closely with the President/CEO of the League to achieve annual fundraising goals. This position in based in Arlington, Virginia.

Reporting Relationships

This position reports to the President/CEO and will receive support from 2-3 staff members. The Director of Development will also work closely with the AWLA board of directors and development committee members.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Strategic Management

Manage the acquisition, retention and growth strategies for an aggressive direct mail marketing program for donors and prospects. The program is designed to upgrade existing donors and enhance the overall quality and quantity of the donor base
Track and report results of each fundraising initiative to President/CEO, development committee and board members
Manage and develop individual benefactors and major gift campaigns including identifying and soliciting new potential donors
Each Fall, coordinate attendance by League staff and volunteers at numerous CFC (Combined Federal Campaign) events
Manage all aspects of foundation and government granting with the League, including identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding all grant activity
Ensure all grantors to the League programs and projects receive appropriate, timely follow up reports and stewardship
Serve as project manager for all restricted funds
Oversee the acknowledgment, receipting, and special correspondence for all gifts
Oversee fundraising operational systems in Raisers Edge and provide regular reports for monthly development committee and board meetings
Plan and oversee coordination of two annual large-scale fundraising events and 3-5 small scale events throughout the year
Assist with social media and online promotion relating to donations and special events including Facebook, Twitter posting, website content management, and e-blast appeals and communications
Collaborate with other staff members and provide support as needed on public funding opportunities
Collaborate with the President/CEO to craft strategic plans for each funding stream and measures of success to ensure that AWLA meets annual and long-term fundraising goals
Design donor cultivation plans to maximize giving potential of current donors and secure new prospects
Develop and support implementation of tailored solicitation requests to individual donors and foundations

External Relations

This position is required to interact directly with the public working at the front desk in customer service and adoptions, as well as dispatch animal control calls on a rotating basis with other staff members
This position is required to be the point of contact via AWLA’s emergency cell phone every few weeks on a rotating basis with other directors

Required Qualifications

5+ years of professional work experience, preferably in an Animal Shelter or in an Animal Care environment
3+ years in nonprofit development, grant writing and supervision
Knowledge of standard association development practices
Excellent customer service skills
Strong verbal communications skills and demonstrated ability to write clearly and persuasively
Demonstrated ability to engage and inspire a wide range of stakeholders
Thorough understanding of strategic development with a track record of creating and implementing innovative solutions to meet pressing organizational needs
Strong partnership-building skills with measurable success in developing creative and mutually beneficial business
Significant experience working with a board of directors as a key partner in organizational advancement relationships within the public and nonprofit sectors
Flexible schedule with the ability to work some evenings and weekends
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Computer literacy, and Raiser’s Edge proficiency

Desired Qualifications (helpful but not required)

Experience in the fields of animal care or animal welfare
Experience with “hands on” nonprofits
Experience working with PetPoint

Personal Characteristics

Passion for the mission of Animal Welfare League of Arlington
Ability to think analytically and problem solve, combined with a willingness to ask questions and work collaboratively
Energetic, hard-working, and a team player
Highly organized, and detail-oriented self-starter
Positive, enthusiastic, professional image in representing AWLA, both internally and externally
Discretion with confidential information

Travel Requirements

This position requires occasional travel in order to attend funder meetings and other community events.

Typical Physical & Mental Demands

Requires prolonged sitting or standing with some bending, stooping and stretching, eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator and other office equipment. May be required to lift items and be physically active. Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with volunteers, funders, and staff. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

Must be comfortable handling dogs, cats, and small companion animals.

How to apply

To Apply

Please submit the following application materials to Claudia West at jobs@awla.org with Director of Development in the subject line:

A cover letter describing your interest in the position and relevant experience/qualifications
Please include salary history for the past three roles
Resume