Director, Development & Communications

This is the position for you if you are passionate about serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence in a management-level fundraising and communications role!

Summary of Position

The Director, Development & Communications plays a key role in helping to develop and implement the strategic direction and execution of all fundraising and communication activities. The Director, Development & Communications also plays a key role in cultivating and fostering relationships, particularly with individual donors, supporting DASH’s fundraising and advocacy efforts to drive DASH’s mission and impact.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Development and Fundraising (50%)

Supports DASH’s fundraising efforts, including the development and execution of fundraising strategies.

Collaborates with the Executive and Development teams to identify and cultivate relationships with donors, sponsors, and funding partners. This includes actively participating in events, both internal and external, to engage potential supporters and taking a lead role in organizing and conducting donor tours to showcase the impact of DASH’s programs.

Supports the creation of fundraising materials, grant proposals, and campaigns to attract and secure public and private funding. 

Develops and implements strategies to increase individual giving, including annual appeals, major gifts, and planned giving.

Identifies, cultivates, and solicits individual donors, ensuring personalized engagement and stewardship.

Builds and manages a portfolio of major gift prospects, working to secure significant contributions.

Designs and oversees donor recognition programs to acknowledge and thank individual donors appropriately.

Analyzes donor data to identify trends and opportunities for growth in individual giving.

Communication, Partnerships, and Advocacy (20%)

Supports the development and execution of a comprehensive communication strategy to enhance DASH’s brand and public image. 

Oversees the creation of high-quality marketing materials, including annual reports, newsletters, press releases, and digital content.

Oversees the management of DASH's website and social media presence, ensuring consistent and engaging messaging. 

Works in partnership with the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams to develop and manage strategic partnerships with other high-impact community leaders, businesses, media, thought leaders, and prospective donors. 

In agreement with leadership, represents DASH at external meetings, engaging with stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, gather insights, and advocate for the organization's mission and goals.

Conducts assessments to identify potential gaps in DASH’s external partnerships, working towards enhancing the breadth and depth of our collaborative network. Proactively identifies, seeks out, and evaluates opportunities for new partnerships and collaborations, continuously expanding and diversifying our network to grow our donor pipeline and support fundraising activities. 

Works in partnership with the Executive Team to develop and implement advocacy strategies to advance DASH’s mission and policy objectives.

Builds relationships with key stakeholders, policymakers, and community leaders to amplify DASH's advocacy efforts.

Stays informed about relevant legislative and policy developments that impact DASH’s work.

Leadership and Team Management (20%)

Supports DASH on resource development and grant applications. 

Supervises and supports the Development & Communications department. Delegates work streams effectively, fostering professional growth and motivating and holding team members to a high standard of excellence and accountability.

Attracts, develops, coaches, and retains high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance. Supports staff to develop problem-solving skills and leads team brainstorming to respond to opportunities and challenges.

Ensures staff understand DASH’s model of voluntary service and trauma-informed practice to embed within DASH’s development and communications strategies and functions. 

Identifies departmental training needs and consults with People & Culture to find or develop appropriate training resources.

Contributes to the development of training sessions through DASH Academy, DASH’s in-house, signature professional development institute for staff. 

Oversees timely recruitment processes and completion of new hire documentation for the Development & Communications department before presenting top candidates for Executive approval.

Fosters a collaborative and innovative program culture that encourages continuous improvement and learning.

Organizational Collaboration and Internal Customer Service (10%)

Supports DASH’s strategic planning efforts, including collaborating with executive and senior leadership to develop and implement operational strategies aligned with organizational objectives.

Contributes to the development of organizational strategies, ensuring that development goals align with DASH’s broader mission and vision.

Participates in organizational recruitment processes as requested.

Maintains effective working relationships with all employees. Demonstrates a great degree of discretion, flexibility, and cooperation. 

Models DASH’s standard of understanding, sensitivity, and responsiveness to cultural differences in the organization’s service and employee population.

Maintains complete survivor and/or employee confidentiality in all matters. Exhibits the highest standards of ethics and personal integrity.

Masters, communicates, and models DASH values.

Minimum Qualifications

A minimum of five years of related experience, or a combination of professional experience and a graduate degree (e.g., master’s degree with two years of experience). Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, business administration, or related field required, with relevant experience substituting for education. Master’s degree in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, business administration, or related field preferred.

Proven success in fundraising, including major gifts, grants, and corporate sponsorships. Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with individual donors, enhancing donor engagement and increasing contributions.

Strong understanding of marketing and communication principles, with experience managing multi-channel campaigns.

Demonstrated abilities in team management, development, and strategic planning.

Expertise in project management methodologies, policies, and tools.

Familiarity with budget development and forecasting as well as data collection and analysis. 

Proven track record of developing and managing strategic partnerships with external stakeholders.

Strong communication, collaboration, ethics, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. Strong ability to respond diplomatically to challenging issues, and give and receive feedback with openness, compassion, and respect.

Proven capacity to respond sensitively and thoughtfully to individuals from diverse cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, encompassing a range of values, attitudes, and languages.

Experience or understanding of trauma’s dynamics, trauma-informed frameworks, and trauma issues in gender-based and power-based violence fields, including domestic violence, sexual assault/violence, human trafficking, and interfamilial violence, is a plus but not required.

Proficiency in:

Project management tools (Monday.com, Trello, Asana) 

CRM platforms (Salesforce, Network for Good, DonorPerfect)

Microsoft Office Suite (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook)

(A plus but not required) Social media and web systems (Instagram, X / Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WordPress, Google Analytics, Hootsuite)

(A plus but not required) Graphic design systems (Canva, Adobe Creative, or similar design platforms) and Internet Browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer)

(A plus but not required) Video Editing Systems (iMovie, ClipChamp etc.)  

Other Requirements

Occasional travel may be required as part of the job responsibilities. This includes travel to all DASH offices and other Washington, DC locations during business hours. 

Occasional work in the evenings and on weekends may be required to attend or manage fundraising events and opportunities.

Successful candidates must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States. 

As part of our standard hiring process, we will conduct a background investigation and may require a credit check (for credit card holders) and/or a routine drug screening (if required by any of DASH’s funding agreements).

A COVID-19 vaccination record is required unless the incumbent qualifies for a medical or religious exemption.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

DASH is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive work environment and building a team that reflects the rich diversity of our community. DASH bases employment decisions on each person’s performance, qualifications, and abilities. DASH does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or characteristics protected by the District of Columbia and federal law. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions, and identities are encouraged to apply.