Development Director

Funders for Reproductive Equity (FRE) is pleased to seek applications and nominations for the position of Development Director.

ABOUT FRE

Funders for Reproductive Equity (FRE) is a thriving community of philanthropic partners focused on reproductive health, rights, and justice (RHRJ) in the United States and globally. For 25 years, FRE has served as an organizing body for RHRJ funders to work in coordination, understand one another’s priorities, deepen their analysis of critical issues in RHRJ, mutually support one another, and practice aligned strategies. In 2018, FRE led a highly collaborative process involving staff, board, and members to develop its long-term vision, which is to lead philanthropy and transform philanthropic culture to optimize resources for all people’s freedom over their sexual and reproductive lives. Through its efforts, FRE aims to advance reproductive equity and justice, centering racial and gender justice, within philanthropy. Learn more about FRE at www.wearefre.org.

THE CALL TO ACTION

Our global community is experiencing an undeniable crisis moment in which reproductive health, rights, and justice have been attacked, stripped away, and weakened in unimaginable ways on an international scale. To counter these forces and forge ahead, the RHRJ movement has continued to build its community, strategy, collective organizing, resources, and resilience. Philanthropy needs to meet this growing need, strengthening its support of the bold and strategic work of movement leaders who are centering the communities most affected by systemic injustice. As the core RHRJ philanthropy-serving organization, FRE is proud to serve as an integral piece in the fight for transformation and justice and to continue to serve as a trusted resource for strengthening RHRJ grantmaking, providing valuable engagement and learning opportunities for members, and actively organizing RHRJ philanthropy to prioritize intersectional issues within grantmaking and be a catalyst for support.

THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ROLE

The Development Director will play an instrumental role in leading collaborative strategy development and driving execution of FRE’s efforts to foster a diverse community of members (funders) and guide resources to support the RHRJ movement and FRE’s work. Working in close partnership with the Executive Director, the Development Director will creatively build and adapt strategies to strengthen organizational infrastructure for advancing FRE’s strategic priorities of:

• Racial and Gender Justice Learning, Co-Creation and Action;
• Donor Organizing, Community-Building, and Strategic Collaboration;
• Thought Leadership in Philanthropy; and
• Organizational Strengthening and Governance.

More specifically, the Development Director will lead in the following areas:

Collaboratively set and implement FRE’s fundraising strategy and plans.

• In partnership with the Executive Director and Director of Finance & Operations, develop and implement FRE’s overall fundraising strategy and annual fundraising goals to support FRE’s mission, strategic priorities, and $1.7M annual budget.
• Set and track progress towards quarterly fundraising benchmarks, providing regular assessments, strategic analysis, and other updates on fundraising activities and outcomes to the Executive Director and FRE’s Board of Directors.
• Lead efforts to adapt strategies to meet targets as needed.
• With the Executive Director, co-lead the Board Development Committee and support other Board committees as needed.
• Monitor the RHRJ and broader philanthropic landscape for shifts and trends, and creatively identify strategies to expand resources for FRE and the RHRJ movement.
• Participate in strategy development of member-driven collaborative funding opportunities.

Develop and steward relationships with FRE members and other funders, contributing insights that cultivate engagement.

• Research, identify, and analyze opportunities to engage and expand the community of funders aware of and supportive of FRE’s work.
• Collaborate closely with the Executive Director to cultivate potential new members and strengthen relationships with FRE’s members and philanthropic colleagues.
• Foster exceptional communications and relationship building with FRE members and serve as an ongoing resource and thought partner to members/donors, including responding to inquiries and sharing ideas, insights, and perspectives in service of FRE’s vision and strategic priorities.
• Partner with the Communications Director to develop persuasive materials to elevate FRE’s vision, values, and strategic priorities, centering the work and insights of communities most adversely impacted by systemic injustice. This will include new member materials, annual membership appeals, and other direct messages.

Grow resources directed to FRE and to the RHRJ movement.

