Senior Director of Development

About the role:

Clayton Early Learning is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Director of Development to lead our development efforts. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Senior Director will be responsible for designing and implementing comprehensive fundraising strategies to support our mission and programs.

Who we are:

At Clayton Early Learning, we stand as an innovation hub dedicated to cultivating vibrant and equitable communities. Our mission revolves around collaborative partnerships with families, fostering a holistic approach to the early years through a commitment to the whole child and whole family. By actively engaging with families, we aim to uncover effective strategies, embrace continuous discovery, and lead the charge in advancing systemic change.

Our vision is rooted in the belief that by nurturing the foundation of early childhood, we contribute to the well-being and prosperity of individuals, families, and communities at large. Through our relentless pursuit of what works, we strive to create an enduring impact on the lives of children and families, setting the stage for a future of shared success and thriving communities.

What we want you to do:

Strategic Fundraising Planning and Execution:

Develop and execute a comprehensive and dynamic strategic fundraising plan aligned with Clayton Early Learning's mission and goals.

Set ambitious yet achievable annual revenue targets across diverse fundraising channels, including individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, and grants.

Utilize data-driven insights and market analysis to identify emerging trends and opportunities in philanthropy, adjusting strategies accordingly to maximize fundraising effectiveness.

Corporate and Foundation Grant Management:

Identify, research, and cultivate relationships with corporate and foundation donors to secure grants and sponsorships that support Clayton Early Learning's programs and initiatives.

Collaborate with the development team to prepare high-quality grant proposals and presentations, ensuring alignment with donor priorities and grant requirements.

Manage grant application timelines, deadlines, and reporting requirements, ensuring compliance and timely submission of all necessary documentation.

Donor Relationship Management:

Cultivate and steward relationships with individual donors, board members, volunteers, and community partners to deepen engagement and maximize philanthropic support.

Develop personalized cultivation and stewardship plans for key donors, providing exceptional service and ensuring meaningful and lasting connections with Clayton Early Learning.

Regularly communicate with donors through personalized outreach, updates, and acknowledgments, expressing gratitude for their generosity and commitment to the organization's mission.

Event Planning and Campaign Management:

Oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of fundraising events and campaigns, leveraging resources, networks, and technology to maximize engagement and impact.

Develop innovative and compelling event concepts and campaign themes that resonate with donors and inspire support for Clayton Early Learning's mission and programs.

Monitor event and campaign performance metrics, analyzing results, and identifying opportunities for optimization and improvement to drive future success.

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation:

Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track fundraising performance and progress towards revenue goals, implementing systems and processes for regular monitoring and evaluation.

Prepare comprehensive reports and analysis on fundraising activities, outcomes, and trends, providing insights and recommendations to inform strategic decision-making and resource allocation.

Conduct periodic reviews and assessments of fundraising strategies and tactics, identifying lessons learned and opportunities for refinement and enhancement to ensure sustained growth and impact.

What we are looking for and what you must have:

Bachelor's degree in a related field; advanced degree preferred.

Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a proven track record of success in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Experience using Salesforce for managing the development processes and donor cultivation.

Strong leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a team to achieve ambitious fundraising goals.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and implement creative fundraising strategies to drive revenue growth.

Knowledge of early childhood education and/or related fields preferred.

Ability to lift up to 50lbs independently.

Must be able to pass background check, CBI and FBI.

The perks:

401(k) with 5% match

16 Company-paid days for Holidays

Vacation and Sick time

Medical, Vision, and Dental benefits

FSA Plans

College Investment plans

Identify theft and Protection plans

A fun, dynamic, and exciting environment

Compensation:

$125,000 to $150,000

Our Core Values:

At Clayton we work to foster a community characterized by trust, dignity, love, and justice, with our children and families, our team members, and other partners on our campus and beyond. We see these values in action each day as they strengthen our Clayton community and our service to the children, families, and educators we serve.

Community-Community fosters belonging, resiliency, stability, and strength. We are committed to creating a caring, trauma-informed, professional community at Clayton and we are committed to being a positive member of the many communities we partner with and serve. Community is living the seven Sanctuary commitments: nonviolence, emotional intelligence, social learning, democracy, open communication, social responsibility, and growth and change.

Collaboration-Collaboration builds trust and relationships and brings new ideas, skills, and knowledge to help us do better work. We are committed to approaching our work as one team across Clayton.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging-Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging leads us to reflect the communities we serve and bring the widest variety of ideas and innovation to our work. We are committed to building and sustaining an organization centered on diversity, equity, and belonging.

Growth- Growth allows us to develop as professionals and to provide the best services we can to the children, families, and educators we serve. We are committed to growing as individuals and as an organization.

Stewardship-Stewardship enables us to have the greatest impact we can with the resources we have. We are committed to being good stewards of our community and our resources.

Fun-Fun reduces stress, keeps us motivated, builds connections, and models for our children the joy that can come with learning and working together. We are committed to having fun

Clayton Early Learning is an equal opportunity employer that values workplace diversity. We strive to create an inclusive work place that embraces diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. We prohibit discrimination of employees or applicants on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability, or any other classification considered discriminatory under applicable law