Director of Development (Hybrid - San Francisco, CA)

The Organization

(Friends), a 60-year-old legacy organization, is the nonprofit partner of the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL), which serves 6 million visitors per year. In a city known for its rich literary history and abiding commitment to social justice ,the award-winning SFPL enjoys the highest public approval rating of any public agency in San Francisco. A steady source of information and knowledge, the Library serves as a vital hub for human connection, economic recovery resources and more. For over six decades, Friends has fundraised and advocated for the SFPL, enabling both the Library’s evolution and its steady presence in our communities. Supported by Friends, SFPL’s 27 branches and the Main are open seven days per week and virtually every city resident is a short distance from a library where they can access essential services.

The Opportunity

In the years ahead, Friends will help SFPL continue to lead nationally, pioneering new ways for libraries to leverage their unique assets to meet the needs of our communities and our democracy. The Library has a bold new strategic plan in which SFPL has the opportunity to expand the very definition of what a library can be. For example, future branches could support a whole family’s well-being by offering a centralized, approachable starting point to address intertwined needs (e.g. navigating a career switch while caring for small children). With a newly appointed Executive Director in place, Friends now seeks an entrepreneurial Director of Development to build on the organization’s assets and help shape the future of Friends alongside the Board and senior management team.

The Director of Development spearheads all elements of fundraising strategy and operations, energizing community support for the Library by leveraging significant organizational strengths and recent momentum, including:

● A committed Board of Directors and strong track record of impact, spanning 60 years

● The public’s personal connection to the San Francisco Public Library and SFPL’s stellar reputation

●  Successful advocacy for the renewal of the San Francisco Library Preservation Fund in 2022, which received a record-breaking 83% “Yes” vote from San Franciscans and ensures the Library receives 25 more years of stable public funding

● A successful planned giving program and engaged, multigenerational, loyal donor base of nearly 2,000 individuals and institutions

● A list of more than 30,000 prospects who volunteer and/or receive Friends’ communications

● Ample donor engagement opportunities between Friend’s own programs—including its used bookstore, its monthly printed and digital newsletters, and its events—and hundreds of Friends-sponsored Library events annually

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising, Strategy, and Leadership 30%

● In close collaboration with leadership, develop, plan, and implement strategies to meet annual, long-term, and capital fundraising goals

● Contribute to the organization’s strategic planning process with an eye to maximizing contributed revenue and strategic framing of key priorities for donor audiences

● Manage the ongoing work and professional development of two direct reports

● Oversee grant writing and reporting processes, ensuring compliance with funder requirements

● Lead event planning for key fundraising events including the annual planned giving society breakfast and the biennial gala

Frontline Fundraising and Volunteer Management 30%

●  Represent Friends effectively internally and externally in the community at Board meetings, key community events, and in meetings with city officials; proactively work to expand the network and donor base of the organization at events and meetings with new prospects

● Personally manage a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects

● Support the executive director in managing their assigned portfolio to achieve annual and long-term fundraising targets

● Manage and optimize appropriate stewardship for donors through giving society recognition

●  Work with the communications team to tell the story of the organization through a variety of channels, including the organization’s annual report; collaborate with the communications team to convert prospects into donors and track constituent data to create high value and effective content for fundraising

● Collaborate with the Facilities & Volunteer Manager to effectively manage, maximize, and steward key volunteer groups associated with development operations

Operational Oversight and Leadership 40%

●  Collaborate with finance, the development team, and consultants to optimize data entry and data maintenance in the CRM (Raiser’s Edge) to enable strong donor stewardship and appropriate tracking of restricted and unrestricted funds

● Evaluate and document systems for donor recognition and stewardship to ensure they are sound, responsive, and appropriate to the level of giving

● Utilize dashboards and reporting from the CRM to monitor and report on progress toward all project-based and comprehensive fundraising goals

● Optimize a system for managing planned and legacy giving documentation that reflects best practice

Qualifications

● Passion for and dedication to the mission of the San Francisco Public Library

● 8+ years progressive experience as a development professional, directly raising funds for nonprofit organizations through individual gifts, grants, and corporate support

● 3-5 years experience managing staff direct reports

● Highly effective written and oral communicator; proven success conceptualizing, writing, and implementing campaigns for general support, program support, and capital projects

● Demonstrated previous experience communicating with diplomacy and cultural humility; demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies

● Technologically savvy including functional skills with demonstrated understanding of how to ensure data integrity and effectively leverage data from CRMs (currently Raiser's Edge NXT) for data-driven decision making

● Experience managing events, directly and/or with contract event planners

● Outstanding analytical skills with strong attention to accuracy, detail, and data integrity

● Experience working with planned giving donors and prospects including basic knowledge of planned giving vehicles is a plus

Our Team, Culture, Compensation, and Benefits

Friends is committed to building an inclusive, supportive place for you to do the best and most  rewarding work of your career. We strive to create a welcoming collaborative environment where people are free to ask questions and seek deeper understanding of the work and each other.

The salary range for this hybrid position is $140,000 to $160,000. Currently, development staff work in person 3 days per week and remotely 2 days per week. In-person attendance from leadership at events on remote days is sometimes required due to SFPL’s event schedule.

Current benefits include health, vision, and dental insurance for employees and dependents, disability and life insurance for employees, and 6 floating personal holidays per year in addition to State and Federal Holidays and paid vacation.

Encouraging Applicants of All Backgrounds

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to the fact or perception of their race, creed, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, domestic partner status, marital status, disability, weight, height or AIDS/HIV status.

To Apply

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to Susannah Sallin, Search Consultant to Nonprofits, with subject line “Director of Development” and send to employment@friendssfpl.org. No phone calls, please.

We will respond to all applicants. Thank you.

Current benefits include health, vision, and dental insurance for employees and dependents, disability and life insurance for employees, and 6 floating personal holidays per year in addition to State and Federal Holidays and paid vacation.