Director of Development

Cooperative Development Institute

Transforming ownership of our economy

Job Description

Director of Development (Northeast)

Snapshot: Growing, dynamic policy innovator with business savvy and community heart seeks a development professional with strategic vision, robust follow-through, team attitude, and sense of humor. Let’s create the world we want to live in, step by step!

Reports to: Executive Director

Geography: Fully remote, prefer residence in/familiarity with the Northeast (New England and New York).

Salary and Hours: $63,000-$68,000/year for 40 hours/week. FLSA non-exempt/salaried. Paid time off (3 weeks vacation, increasing to 4 weeks after two years’ tenure, plus 9 paid holidays/year). Five-week sabbatical after five years. Health benefits. Home Office stipend. Family and Medical Leave. Mileage reimbursement at the IRS rate. Ability to contribute to a retirement plan.

About The Cooperative Development Institute (CDI)

The Cooperative Development Institute (CDI, www.cdi.coop) is the Northeast’s Center for cooperative business education, training, and technical assistance. CDI was founded in 1994 by cooperative leaders across industry sectors to build a cooperative economy in the Northeast.

Our mission is to work with people in the Northeast to create cooperative businesses and networks that grow a prosperous, equitable economy. We envision a democratically-owned and just economy where everyone can fulfill their needs and aspirations. Collective liberation is at the center of what we do. At the core of our work is transformation: at the individual, structural, group, and community level.

CDI works to support, advise and provide technical assistance to all sorts of cooperatives in the Northeast. CDI’s New England Resident Owned Communities (NEROC) program provides support and assistance for residents of manufactured home communities to purchase their parks and run them cooperatively. Our Business Ownership Solutions (BOS) program focuses on transition of existing businesses to worker ownership and our Cooperative Food Systems (CFS) program works with all food-related cooperatives; from assisting New American and Native American farmers to rural food cooperative retail stores and producer co-ops. And that’s not all of what we do!

CDI is a virtually based 501(c)3 non-profit that has about 30 employees. CDI employees enjoy their jobs and appreciate the flexibility of working from home, the commitment to continuous learning, and how interesting and varied our work is. Because our organization is transparent, accountable, and participatory, our staff’s ideas and opinions count. We are committed to maintaining this as a priority. 

Position Overview

The Cooperative Development Institute is looking for a full-time Development Director to conduct CDI’s fundraising projects and oversee communications. The job requires excellent project management and supervision skills. The director will strategize with each of our programs to create an effective funding strategy that is in alignment with their goals. An early task will be to lead a hiring process to shape a communications manager role and fill the position. Improving data systems will be an important part of the job for CDI to achieve the organization’s development and communications goals.

The successful candidate is a strong strategic thinker, a superb organizer, and an excellent communicator with strong attention to detail. Social media marketing experience is a great attribute. Ability to understand and customize a variety of platforms for efficient delivery of services is key. Ultimately, the goal of this position is to ensure well-organized efficient fundraising and effective communication of organizational messaging across all channels in support of priorities. The goal of development is to assure ongoing government and philanthropic support, prospect and respond to new fundraising opportunities, and lay the foundation for an individual giving program. The goal of communications is to effectively brand CDI as a recognized cooperative leader in the field by messaging CDI’s role as a key community engagement partner helping communities find solutions through cooperative development. Working with a busy team across a broad scope of work areas in a positive, coordinated way is a must. This person must be familiar with the Northeast (New England and New York), and residency is prefered.

This position reports to the Executive Director. 

Position Responsibilities

  • Developing, implementing and managing CDI’s development plan within the guidelines of the strategic plan, in support of the overall Business model (as it may be updated from time to time) and in partnership with the Executive Director and program directors
  • Assessment of current systems for grant and donor tracking and project management, and building and maintaining improved systems that more effectively guide the work of participants
  • Cultivating relationships with foundation program officers and strategic partners, and building up CDI as a source of progressive, effective policy innovation 
  • Scanning for new sources of funding, from federal, state, foundation and private grantors, and prospecting promising sources to assess fit in collaboration with program directors 
  • Writing and submitting grants, and coordinating/project managing the work of others to write and submit grants
  • Laying the foundation for an individual donor program through a well-planned annual fund campaign, analysis of existing prospects, and  coaching of ED, staff and board to cultivate and thank donors
  • Co-Leading the CDI Board fundraising committee with the lead board member
  • Coordinating all proposals and grants with the Finance Director
  • Coordinating/ensuring necessary grant reporting by relevant program staff
  • Leading a process to shape and fill a communications manager role, which would be responsible for strategizing communications campaigns, social media management, email, communications writing and editing, web content, media contacts, and graphic design
  • Point person for engaging and supervising any additional personnel, in-house or contractor, working on development and communications projects
  • Serving on CDI’s management team

Requirements

  • Proven experience as a Development Director or similar role in non-profit, community or economic development organizations
  • Successful track record of securing government, foundation and partner funds as well as individual contributions 

Knowledge Skills/Abilities

  • Strong knowledge of and commitment to cooperatives and cooperative development
  • Well-developed process development and planning skills
  • Excellent time management skills, including those needed to coordinate appropriate parties to meet fundraising deadlines
  • Understanding of media relations and digital media strategies
  • Solid writing, editing and researching skills
  • Excellent communication abilities (oral and written)
  • Visionary, creative, independent thinker 
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Strong organizational skills and task management 
  • Demonstrated experience working effectively on a team, including showing proactive and team-oriented leadership
  • Experience as a manager/supervisor preferred
  • Ability to think critically and solve problems
  • Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines
  • Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills
  • Proficient in MS Office and Google Apps
  • Familiarity with web platform management, experience with Wordpress a plus
  • Familiarity with social media platform management including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and HootSuite
  • Familiarity with design software (e.g. Photoshop, InDesign, Canva) and content management systems is a plus
  • Experience with Salesforce a plus
  • Experience with Meltwater a plus

Inclusion

We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. CDI is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. 

We promote economic prosperity for all through our work with our clients, our hiring practices, and our vigorous commitment to cooperative principles. We strive daily to acknowledge and eliminate all forms of oppression. By examining bias within ourselves and our organization, we work mindfully to make our board and staff more inclusive. We actively fight against racism, classism, gender inequality and all efforts to marginalize anyone. The nature of our work engages us directly with the working poor, the educationally disadvantaged, the elderly, immigrants and refugees. It is our goal to see all of our clients prosper within the cooperative movement.

We welcome applicants from underrepresented identities, and those who have a commitment and track record of bringing an inclusive and equitable approach to their work.

Instructions

Please fill out the application form at https://cdi.coop/job-opening-director-of-development/, and upload a resume, cover letter, and 3 references (preferably as one file). This position will remain open until filled.