Development Manager

Law for Black Lives (L4BL) is seeking an exceptionally organized and relational fundraiser to join the organization as the Development Manager. This position is a unique opportunity to support an organization as we build an emerging radical national network of lawyers, legal workers, and law students, and support our movement and legal field partners across the country, all working towards Black liberation.

About Law for Black Lives

Law For Black Lives (L4BL) is dedicated to transforming the legal field by promoting movement lawyering and cultivating a national community of radical law students, lawyers, and legal workers, building the power of local organizing to defend, protect, and advance Black Liberation, and transforming the law to change the conditions of the struggle and defend Black Lives. L4BL is a fiscally sponsored project at NEO Philanthropy.

Through the coordination and provision of legal support, training, mentorship, research, political education, policy and popular education tools, we are building a legal infrastructure that is responsive, action-oriented and collaborative.

Role Description & Key Responsibilities

The Development Manager is responsible for overall management of our organization’s development activities including management of the grant process, paid contracts, development events, membership dues, and the L4BL Store. The Development Manager will work under the direction of the Executive Director to support the organization in meeting its goals of transforming the law, transforming the legal field, and supporting Black-led base building. Specifically, the Development Coordinator will be responsible for the following key pieces of work:

LEADERSHIP:

• Support L4BL leadership in the implementation of organizational strategy
• Represent the organization to key stakeholders
• Support the Executive Director in identifying opportunities for the organization’s growth
• Strive to bring the values of Law for Black Lives into practice.

STRATEGY:

• Manage the process of developing a fundraising plan, including raising revenue from foundations, individual donor development, membership dues, contracted services, workshops, and events.
• Implement fundraising strategies and produce reports on progress
• Manage development CRMs including donor and prospect databases.
• Create and maintain an annual fundraising calendar of activities, including following up with staff, board, or volunteers on their to-dos
• Maintain accurate records
• Create and manage clear success metrics, holding yourself and others accountable for achieving those goals, and develop periodic reports on progress
• Work with staff to reconcile records
• Coordinate development-related meetings

GRANTS:

• Research, identify, prepare, solicit, and submit inquiries, applications, proposals, and reports for funding in partnership with staff, and develop and monitor the grants calendar.
• Draft funder profiles
• Facilitate the development of relationships with potential funders and current funders through regular communication and meetings
• Facilitate funder meetings and briefings
• Liaison with our fiscal sponsor on grant-related matters
• Work with staff to track progress and grant

MEMBERSHIP Dues:

• Work with Membership Director and Executive Director to create an equitable and sustainable membership dues pay scale
• Coordinate membership dues payment and processing
• Provide reports on membership dues

L4BL Store:

• Manage the L4BL store and ensure its success.
• Work with vendors to provide unique opportunities and products.
• Coordinate with Membership to ensure prioritization of members.
• Coordinate with Membership to ensure point system integration.

PAID OPPORTUNITIES + EVENTS:

• Work with the Directors to develop a pay scale for non-member or partner events
• Discover, organize, and manage opportunities for paid events, trainings, and workshops
• Coordinate the Directors’ external events and appearances
• Organize and manage all fundraising and cultivation events including meet and greets, house parties, and other fundraising events
• Organize and manage all fundraising and cultivation campaigns for donors including campaigns for Black August, Giving Tuesday, and End of Year Giving.

INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS:

• Work in partnership with staff to engage, cultivate, and steward existing, new, and prospective donors.
• Draft donor profiles
• Monitor, maintain, and provide reports on individual donations
• Manage donor cultivation, including sending personal notes, thank you letters, email/other communications, and setting up meetings or phone calls

IN-KIND DONATIONS + SPONSORSHIPS:

• Working with the staff to coordinate in-kind donations
• Work with the Directors to develop a sponsorships plan and package for trainings, webinars, convenings, and conferences
• Lead event sponsor solicitations and acquisition efforts. Create prospect research reports on funders and project updates for key donors of specific programs.
• Develop and maintain a bank of ‘one-pagers’ for fundable programs that the team can use to share with prospects.
• Facilitate identifying, qualifying, and prioritizing other institutional donors
• Facilitate the development of relationships through regular communications, personal notes, thank you letters, setting up meetings/calls, etc
• Manage process that includes cultivation, solicitation, and acknowledgment

COMMUNICATION:

• Work with the directors to develop shared messaging and language when discussing the work of L4BL.
• Train staff of shared messaging and language.
• Work with the Digital Communications and Brand Coordinator and Research & Political Education Coordinator to maintain an organizational donor newsletter
• Work with the Digital Communications and Brand Coordinator to create and maintain organizational pitch decks and collateral materials
• Coordinate communications with funders, individual donors, and paid clients
• Work with the Project Coordinator to coordinate communications with members regarding dues and membership boxes.

STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES:

• Assess resource opportunities as they arise, and identify points of leverage, opportunity, and alignment.
• Other relevant duties as assigned.

Skills & Experiences

• Deep commitment to and enthusiasm for L4BL.
• Familiarity and comfort with L4BL’s values and those of fellow abolitionist movement partners with a strong understanding of Black organizing, Black liberation, intersectionality, and anti-oppression principles and practices.
• Proven track record of utilizing personal and professional engagements to successfully engage with Law for Black Lives politics (including Black Queer Feminism, Abolition, and movement lawyering)
• Experience engaging community and movement organizations, preferably with strong relationships with organizations doing Black liberation work.
• At least 3-4 years of experience providing nonprofit fundraising support, particularly with grants and individual donors is required.
• Three or more years of fundraising experience at an organization with a $1+ million annual budget
• Track record of success in front-line fundraising solicitation, stewardship, donor recognition, prospect research, grant proposal writing, gift administration, and development policies and procedures
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing five to six-figure grants and five-figure contributions from individuals
• Demonstrated knowledge and best practices in the field of philanthropy, development, and grants
• Familiarity with development practices for 501(c)(3)
• 2-3 years of experience with fundraising software and databases is required.
• At least 1-2 years of experience working in the legal field, with lawyers, law students, and legal workers is preferred.
• Exceptional organizational skillset and practices.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills.
• Exceptional knowledge of project management practices, tools, and technology
• Able to effectively represent L4BL to a variety of audiences and communities.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Able to provide leadership within a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work well with a team.

Position: Full-time salaried employee. Overtime exempt.

Compensation: $85,000 - $90,000 commensurate with experience. Through NEO Philanthropy, this position is offered a full benefits package, including 100% medical coverage for the employee and 90% medical coverage for dependents; 100% coverage for vision, dental, life/AD&D, long-term disability. NEO also offers a 401K retirement savings plan, Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), Medical FSA, Dependent Care FSA, commuter benefits, Employee Assistance Program, other supplemental benefits and paid time off.

Location: This is a remote position, however, at least quarterly travel will be required

Start Date: Feb 2025

Reports To: Executive Director

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift 25 lbs
• Ability to sit or stand for prolonged periods in meetings or while working on a computer
• Frequently required to sit, stand, walk and reach
• Required to push, pull, lift and carry

Vaccination Requirement: L4BL at NEO staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Requests for medical and/or religious exemptions from the vaccination requirement will be considered on an individual basis.

TO APPLY: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three (3)references at bit.ly/L4BLWork.

L4BL at NEO Philanthropy is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage black people, people of color, women, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and people who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system to apply.