**Applicants, please note: we ask that you upload relevant materials and complete our application form here: https://airtable.com/shrJ0WaQH2jmllF7Z**
Background
Fostering Media Connections (FMC) is a nonprofit news organization that uses journalism to lead the conversation around children, youth and families in America.
FMC publishes a daily news site, The Imprint, and a print magazine, Fostering Families Today. Both have won numerous awards, and have impacted policy on the local, state and federal level.
FMC also trains youth who have experienced homelessness, the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems on the basics of journalism so they can take a more prominent position in the policy discourse that shapes their lives. FMC is based in Los Angeles and has a team of 18 employees across the country.
Job Summary
FMC’s Development Manager will be at the helm of elevating the fundraising and outreach efforts established over the course of the organization’s first 12 years. They will help create and implement a strategy to take FMC’s development to the next level in a way that parallels the organization’s expansion in both staff and revenue, with a short-term focus on connecting with, managing and expanding our individual donor base and relationships with charitable foundations across the country. In the long-term, this person will build a corporate giving program, and integrate development with the organization’s multiple revenue streams related to its publications.
The ideal candidate must have solid experience and appetite for developing strategies that attract new donors in the media and nonprofit journalism space. They will excel in a fast-paced environment, and be excited about building new systems and relationships.
Major Responsibilities
The Development Manager will occupy a prominent role in all of FMC’s current fund development activities and set the stage for growth and exploration of new avenues of fundraising for our evolving organization. Activities will include
- Managing grants from start to finish: This includes drafting proposals, tracking impact and progress on deliverables, and writing interim and final reports as required by our funders;
- Strengthening current funder relationships while also exploring and building new ones;
- Researching and implementing use of development software;
- Collaborating with leadership team to maximize support and involvement of FMC’s Board of Directors in development activities;
- Monitoring and evaluating all fundraising activities to ensure that the fundraising goals are being achieved;
- Staying attuned to trends in the communities FMC serves and adapt fundraising strategies as necessary;
- Collaborating with program managers and business development manager to maximize annual fundraising events;
- Managing and strengthening all aspects of individual donor program in collaboration with communications and engagement manager, including running end-of-year campaign and creating opportunities to connect with individual donors year round.
Qualifications and requirements
- BA/BS or equivalent experience required; MA or equivalent experience preferred; a certificate in fundraising management or CFRE designation is a plus;
- Four-plus years’ experience in development;
- Demonstrated excellence in organizational, managerial, and communication skills;
- Knowledge of Salesforce required; familiarity with development software and multiple platforms is a plus;
- Knowledge of fundraising management, including federal and state laws affecting nonprofit organizations, and best practices;
- Comfort and competence building relationships and doing outreach in communities around the country;
- Adept and personable at communicating via phone, email and social media around the organization’s messaging;
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, with emphasis on Excel, and G-Suite. Knowledge of other online platforms such as AirTable, Canva, Zoom, GoToMeeting is a plus;
- Ability to succeed in a role that mixes spending days working from a desk/computer, and also being a familiar face in the community meeting with funders; some travel may be required.
Personal characteristics
The ideal Development Manager will demonstrate
- Passion for journalism and media, a voracious consumer of the written word.
- Familiarity with challenges faced by journalism in recent years and an understanding of how media-producing entities are diversifying revenue.
- Strong organizational and project management skills: adept at working under tight deadlines and managing multiple projects simultaneously. Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals.
- Build relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.
- Communicate effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
- Planning and attention to detail: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans, and evaluate the process and results. Plan and execute activities on a timeframe that gives ample notice to involve multiple stakeholders while maximizing the benefits of the activity.
- Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve the finances of the organization and to create new opportunities.
- Focus on donor needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of donors to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.
- Foster teamwork: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness.
- Make decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
- Behave ethically: Understand ethical behavior and business practices and ensure behavior is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization.
- Solve problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.
- Vision: Above all, the Development Manager must value and understand FMC’s mission, appreciate how crucial fund development is to our capacity to do this work, and be able to communicate that mission to past, current and future donors in a way that allows them to feel connected and involved.
Revenue Team Structure
The Development Manager is a leader on FMC’s revenue team, which reports to the co-executive directors and includes the business development manager and the communications and engagement manager. They will work closely with the business development manager and communications and engagement manager to maximize opportunities for fundraising connected to FMC’s publications, programs and community activities.
HOW TO APPLY: We ask that you upload relevant materials and complete our application form here: https://airtable.com/shrJ0WaQH2jmllF7Z
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
Education:
Experience:
- development: 4 years (Required)
- Salesforce: 1 year (Required)
Work Location: Remote