Development and Communications Director

ABOUT CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE

Children’s Alliance is Washington’s statewide children’s advocacy organization. Our 42-year-old organization works to place racial justice at the heart of Washington’s laws and budget priorities so that every child can thrive. From our offices in the SoDo neighborhood in Seattle, we rally a small but mighty team of staff, a committed board and more than 7,000 members across the state to advocate passionately on issues affecting children and their families.

The Development and Communications Director plays a key role in accomplishing this ambitious goal by leading efforts to secure financial support for our efforts. Through grant seeking, donor acquisition and cultivation, and events, we provide opportunities for donors, foundations, corporations and others to join in this movement to ensure that every child can thrive.

DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

The Development and Communications Director provides strategic leadership and management of Children’s Alliance’s statewide network of supporters and our fundraising portfolio in support of our mission to advance racially equitable state and federal policy change.

The Development and Communications Director oversees a talented team, directly supervising the Communications Manager and Member Relations and Data Manager. With the support of this team, the Development and Communications Director manages all fundraising activities including prospecting, cultivating, and stewarding individual, corporate, and foundation gifts and coordinating the annual fundraising campaigns, special initiatives and events.

The Development and Communications Director leads in executing a comprehensive communication plan that promotes and supports Children’s Alliance programs and initiatives. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong strategic thinking and the ability to develop, analyze, manage, and execute marketing and communications activities. The Development and Communications Director is a key member of the Children’s Alliance Management Team, which consults on all operational decisions and informs financial and governance decisions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND CORE FUNCTIONS

Fundraising and Development

• Develop annual and multi-year fundraising and communications plans to grow our community of supporters.
• Establishes, tracks, and evaluates key metrics for fundraising and communications programs using meaningful data to continually improve practices and inform future revenue goals.
• Manages organization fundraising campaigns, including annual fundraising events, year-end campaign, organizational membership campaign, GiveBIG and other donation campaigns.
• Works in partnership with Board of Directors, Resource Development Committee and Executive Director to grow board’s fundraising capacity and ability to identify and cultivate current and prospective supporters.
• Collaborates with the senior leadership team and others to identify and cultivate prospective funders, as well as steward current funders.
• Manages cultivation and stewardship of individual supporters, including production of regular donor communications, execution of cultivation events and prospect research.

Communications

• Oversee organization’s branding efforts, including maintenance of website, development and production of digital and social media content, marketing collateral and other branded materials.
• Collaborate with the policy team to develop messaging and tools that help advocates take action for kids and identify prospective advocates, partners, and other supporters.
• Develop media outreach strategies and manage relationship development with media partners.

Organizational Leadership

• Member of Children’s Alliance’s Leadership Team, participating in strategic discussions regarding Children’s Alliance’s direction and tactics and working with other members of the management team to ensure timely implementation, efficient communication and coordination of decisions.
• Champions a culture of philanthropy that is consistent with and enhances the organization’s antiracist values.
• Develop and manage the annual income and expense budgets for the department; approve all departmental expenditures; and contribute to the development of the Institute’s overall annual budget.
• Represents the organization to prospective and current donors, community partners, and other external audiences.

Supervision

• Directly supervises and supports the Donor Relations and Data Manager and Communications Manager.
• With Children Alliance’s Administrative Manager, directing aspects of staff supervision and development efforts, including developing and refining job descriptions, hiring and supervision of existing staff and professional development

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of relevant work experience ideally in a nonprofit setting.
• Minimum of three years of experience in prospecting, cultivating and managing relationships with non-profit donors to meet fundraising goals.
• Experience supporting an Executive Director and Board of Director in efforts to reach fundraising goals.
• Demonstrated success applying racial equity practices in your work.
• Excellent verbal and written skills, creativity, independent judgment, attention to detail, accuracy and strong editing skills.
• Possess intellectual curiosity about the effects of public policy on Washington’s families.
• Be prepared for guidance, evaluation, and high performance in a hybrid office setting.
• Be proficient in Microsoft Office and other PC applications.

No candidate is expected to possess all the qualifications listed above. In areas where aptitude and/or interest are greater than experience, candidates are encouraged to propose a plan for support.