Director of Development

About Black Futures Lab

The Black Futures Lab works to make Black communities powerful in politics. BFL transforms Black communities into constituencies that build and wield independent, progressive, Black political power. The problems facing Black communities are complex, and their solutions require innovation, experimentation, and Black political power. 

The Black to the Future Action Fund is a 501(c) 4 that works to transform Black communities into constituencies that build independent, progressive, Black political power in cities and states. We work to enact policy that improves the lives of Black people. We work to ensure that Black people have what all people deserve–dignity, safety, and power.

To make Black communities powerful in politics, Black Futures Lab:

• Educates, Activates, and Motivates Black Voters    

Black Futures Lab engages Black voters over the long term, empowering Black voters to share the community problems that affect their lives. BFL energizes Black communities to hold elected leaders, officials, and decision makers accountable for implementing policies that improve the lives of Black people.

• Builds the Capacity of and Invests in Black Organizing Infrastructure

Black Futures Lab is committed to building power – and that takes resources. In partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, BFL’s Black Organizing Innovations Project awards grants to community organizations working to engage and activate Black communities. Recent grantees have received between $125,000 - $250,000 in key states such as Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Louisiana, and California.

• Collects and Uses Relevant Data to Transform Communities

Black Futures Lab has launched the Black Census Project 2022, the largest survey of Black people in the United States in 157 years. The information gathered from the Census will be used to identify priority issues for Black communities, inform public policy, and shape an agenda created for Black people, by Black people.

For more information on Black Futures Lab, please visit www.blackfutureslab.org.

The Opportunity

BFL is looking for a talented Director of Development (Director) to join the organization during a period of pivotal growth. Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Director of Development will play a key role in helping BFL realize its mission by providing strategic and tactical leadership in all areas of fundraising.

The Director will be responsible for stewarding current and cultivating new donors in support of the BFL’s mission to build Black political power. BFL will rely on the Director of Development to collaborate with the Deputy Director and Principal to set strategy and spearhead fundraising efforts. Over time, the Director of Development will also provide leadership, supervision, oversight and management of the organization’s growing development team.

The Director of Development will work with the Executive Team to manage all fundraising activities for the 501c3, 501c4, and PAC. They will also be responsible for maximizing institutional and grassroots donors through strategic engagement, retention, and expansion strategies.

The Director’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Fundraising Strategy

• Develop and implement successful annual fundraising strategies for the 501c3, 501c4, and PAC.
• Set stretch goals to support enhanced and sustainable revenue streams.
• Build and maintain relationships with institutional donors to retain and grow BFL’s income from foundations.
• Grow BFL’s grassroots fundraising program by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding current and prospective donors, with an eye towards building a sustainable individual giving program.
• Establish and sustain a network of relationships within companies that share our values and work with them to create engagement initiatives and fundraising opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop a digital fundraising strategy for the overall fundraising plan.
• Maintain major gift portfolios in coordination with the Principal and Advisory Boards.
• Guide internal partners, across departments, in helping to secure financial support from individual donors, corporations, and institutional funders.
• Oversee the organization and execution of fundraising and special events.
• Lead the production of relevant and informative fundraising literature for distribution to prospective and current funders.

Tracking and Reporting Systems

• Prepare monthly and quarterly reporting packages for the Principal, senior management team, and Advisory Boards (B2F and BFL), including regular progress reports on received gifts, pipeline status, and prospect lists.
• Maintain accurate records and tracking systems for institutional and individual donors.
• Capture, enter, and maintain relevant funder donor information in the organizational database.
• Promote and ensure a culture of transparency, integrity, consistent communication, and meaningful collaboration with colleagues.
• Assist the Finance Director in analyzing data and providing accurate income projections for the annual budget process, grant applications, and reports.
• Support the creation of presentations that provide an overview of the organization’s fundraising results and updated contributed revenue.
• Research current and potential grant funders and donors.

The aforementioned responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel classified in this manner. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The Black Futures Lab is hiring for a Development Director. This is a shared position with Black Futures Lab’s sister organization, Black to the Future Action Fund.

Candidate Profile

While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, a successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

Expertise in Fundraising

An inspirational leader, the Director will bring an ability to organize, motivate, and lead staff in proven strategies for successful fundraising. This leader will bring experience that spans institutional giving and individual giving, including major gifts, grassroots and planned giving efforts. The ideal candidate will have experience fundraising in a political context and leading grant writing efforts, where needed. This leader will bring experience spearheading donor recognition and stewardship activities. The Director will also bring experience building, refining, and enhancing systems and processes to help achieve organizational goals. Data-driven, the Director will have prior experience with budgetary oversight and developing fundraising strategies with a long-term, thoughtful focus.

Relationship Builder, Collaborator, and Communicator

The Director will be skilled at building and sustaining excellent relationships at multiple levels with varied constituencies, including the leadership team, staff, Advisory Boards, donors, community leaders, and funders. A charismatic leader with a strong commitment to BFL’s mission and values, the Director will build bridges - engaging current and prospective donors as well as new and existing institutional partners. Internally, the ideal candidate will lead with an inspirational approach to strengthening collaboration and collective problem-solving.

 In addition, strong candidates will offer:

• Ability to design and lead a fundraising program, particularly in a multi-entity organization (i.e., 501c3, 501c4, PAC).
• Experience with direct major donor solicitation and securing major gifts from high-net-worth individuals and foundations.
• Strong proficiency in fundraising software, including development, refinement, and rollout.
• Impeccable verbal, written, research, communication, and deck creation skills and experience.
• Demonstrated alignment with Black Futures Lab / Black to the Future Action Fund’s mission and a strong commitment to racial and/or social justice.
• Extraordinary flexibility and willingness to adapt to new internal and external conditions.
• Strong sense of integrity and experience managing confidential information.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay for this position is commensurate with experience and responsibilities. The salary range for this position is $140,000-$160,000. This position comes with a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, employee assistance, generous paid time off, sick time, and holidays. This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Work is conducted remotely across BFL, and office hours are 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. local time. Work hours may be adjusted to accommodate team members in other time zones. In-person quarterly meetings are required.

Contact

Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Chartise Clark and Dina Tyler of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search.

To express interest in this role please submit your materials here. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

Applications received via email or outside of the designated process will not be considered. Black Futures Lab, Black to the Future Action Fund, and Resilient Strategies LLC are equal opportunity, affirmative action employers. Folks who are queer, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, parents, are/have been system-impacted, are immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic oppression and/or gender-based violence are encouraged to apply.

About Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group

Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

Diversified Search Group is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group via the firm's website.