Job Description
Job Description
1. Executive Summary & Organizational Framing
Orphans of the Storm is entering an exciting new chapter of operational expansion and philanthropic impact. With ground officially broken on our new shelter facility and our Capital Campaign ongoing, this role focuses on building long-term annual operating sustainability, expanding individual major gifts ($25,000+), growing monthly recurring donations, and driving proactive donor stewardship. To lead this next phase, Orphans of the Storm seeks an entrepreneurial, highly accountable, and hands-on Director of Development to serve as the 'one-person engine' of our advancement program. This role is framed as an entrepreneurial opportunity to BE the Department, taking total end-to-end ownership of development strategy, donor relationship building, direct stewardship, and technical database administration in DonorPerfect. Operating with clarity, precision, and strategic agility, the Director of Development will design sustainable practices, create structure from ambiguity, and mobilize integrated support from our Executive Director, Board Development Committee, and Social Media/Marketing Department to ensure continuous revenue growth.
2. Candidate Profile & Ideal Mindset
The ideal candidate is an ambitious, self-directed builder-operator who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment. Rather than delegating tactical execution to a multi-tiered staff, this individual finds energy in running the entire fundraising program personally, balancing high-level strategy with meticulous, hands-on execution.
❖ Entrepreneurial & Scrappy Mindset: Possesses a scrappy, high-energy orientation needed to build relationships, identify untapped giving potential, and turn opportunities into sustainable revenue.
❖ Creating Structure from Ambiguity: Energized by establishing order, building repeatable operational workflows, and creating sustainable development practices in environments where infrastructure is limited. ❖ Strategy + Tool-Driven Execution: Balances high-level major donor cultivation with the willingness to directly leverage DonorPerfect as a strategic fundraising asset for list segmentation, query building, and gift tracking.
❖ Collaborative Ambassador: Serves as an approachable, low-ego storyteller who treats fundraising as a shared organizational priority and connects seamlessly with shelter staff, finance, leadership, and volunteers.
❖ Translating Animal Impact to Philanthropy: Translates daily shelter realities, including medical emergency outcomes, community support, and rescue transports, into emotionally compelling donor stewardship and multi-channel appeals.
3. Core Responsibilities & Functional Scope
Revenue Strategy, Major Gifts & 'One-Person Engine' Operations (40%)
❖ Program Design: Formulate and execute a comprehensive annual development strategy across individual giving, major gifts ($25,000+), mid-level upgrades, direct mail appeals, and recurring monthly giving.
❖ Portfolio Management: Personally manage a portfolio of 75–100 qualified prospects. Execute disciplined moves-management protocols (identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship). ❖ Direct Solicitations: Conduct regular face-to-face and virtual solicitations for major gifts (25,000+). Direct solicitation is a primary weekly function of this role.
❖ Annual Appeals: Drive strategy and execution for direct-response direct mail and digital campaigns (e.g., Winter and Summer appeals), using segmentation to maximize donor acquisition and retention.
❖ Bequest & Small-Donor Pipeline Development: Proactively track and steward smaller, long-term donors (50–250 giving history) within DonorPerfect to identify bequest intentions and cultivate planned gifts, tapping into a proven source of legacy support.
End-to-End Database Management & Technical Ownership (DonorPerfect) (15%)
❖ Strategic CRM Ownership: Leverage DonorPerfect as the central tool for driving fundraising strategy, donor pipeline tracking, and revenue forecasting.
❖ Data Hygiene & Integrity: Maintain system integrity by ensuring contact information accuracy, utilizing DP Address Updater utilities, running regular de-duplication checks, and ensuring correct campaign/appeal coding.
❖ Advanced Segmentation & Querying: Utilize DonorPerfect query tools to segment constituents by programmatic affinity (medical care, spay/neuter, rescue transport), giving recency/frequency (RFM analysis), and lapsed status (LYBUNT/SYBUNT).
❖ Financial Reporting: Generate monthly revenue-vs-projection variance reports, track donor retention, and create Recency-Frequency-Monetary (RFM) segments.
Direct Donor Stewardship & Animal Impact Storytelling (25%)
❖ High-Touch Stewardship: Establish responsive, personalized stewardship protocols ensuring every major and mid-level donor receives prompt, tailored acknowledgments and touchpoints.
❖ Impact Storytelling: Bridge shelter operations and donor communications by sharing customized impact updates, including videos of medical recovery outcomes, handwritten notes from shelter staff, and private facility tours.
❖ Retention & Recovery Protocols: Monitor donor churn metrics in DonorPerfect, identify 'at-risk' donors, and execute personalized recovery outreach to maintain a donor retention rate above 50%.
❖ Planned Giving Framework: Manage the PerPetual Partners legacy society, securing documented bequest intentions, processing and collaborating on incoming bequests and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs).
Leveraging Integrated Support: Collaboration Protocols (10%)
❖ Executive Director (ED) Partnership: Partner closely with the ED on high-level major gift cultivations and strategic solicitations, providing background briefs and strategic preparation for donor meetings.
❖ Development Committee (Board): Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board Development Committee. Equip board members with prospect research, customized scripts, and structured solicitation opportunities.
❖ Accounts & Finance Department Interface: Collaborate directly with the Accounts Department to reconcile monthly gift receipts, track pledge fulfillment, ensure proper audit trail coding, and match bank deposits with CRM records.
❖ Social Media & Marketing Alignment: Collaborate with internal Social Media/Marketing teams to ensure digital content, social storytelling, and website giving forms align closely with fundraising objectives
Institutional Giving, Events & ROI Management (10%)
❖ Grants Management: Manage the institutional grant calendar, draft compelling foundation proposals, and complete compliance reports for operational and programmatic funding.
❖ Net-Revenue Focus on Events: Oversee signature events (Annual Gala, Golf Outing) with a strict focus on maximizing net profit. Delegate day-to-day event logistics to committees and volunteers so staff can focus on donor cultivation.
4. Precise Key Performance Indicators & Success Benchmarks
This role is evaluated on measurable financial metrics, donor retention, and operational execution. Clear benchmarks ensure full transparency and strategic alignment across leadership.
5. Qualifications & Professional Competencies
❖ Professional Experience: 5+ years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience with a proven track record of soliciting and closing individual major gifts ($25,000+). Experience in animal welfare or humane societies is strongly preferred.
❖ Technical CRM Proficiency: Demonstrated hands-on expertise in DonorPerfect or comparable nonprofit CRMs (Raiser's Edge, Salesforce). Must possess independent ability to log gifts, build complex queries, perform list segmentation, and generate financial reports.
❖ Software & Analytics Skills: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (data manipulation, VLOOKUPs, list comparisons) and digital marketing integration (Constant Contact, email segmentation).
❖ Education & Credentials: Bachelor's degree required. Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) or other relevant professional credentials is a strong plus.
❖ Personal Attributes: Self-motivated, scrappy, high-energy, and collaborative. Passionate about companion animal welfare and committed to transparent, ethical fundraising practices.
Base Salary Range: $80,000–$100,000 annually, fulfilling Illinois Equal Pay Act transparency requirements. Healthcare Insurance: Comprehensive medical insurance coverage with significant employer contribution. Dental & Vision Care: Full dental and vision insurance options for employees and eligible dependents. Retirement Planning: 403(b) plan Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous vacation package.