The PEN/Faulkner Foundation is seeking a Development Director to work in close partnership with its Executive Director and Board in three primary areas: establishing and deepening relationships with individual donors; extending the organization’s base of foundation, government, and corporate support; and planning and executing meaningful special events.
Status: Full-time with a flexible schedule
Compensation: $65,000-$70,000/year
Benefits: 403b plan with automatic 5% employer contribution (no match required); subsidized individual health, dental, and vision; generous PTO and paid holidays, including a winter break
Location: At present, PEN/Faulkner does not maintain an in-person office, so most work is performed remotely. Given that we expect in-person events to resume, however, the position is based in Washington, DC, and candidates will be expected to be present in-person, as much as health and safety conditions allow, when necessary. Candidates must have reliable home internet access.
Your Background
This position might be right for you if:
- You are ready to apply your fundraising experience to a strategic role
- You are an avid reader who is passionate about literature
- You believe all young people deserve access to literary learning
- You are an excellent communicator, both verbal and written
- You enjoy brainstorming and innovation and new perspectives
- You are excited to join a small team where you can have a big impact
- You don’t mind rolling up your sleeves and love paying attention to details
- You know how to be both a thought partner and a thought leader
About PEN/Faulkner
The PEN/Faulkner Foundation is a nonprofit organization that celebrates literature and fosters connections between readers and writers to enrich and inspire individuals and communities. In fulfilling that mission, PEN/Faulkner administers education programs that bring donated books, visits from authors, and writing instruction into low-income DC schools; hosts public literary programs that create opportunities for conversation between writers and readers; and recognizes significant achievements nationwide by giving out the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story, as well as by selecting a PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion.
Detailed Responsibilities
Responsibilities for this position include the following:
Strategy
- Developing (in partnership with the PEN/Faulkner Board and the Executive Director) the organization’s overall annual development plan and tracking the necessary metrics to report on the plan’s effectiveness
- Working with the Board and Executive Director to develop and steward a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization
- Contributing to the organization’s upcoming strategic planning process
Donor Relations and Communication
- Identifying new prospects and working with the Board and Executive Director to cultivate those prospects and, when needed, solicit their support
- Developing individual plans for PEN/Faulkner’s end-of-year, end-of-fiscal year, and Giving Tuesday campaigns, as well as implementing those plans
- Coordinating PEN/Faulkner’s Founding Friends membership program: tracking renewals, sending email reminders and announcements, and preparing reports
- Planning and participating in quarterly donor events: email invitations, tracking participants, follow-up communications
- Creating or contributing materials to engage donors and funders in the organization’s mission and work, including (but not limited to) emails and an annual impact report
Events
- Planning and executing an annual fundraiser (in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board): sponsorship plans and materials, sponsorship tracking, and occasionally making asks
- Making occasional donation pitches during PEN/Faulkner literary programs
- Representing PEN/Faulkner at community events as needed
Grants
- Preparing grant applications and letters of inquiry (in collaboration with the Executive Director)
- Preparing and submitting grant reports
- Maintaining a grants calendar
- Researching new foundation, corporate, and government grant opportunities
Organization
- Managing PEN/Faulkner’s donor CRM system (Little Green Light): creating campaigns, entering donations, generating weekly and quarterly reports, and sending receipts and thank you emails
- Managing PEN/Faulkner’s donation platforms: GiveLively, Stripe, Square, and PayPal
Required Qualifications
Qualified candidates for this position will demonstrate the following:
- At least three years of fundraising experience
- Experience with grant writing, donor relations, and event planning
- Extroversion and comfort in engaging with donors and audience members
- Excellent written communication
- Proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite applications
- Comfort with learning new technologies
- Flexibility in a fast-paced work environment
- Ability to learn from (and own) failures/setbacks
Additional Qualifications
The ideal candidate for this position may also have experience with some of the following:
- Writing grant proposals and grant reports
- Little Green Light or any other donor CRM system
- GiveLively, Stripe, Square, and/or PayPal
Application Instructions
Send a cover letter and resume to [email protected] with “Development Director” in the subject line. Tell us your story. Why do you imagine yourself in this role? What do you have to contribute? What inspires you?
Please note: the PEN/Faulkner Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against employees based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.
Download as a PDF: PEN/Faulkner Development Director Position Description