Vanessa Baker
ABOUT YES NATURE TO NEIGHBORHOODS (YES)
Our Mission: In partnership with nature, YES nurtures leaders who champion the wellbeing of our community.
YES supports and nurtures under-represented Richmond residents as leaders with the skills, resources, and confidence to work toward a just society and a sustainable environment. Experiences in nature provide a supportive setting for youth, adults, and families to develop meaningful relationships, build trust in themselves and each other, and take safe risks in new environments. YES provides access to these experiences for those historically excluded from the outdoors, and is a leader at the forefront of the movement to increase equity and inclusivity in the outdoor and environmental education fields. Our vision is for Richmond youth, adults, and families to lead healthy, connected lives; motivate change in their neighborhoods; and inspire a safe, thriving community.
Since 1999, YES has provided outdoor access to over 5,500 youth from Richmond and West Contra Costa County to Summer Camp, facilitated Family Camps for 1,200 families, and has evolved to become a well-established promoter of leadership and wellness practices reaching more than 550 West Contra Costa County residents each year. Learn more at www.yesfamilies.org
THE OPPORTUNITY
The YES Development Director is a full-time position responsible for growing awareness of and commitment to the organization’s work through proactive, creative, and relationship-based fundraising strategies. The Development Director will develop and lead the execution of annual fundraising and communications plans in alignment with YES’s strategic plan--cultivating and celebrating donors’ generosity while also centering the aspirations, strengths, and voices of our participants.
Raising $1.2 million annually and reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Director will collaborate extensively with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, volunteers, and program staff while supervising the Development & Communications Associate and the contract Grants Manager. They will engage in organizational leadership by serving on internal committees and in community-based collaboratives.
The ideal candidate is strong in both the art and science of fundraising: building warm, genuine relationships and kindling the desire to give on the one hand, and, on the other hand, managing development projects and data with close attention to detail, building reliable processes and systems. The ideal candidate thrives on collaboration in a small team, leads by example and supports others generously, and seeks ongoing opportunities to learn and grow outside their comfort zone.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Donor Relations & Board Engagement (35%)
Manage a portfolio of about 100 donors and funders giving $500+ a year, coordinating with and providing support to the Executive Director and other team members, as well as personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding these donors.
Partner with the Executive Director on their cultivation efforts by brainstorming strategies, managing project calendars, scheduling tasks, and composing messages.
Develop and implement a Major Donor moves management strategy, building from YES's existing relationship-building and donor stewardship practices.
Manage donor records and data in Salesforce (SF) database, building reports, custom fields and formulas, workflows and data cleanliness processes. (These skills can be acquired with SF’s Trailhead training program if you don’t already have them).
Oversee and work with the Resource Development Committee of the Board to set and achieve fundraising goals and build the board’s engagement in fundraising.
Work one-on-one with board members to establish their annual fundraising goals and support their engagement with YES’s programs.
Train and support staff, board, and volunteers to become engaged fundraisers for YES.
Events & Appeals (25%)
Manage fundraising campaigns and events including summer and year-end campaigns, peer-to-peer ‘Fund-Racer,’ board and donor house parties, and large annual fundraising event(s) including new, virtual event(s).
Identify and cultivate corporate sponsors and secure sponsorships and in-kind support for virtual and live events.
Recruit, manage, and steward volunteers to support events, appeals, and projects.
Maximize opportunities for volunteers, donors, board members, and new prospects to engage with YES through fundraising and program events.
Foundation, Corporate, and Government Grants (15%)
Direct institutional giving strategy and conduct outreach to new funders in collaboration with Executive Director, Program Director, Grants Manager, and board members.
Oversee the Grants Manager’s work in submitting 30-40 grant applications and reports annually, maintaining and updating boilerplate proposal templates, performing prospecting research, overseeing the grants calendar and database, and working with program staff to collect and report data.
Manage the quarterly release from restriction of temporarily restricted net assets in accordance with GAAP accounting, auditors’ guidelines, and the organization’s expenses.
