Organizational Mission and Vision
Named for the American founder, John Jay (1745-1829), the John Jay Institute is an educational and professional civic leadership organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its mission is to prepare principled leaders for faith-informed public service. The John Jay Institute undertakes this mission to further nothing less than a renaissance of the animating ideals that inspired America’s founding. As the only organization of its kind, the John Jay Institute provides exceptional emerging leaders with the intellectual, spiritual, and professional training for transformational cultural leadership.
Having spent eight years developing a robust and successful educational model, the John Jay Institute is now poised to enter a new phase in its existence. Accordingly, the John Jay Institute has begun a national search for a Director of Development. This position is a critical hire for implementation of the Institute’s strategic plan for growth and sustainability. A position description follows.
Director of Development Position Summary
The Director of Development is the senior fundraising officer of the John Jay Institute and is responsible for directing and managing the entire fund raising program to include: major gift and planned giving programs as well as all public relations and external communications, donor records, gift management and receipting operations. Specific responsibilities include identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding prospective major gift donors for the John Jay Institute. The Director of Development will represent the values of the John Jay Institute through wise administration, excellent communication, and impeccable personal character.
Responsibilities
- Work with the President to help cast, articulate and implement the John Jay Institute’s vision and mission
- Lead the development and implementation of strategies and plans to provide for short-term funding needs, and the long-term financial sustainability of the John Jay Institute; collaborate with the President and Board in fundraising
- Work with the President on all content, production and distribution of fundraising and publicity materials
- Serve as/or support the primary contact person in key donor relationships
- Develop donor prospect research, solicitation, stewardship, and cultivation strategies for Governors, President, and staff to secure major gifts.
- Work strategically with John Jay Institute Governors and the President, staff and other volunteers to identify donor prospects and cultivate their interest and involvement with the John Jay Institute.
- Develop and implement solicitation tracks and strategies for major donors/prospects, ensuring regular, systematic and “high touch” contact through appropriate means of communication
- Design, implement, and administer a planned giving/deferred giving program
- Direct and coordinate fundraising events (including logistics and support) and other cultivation opportunities.
- Travel extensively in the continental United States for major donor visits and solicitations.
- Solicit cash, stock and securities, and planned/deferred gifts, as well as gifts-in-kind
- Maintain and update donor gift and contact records.
- Manage gift receipt operations.
- Direct external communications and public relations for the telling the JJI story in a compelling and captivating way.
- Assist the president in operational and strategic planning especially as related to feasibility studies and the fundraising plan.
Personal Aptitudes, Skills, and Experience
The Director of Development must be able to work independently as well as collaboratively with the John Jay Institute team to achieve common goals for donors and the Institute. The Institute embraces the high ethical standards articulated by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Code of Ethics. Professionalism, excellent communications skills (especially the ability to listen to donors and prospective donors), and a supreme commitment to advance the cause of developing principled public leaders are valued highly. Additional skills associated with major gift work are a gregarious affability, mastery of telephone and email etiquette, consciousness of social protocol, prospect management and follow-up ability. Perhaps most important is the director’s ability to see and pursue fundraising as a service to the donor.
Specifically, the ideal candidate will possess the following attributes:
- 5+ years of experience in professional non-profit organizational fundraising
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Supreme commitment to advance the cause of developing principled public leaders
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
- Ability to see and pursue fundraising as a service to the donor
- Unrelenting commitment to the ideals that inspired America’s founding
Salary and Benefits
Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience.
Application Process
Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials:
- Résumé
- Cover letter detailing: a) your sincere interest in this position and the mission of the organization, and b) your salary requirements
Materials should be emailed to Claire Kittle, Executive Director of Talent Market, who is assisting with the search: claire@talentmarket.org.
While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. No phone calls please.
