Position:

Organization:

Location:

Metro Region:

Overview:

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Through extraordinary attention in yearlong one-to-one relationships, Jumpstart inspires children to learn, adults to teach, families to get involved and communities to progress together. Headquartered in Boston, Jumpstart pairs 3,500 trained adults one-to-one with preschool children in need of assistance.  During the 2007-2008 program year, Jumpstart is serving 13,000 children across 20 states, in partnership with 300 early learning centers and nearly 70 universities and colleges throughout the country. Jumpstart’s national sponsors include American Eagle Outfitters, AmeriCorps, Pearson, Sodexho and Starbucks. Jumpstart has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and is the recipient of the Fast Company/Monitor Social Capitalist Award (2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007) and the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy’s Directors Award. In 2006, the organization launched Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, an annual campaign to bring national attention to early education while setting a world record for the number of adults and children reading the same book in a single day.

Jumpstart’s Mid-Atlantic region is based in New York City, with program sites in New York City, upstate New York, and Pennsylvania, with growth potential in New Jersey.  A current annual budget of $2.3M supports 650 college student Jumpstart members and 24 full-time staff members working with 2,000 children.  The Mid-Atlantic region is poised for growth of approximately 30% per year for the next 3 – 5 years.  For more information, please visit our website at www.jstart.org.

Position:

The Director of Development has primary responsibility for managing all fundraising activities for Jumpstart’s Mid-Atlantic Region, currently raising over $2.3m annually from individual, corporate, government, and foundation donors.  Managing 1 full-time staff member and 2 full-time AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers, the Director of Development will report to the Executive Director (ED), with whom he/she will work closely on all fundraising activities.  The Director of Development will also work strategically with members of the National Development and Mid-Atlantic Regional teams and other Development Directors throughout the organization to ensure that regional and national revenue goals are met. 

Responsibilities:

Fundraising and Development:
• Lead the creation of a regional fundraising strategy and manage regional fundraising budgets
• Oversee all aspects of execution of the fundraising plan, including stewardship and growth of individual, corporate, government and foundation donors; effectively manage donor database
• Work with the Executive Director and national development staff to research, identify, and cultivate new foundation, individual, and corporate funders
• Promote Jumpstart and support fundraising objectives through the effective design and coordination of major special events, including annual benefit, Read for the Record flagship event at Rockefeller Center, and cultivation parties; recruit and manage event committees and complex logistics

Partnerships and Public Relations:
• Create and manage new and existing corporate partnerships to enhance fundraising and in-kind donations, including building systematic communications structures
• Manage regional aspects of existing corporate relations programs
• Engage local supporters in initiatives that will gain media attention, enhance public relations, and/or build Jumpstart’s brand
• Ensure strong organizational representation in relevant local forums in order to increase visibility

National Network Responsibilities:
• Participate in regional and national development staff meetings to share best practices and current challenges and to assist in setting overall development strategy
• Collaborate and network with other directors regularly

Qualifications:

• At least five years of experience in fundraising and development, including the development and implementation of strategic fundraising plans
• Demonstrated success cultivating and growing a network of individual, corporate, government and foundation donors, with evidence of securing gifts at the $25K and larger level
• Proven experience in the execution of high-quality and strategic special events
• Strong communication, including written, public speaking and presentation skills, with evidence of successful relationship management and donor communications
• Excellent people management skills
• Comprehensive analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to plan and implement in demanding, fast-paced environment
• Energetic, enthusiastic, team-player interested in growing within entrepreneurial environment
• Commitment to Jumpstart’s mission and values of quality, challenge, diversity, respect, and kindness
• Ability to travel throughout the region (approximately 10% travel time)
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience required

To Apply:

Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format and addressed to Erin Cox Weinberg, at http://jobs.cgcareers.org/application.aspx?id=1145.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Jumpstart is an equal opportunity employer,
and encourages applications from all racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.