Position Description: Director of Development & Communications
About Climate Emergency Fund
Climate Emergency Fund is a critical institution in the climate movement – raising money for and making grants to nonviolent, disruptive climate groups because that is the fastest way to create transformative change. We act as a venture philanthropy providing seed funding to groups like Just Stop Oil, Climate Defiance, Scientist Rebellion, and others. We are a bridge between funders and activists, and we engage in funder education about social movements and their need for a radical flank to change what is politically possible.
Position Summary
Climate Emergency Fund’s director of development and communications (DDC) will fundraise for heroic activists who are changing the world! The DDC must be passionate about the climate movement, mass protest and nonviolent action – being mission-aligned is critical. Fundraising is the heart of what we do with all team members contributing to the work of the development team. The DDC plays a pivotal role in the management, support, and direct implementation of our fundraising goals and strategy. To that end, our communications approach happens largely through the lens of fundraising, with messaging strategies developed to engage funders and the philanthropic community around our goals. A savvy director of development and communications will be a skilled communicator as well and will work to amplify and spotlight the successes of our grantees and the impact and effectiveness of our theory of change.
The DDC will collaborate closely with and support the executive director in growing a thriving donor portfolio, including coordinating virtual and in-person events and conferences. The DDC will identify and build new funding opportunities and oversee core processes of our fundraising and donor management, leading a team, including a development officer and a development operations manager.
Responsibilities include:
- Fundraising. Collaborate with the executive director and board of directors in cultivating and soliciting major and leadership gifts, as well as overseeing the wider development program - 45%
- Plan and execute an 18-month fundraising strategy, including virtual and in-person fundraising events and conferences or speaking opportunities.
- Set specific goals and build out necessary KPIs for increasing annual organizational revenue by 30%.
- Build and implement a structured donor pipeline for converting, upgrading, and retaining donors through regular touchpoints and outreach.
- Support ED in managing a portfolio of donors, including your own.
- Work with ED to support cultivation of board of directors’ networks.
- Identify and research major donors, major donor prospects, and institutional grant opportunities in collaboration with the team.
- Communications. Support development and distribution of a multi-channel comms strategy - 20%
- Partner with ED and communications team in the preparation of op-eds, speaking engagements, press releases, new fundraising initiatives and collateral, and crisis communications.
- Engage with comms team attending weekly meetings, reviewing media monitoring, and make appropriate recommendations to ED.
- Oversee the development and execution of overall fundraising and communications collateral, including mass emails, acknowledgment letters, LOIs, proposals, grant applications, decks, and our annual reports.
- Manage fundraising content that’s shared across website, newsletters, social media, digital ad spaces, and other platforms.
- Administration. Oversee infrastructure, managing a savvy fundraising team - 35%
- Manage the development and communications teams and provide leadership and support to the full team, including the program officer and operations officer, ensuring collaboration across departments.
- Oversee development team’s grant management work, including the institutional grants Asana project, and the grant tracker, including all touchpoints for outreach and engagement.
- Work with the development officer to implement annual plan to grow small, medium, recurring, workplace, and peer-to-peer giving.
- Build and grow relationships with philanthropic advisers and DAFs.
- Work with the development operations manager to ensure back-end infrastructure (CRM management, donation acknowledgment process, etc) is top-notch and best practices are prioritized.
Necessary Qualifications:
- Strong commitment to the mission and approach of Climate Emergency Fund.
- 5+ years of demonstrated fundraising success, especially in major giving.
- Have managed a development program that includes small, medium, and major gifts, grants, workplace giving, peer-to-peer giving and planned giving.
- Proven track record of bringing in 5- and 6-figure gifts.
- 3+ year track record of successfully managing projects and a team of colleagues, especially working with smaller teams to build a positive, inclusive working culture.
- Proven track record overseeing marketing or communications strategies, including engagement with press, as well as experience with media training
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and relationship development.
- Holds existing funder relationships in the social movement or climate space.
- Experience in the climate movement; can discuss theories of change, tactics, and how movements build power with donors.
- Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and mission-driven.
- Be a “self-starter” and goal-driven to initiate donor visits and fundraising calls.
Preferred:
- Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge CRM
- Located in NYC, LA, or the Bay area with a preference for New York
This is a full-time, fully remote opportunity with a preference for candidates in the New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco area. You should have the ability to travel up to 15% of the time, including occasional nights and weekends for high-value opportunities. Salary will be $120,000- $140,000, commensurate with experience and portfolio.
We offer a benefits package and work-from-home stipend.
Climate Emergency Fund is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.
We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to jobs@cefund.org with "Director of Development and Communications" in the subject line.