Blue Water Baltimore's mission is to restore the quality of Baltimore's rivers, streams, and Harbor to foster a healthy environment, a strong economy, and thriving communities. Blue Water Baltimore is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that accomplishes a wide range of work and partners with diverse organizations and community stakeholders to reach its restoration, greening, and advocacy goals.

Our team is small, close-knit, and committed to the wellbeing and happiness of one another. Our workplace is flexible, casual, and fun. As an organization and individually, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment. Read more at www.BlueWaterBaltimore.org.  
 

Position Summary

The Director of Development is a position key to the overall strategic growth of Blue Water Baltimore. The Director is a senior-level position that provides leadership and oversight for all development strategies and activities. This includes creating, planning, and managing successful initiatives in major gifts, planned giving, grants, annual giving, special events, communications, and stewardship. This position is also responsible for planning and implementing fundraising activities that cultivate major funding sources as well as developing new fundraising opportunities. The Director of Development reports to the Executive Director, supervises the Development Associate and Institutional Giving Manager, and works in partnership with the Board of Directors’ Development and Executive Committees as well as senior members of Blue Water Baltimore’s staff.

In collaboration with the Executive Director and Board of Directors, the Director of Development crafts and implements an annual development plan to meet organizational goals. Working closely with members of the Board and senior staff, the Director researches, initiates, and develops relationships with major donors (individuals, corporations, and foundations), and leads or oversees a variety of fundraising strategies. The Director promotes a strong, compelling case of need for environmental philanthropy and builds opportunities to create and sustain a culture that understands the relationship between philanthropy and the health of our waterways in our urbanized environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Development Program Management

• Create and oversee execution of a robust, multi-faceted development plan to meet Blue Water Baltimore's funding needs each year. Activities will include:
• • Researching and identifying major donor and leadership funding prospects to create funding strategies with the Leadership Team.
  • Working through development staff and other teams to plan and implement strategic development activities including fundraising and relationship building events and corporate sponsorship opportunities.
  • Collaborating with the Development Associate to develop, review, and advise on materials or initiatives that support fundraising goals, including event brochures, annual giving direct mail, and e-campaigns, among other strategies.
  • Supporting the Institutional Giving Manager and program leads in identifying, preparing, submitting, and reporting on grant proposals.
  • Tracking fundraising metrics and reporting to staff and board leadership regularly.
  • Building the development team’s annual budget and monitoring the budget continuously.

Major Donor Cultivation and Stewardship

In close coordination with the Development Associate:

• Design and execute processes and strategies for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and recognition of major donors (individuals, companies, and foundations).
• In coordination with the Executive Director and board members, develop and foster relationships with current and potential major donors and business leaders.
• Solicit directly or oversee solicitation of leadership and major gifts through individual face-to-face meetings with donors and prospects and position the Executive Director and members of the Board to make solicitations when appropriate.
• Identify “special gift” opportunities to share with select donors/prospects; create and implement special cultivation and stewardship occasions for select donors/prospects. 
• Work with the Development team to identify volunteers and Annual Fund donors with the fiscal capacity and potential interest to become major or leadership gift donors.
• Develop individualized stewardship and engagement opportunities to meet major donor needs and interests, and to ensure their long-term interest and support.
• Recruit and train board and committee members in identifying new donor prospects and sustaining the major gift and donor programs.

Annual Fund Oversight

Oversee and lead the Development Associate in implementing an Annual Giving program, which may include:

• Creating an annual development communications and events plan to achieve programmatic and unrestricted funding goals.
• Developing, deploying, and reporting on appeals.
• Developing and implementing small fundraising events and third-party/cause-related marketing campaigns.
• Managing the overall team for annual fundraising events, including consultants as needed.

Corporate Sponsors and Donors

• Recruit and cultivate corporate sponsors and donors in coordination with the Executive Director and Institutional Giving Manager.
• Grow suite of new corporate donors and levels of existing corporate donors.
• Initiate opportunities for corporate networking and cultivation, increasing Blue Water Baltimore's exposure to corporate leaders and corporate interest in our work.
• Diversify opportunities for corporate recognition and sponsorship benefits.
• Support Institutional Giving Manager in developing and stewarding corporate sponsor partnerships.

Minimum and Desired Qualifications 

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in nonprofit management, business, or related field.
• Five or more years of related and directly relevant development experience in non-profit organizations; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Five or more years of experience in development leadership and staff management.
• Demonstrated experience with a variety of fundraising and strategic campaign techniques.
• Experience successfully identifying prospects and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift donors.
• Experience researching and writing a variety of successful proposals for foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individual donor prospects.
• Salesforce experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent persuasive writing and editing skills.
• Strong interpersonal, public speaking, networking, and donor cultivation skills. 
• Advanced knowledge of fundraising development theories, principles, and procedures.
• Ability to manage or develop, plan, and execute special events.
• Grant writing and management experience.
• Excellent relationship and communication skills in working with a variety of people.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion

Salary Range

$77,000 - $87,000 per year

Location

The Director will be expected to join others working in the Blue Water Baltimore offices, currently at 2631 Sisson Street, Baltimore, MD 21211, on a regular basis. Some remote work may be possible, and periodic attendance at other meetings and events throughout the Baltimore region is also expected.

A Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.