• Expand FRE’s membership network, including exploring partnerships with funders that support fields intersectional with reproductive health, rights, and justice work, and engage with a wider variety of donors. including funding networks and globally focused funders.
• In close partnership with the Executive Director, deliver compelling funding requests that effectively communicate FRE’s impact and role as the only philanthropy-serving organization focusing specifically on RHRJ; make the direct ask for financial support; provide timely follow-up; and build trust and mutually beneficial long-term donor partnerships.
• Lead all phases of grant proposal writing and report development. Work in close collaboration with the Director of Finance & Operations and other relevant FRE team members, including the Program Director, to inform the most timely and compelling content for submission of grant proposals.
• Track and lead development and submission of timely and insightful grant reporting on program outcomes and financial accountability.

Lead fundraising and grants management operations.

• Effectively track and move the development pipeline from concept to closeout including donor stewardship, all relevant deliverables, and reporting.
• Collaborate with the Director of Finance & Operations to manage, track, and assess fundraising progress against projected goals and ensure timely submission of membership dues.
• Continue to assess and improve FRE’s fundraising, income assessment, and grants management systems and processes.
• Together with the Director of Finance & Operations, ensure compliance and adherence to grant requirements, donor requests, and IRS regulations.

Serve as a values-driven and collaborative leader on FRE’s Team.

• FRE is a team of six staff who work remotely across the U.S. and come together in person for meetings and convenings. In this setting, every individual impacts the culture and effectiveness of the organization and is encouraged to foster creativity, care, collaboration, and joy in addition to bringing a deep commitment to excellence in their work and in FRE’s mission.
• Collaborate with FRE’s team leaders to ensure FRE is strengthening RHRJ grantmaking; providing valuable engagement and learning opportunities for FRE members; advancing meaningful collaborations with philanthropic colleagues; and fostering thought leadership in philanthropy about intersectional RHRJ.
• Lead in alignment with FRE’s values of respect, candor, openness, and trust and priorities of equity, justice and diversity.

QUALIFICATIONS

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications below, the ideal candidate will have many of the following professional abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Commitment to pursuing reproductive health, rights, and justice in a way that centers racial and gender justice.
• Experience advancing fundraising strategies that center the communities most affected by systemic injustice. Knowledge of the national U.S. philanthropic RHRJ and social justice landscape is critical and understanding of the RHRJ global landscape would be a benefit.
• Six or more years’ experience working in nonprofit fundraising, with demonstrated success in donor cultivation and stewardship, including raising and managing funds from institutional donors.
• Experience developing and implementing annual fundraising strategies and goals, including budget planning in collaboration with finance and executive leadership.
• Awareness and care toward power dynamics between funders, movement organizations, and the broader RHRJ ecosystem. Experience building a shared community in service of mission is critical. An understanding of nonprofit membership organizations is helpful.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, including the ability to listen to and understand the motivations and strategies of funders and develop compelling proposals and messages.
• Ability to develop nuanced, differentiated communication to a diverse audience of funders, members, and the broader philanthropic community, as well as RHRJ movement leaders and Board members.
• Exceptional written communication skills, with appreciation for collaborative writing processes. Experience writing in a wide range of formats, including grant proposals and reports and concept papers.
• Sound organizational skills and the ability to manage and balance high-level strategy setting along with detailed actions and follow up activities such as grant proposals and reporting deadlines and payments.
• Basic understanding of IRS rules and regulations related to 501(c)3 organizations.
• Flexible and adaptable, with comfort working both independently and collaboratively within the context of a streamlined, dynamic, remote team.
• Passion, flexibility, and sense of humor necessary for critical mission-driven work in a dynamic field. A team player who fosters a collaborative environment and shared commitment to a broader vision and goals.
• Ability to travel on occasion for funder meetings, convenings, and staff gatherings.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The annual full-time salary range is $115,000 to $130,000. FRE offers a generous benefits package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, paid time off, holiday schedule, and more. This is a full-time, exempt remote position based within the U.S.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

This search is being supported by Callie Carroll of CLC Endeavors. Please send application materials to FRE-DD@clcendeavors.com. Applications should include a resume and cover letter that communicates your interest and qualifications for the role. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Funders for Reproductive Equity values a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourages Black, Indigenous, People of Color, women, transgender and gender-nonconforming people, and LGBTQ+ individuals, to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, we recruit and hire with the understanding of systemic oppression and of the lived reality of people with marginalized identities. We also recruit and hire without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, prior conviction, arrest history, disability, marital status, veteran status, or age. Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet all the criteria.