Communications and Brand Visibility (15%)
With Development & Communications Associate, develop and manage annual communications plans to articulate YES’s mission and impact and increase revenue via print, email, social media, and word of mouth.
Manage the development and production of all collateral materials including brochures, displays, flyers, videos, annual report, website, press releases, and event invitations.
Hire and manage communication/marketing contractors such as graphic designers, videographers, photographers, etc.
Produce quarterly eNewsletters, periodic eBlasts, social media posts, and other related donor-focused communications.
Develop and implement a program to send out regular press releases to local and regional media outlets.
In collaboration with the Program Director, manage and maintain the YES website.
Organizational Leadership and Team Management (10%)
Supervise and manage the Development & Communications Associate and contract Grants Manager.
Engage in organization-wide activities including board engagement, strategic planning, strategic decision-making, senior staff and all-staff meetings, and staff committees for special projects as appropriate.
Engage, promote, and practice shared leadership across the organization, fostering a team-oriented organizational culture.
Participate in fundraising affinity/networking groups to keep informed of trends and current issues in the development field.
Work with the Executive Director and YES’s accountants to prepare fund development budgets and reports, forecast annual revenue, and improve financial tracking and reporting.
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum 4 years’ experience serving in a nonprofit fundraising/development role with particular emphasis on donor stewardship, event planning and appeals, and marketing and communications.
In alignment with YES’s practices and values, a demonstrated commitment to asset-based fundraising that advances social justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity.
Commitment to a personal and professional exploration of power and privilege, including a willingness to self-reflect and experience discomfort in difficult and transformative conversations. Previous progress along this journey required.
Demonstrated ability to apply best practices and understand emerging trends to execute development strategies.
Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit and sustain warm relationships with donors and funders.
Proven track record of achieving revenue targets.
Previous experience managing and administrating a fundraising database such as Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, DonorPerfect or other donor management software. Salesforce experience preferred.
Goal-oriented with excellent attention to detail.
Team player who demonstrates willingness and enthusiasm to step into a leadership role and has the ability to manage both up and down.
Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to professionally engage and move fluidly between diverse stakeholder audiences.
Strong organizational skills including record-keeping, data entry, planning, filing, managing schedules, and managing email.
Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, e-mail, database, Internet research, and social media).
Willingness and ability to work some nights and/or weekends as necessary.
At least two years’ experience successfully supervising one or more employees.
Must have access to car transportation.
Note this position requires frequent use of computer and handwritten work, may require prolonged sitting or standing through the course of the workday, requires the ability to bend, lift and carry up to 30 lbs.
OTHER PREFERRED SKILLS/BACKGROUND
Strong understanding of the philanthropic landscape of the Bay Area including the public and private sector.
Appreciation for the outdoors and the positive impact that nature plays in people’s lives.
Experience working in youth development or social justice organizations.
Experience working in racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities.
Experience working with nonprofit boards.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
COMPENSATION
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary range is $74,000 to $80,000 depending on experience.
YES offers a generous benefits package to all regular full time employees that includes:
100% medical, dental, vision coverage
403b retirement matching program
10 vacation days in the first year with incremental accruals thereafter, 7 sick days annually, 12 holidays, 1 day paid time off for birthdays
Paid holiday closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Fully paid 6-week sabbatical program after six years with the agency
Wellness perks (yoga discounts, wellness stipends, outdoor gear discounts)
Professional development stipends
TO APPLY
Please email your resume and a personalized cover letter describing why you are interested and qualified for this position to Maria Chan, Human Resources and Operations Manager at ma...@yesfamilies.org by July 24, 2020. Projected start date is September 2020.
YES is an equal opportunity employer. You will be part of a team that values diversity of cultures, perspectives and lived experiences. We carefully consider every applicant who takes the time to apply. YES strives to reflect the community it is proud to engage with and strongly encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
No phone calls, please.