Development Director
Northwest Folklife, an organization dedicated to the preservation and celebration of folk, ethnic and traditional arts, is seeking a dynamic and strategic Development Director, responsible for raising more than $1 million annually.
The Director oversees the following areas of responsibility: Strategic planning and direction in order to grow individual, foundation and corporate revenue streams. Tactical marketing and community outreach approaches to increase community awareness and support.
The candidate will have 4 - 5 years successful experience in development and marketing; three years successful experience as Development Director or equivalent experience; a strong dedication to the Northwest Folklife mission; exceptional supervisory, organizational, planning, presentation and interpersonal skills.
This position is full-time. Salary DOE. Benefits included. Position is open until filled. Northwest Folklife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates of color are encouraged to apply. To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, salary requirements and 2-3 page writing sample by email to jobs (at) nwfolklife.org or by postal mail to Development Director Search, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109-4623.

Position Objective
The Development Director provides strategic leadership and direction for fundraising, marketing and community engagement efforts at Northwest Folklife ensuring that successful strategies are established and implemented to meet ambitious revenue and community engagement goals and ensure Northwest Folklife’s stellar reputation with supporters in the community.

Areas of Accountability
The Development Director is responsible for strategic planning, direction, and leadership in Northwest Folklife’s fundraising, marketing and community engagement efforts. Responsibilities include the following:
-Developing annual and long-range fundraising and marketing goals and plans;
-Directing strategies for individual, foundation and corporate giving;
-Directing marketing and community outreach efforts in partnership with our public relations firm MarketFitz, to increase Northwest Folklife’s visibility, volunteerism, and in-kind giving;
-Developing and maintaining exceptional relationships with Northwest Folklife supporters that assure their long-term relationship with the organization;
-Ensuring that Northwest Folklife’s development efforts meet or exceed the standards of the industry in ethics and professionalism and that Northwest Folklife’s guiding principles for development are maintained throughout the organization; and,
-Meeting or exceeding aggressive revenue goals on an annual basis.

Responsibilities

Fundraising
Individual Giving
-Direct the organization’s strategic efforts in individual giving, supporting key staff to implement annual giving strategies to meet individual giving goals. This includes acquisition, maintenance and development of individual donors.
-Maintain an ongoing donor communication and solicitation calendar.
Major Gifts
-Direct the organization’s strategic efforts in major gifts cultivation and stewardship, supporting key staff and volunteers to implement major giving strategies.
-Effectively steward major donors, ensuring their on-going partnership with Northwest Folklife.
-Develop and implement a planned giving strategy that provides long-term funding for Northwest Folklife’s capital needs.
Foundation, Community and Corporate Giving
-Direct the organization’s efforts in foundation and community organization giving and implement strategies to meet foundation and community giving goals.
-Direct strategies for corporate giving and sponsorship with financial and in-kind gifts designated for the annual fund, special events and in-kind needs.
Special Events
-Direct the planning and implementation of special events, supporting key staff to implement strategies to meet special event revenue and attendance goals.

Marketing and Community Engagement
Communications
-Direct donor communication strategies supporting key staff and our public relations firm to produce communication tools including print and electronic newsletters, website and other vehicles for donor information and interaction;
-Direct awareness-raising activities, in partnership with our public relations firm, that involve media, advertising and other strategies to increase Northwest Folklife’s profile and lead to action.
Marketing
-Direct Northwest Folklife’s marketing and community outreach efforts supporting key staff/contractors to execute strategies that meet in-kind and financial goals.
-Represent Northwest Folklife in the community, serving as an inspirational spokesperson for Northwest Folklife at community or organization functions.
-Actively interact and network in the broader community and among professional groups, corporate leaders and current donors to enhance development and community outreach objectives.
Volunteer Management
-Oversee Northwest Folklife’s volunteer management efforts supporting key staff to execute strategies that fulfill organizational goals for volunteer resources that satisfy each volunteer and meet organizational needs.

Management
Planning and Integration
-Lead annual development and marketing planning and periodic strategic planning, establishing effective strategies and appropriate targets for fundraising efforts and creating operational plans to ensure their successful implementation.
-Develop annual revenue and expense budget, including staffing plans, contributing to the annual budgeting process. Include measures for volunteerism, community awareness, in-kind donations and public relations.
-Staff the Board Development Committee and any task groups established to oversee strategy or engage in development/marketing activities;
-Direct development and marketing analysis and reporting efforts, communicating both plans and results to management and Board members regularly.
Management
-Ensure the smooth functioning of the Development department, managing staff to effectively coordinate their own work and timelines as well as work and relationships with other departments.
-Supervise staff, contributing to the development of appropriate goals and work plans, coaching performance, and providing necessary support to ensure both successful individual performance and effective team performance.
-Contribute, as a member of the management team, to the smooth functioning of the organization, being aware of and communicating other department’s plans and activities to Development staff and effectively integrating Development plans with those of other departments.
-With the management team, establish strategies for the effective management of the organization, contributing to management decision-making, staff communication and acknowledgement, and other activities to support a healthy culture within the organization.
-Manage the Development department expense budget, ensuring that spending is within budget guidelines and that finance department processes are supported.
-Consistently demonstrate the ability to work effectively and productively with others inside and outside the organization.

Reports to: Executive Director

Position Qualifications
-Four to six years of increasing responsibility in development environment, including key positions in annual fund, major giving, corporate sponsorship and planned giving efforts.
-Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, fundraising certificate and/or equivalent continuing professional development, education or experience.Three years successful experience as Director of Development, or equivalent position, in a comparable arts-focused non-profit organization.
-Proven experience in planning and strategy development for effective marketing and fundraising efforts, including experience in major gifts, foundation giving, corporate giving, and special event planning.
-Proven experience developing successful relationships with Board members and other volunteers in a non-profit organization, including effectiveness in directing board fundraising activities.
-Proven successful ability to cultivate and maintain exceptional relationships with donors.
-Proven ability to successfully manage the day-to-day functioning of a department and effectively supervise department staff.
-Proven ability to contribute to revenue goals by meeting individual targets.
-Local business, foundation and philanthropic community experience preferred.
-Excellent written and oral communication skills.
-Ability and aptitude with technology necessary for successful day-to-day functioning in business environment.
-Demonstrated ability to work with individuals of diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds.

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Interns contribute ideas, participate in department and staff meetings and complete projects under the guidance of their supervisors. Staff members guide the work of each intern to prepare them for a career in a variety of not-for-profit and event production fields.

The program requires a commitment of at least 20 hours per week. Housing and transportation are not provided. Prospective interns should carefully consider their financial needs as only some intern positions offer a maintenance fee.

Academic credit for internships must be arranged by the intern with his/her sponsoring institution. Academic credit is up to the discretion of the intern's college or university.

Communications
The intern will work closely with the Marketing and Public Relations Manager to market and publicize the Northwest Folklife Festival and other programs. The position includes supporting media relations efforts, writing, research, marketing coordination and more.

Production
This internship includes managing the signage program for the Northwest Folklife Festival. This is an opportunity for someone who is graphically inclined to create and organize the stage banners, sponsorship signage, and directional signs. The Production Intern is an organized and detail-oriented person who interacts with most departments at Northwest Folklife including programming, production, sponsors, volunteers and merchants. This is a unique opportunity to learn about producing, promoting and managing a major festival.

Development
The Development Intern will support Northwest Folklife's fundraising efforts with individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies. The intern will research funding sources, assemble grant proposals, solicit in-kind donations, plan and implement special events, prepare sponsorship solicitations and in maintain database records. Depending on qualifications, there may be opportunities for occasional grant writing. At Festival time, interns will work with sponsors, volunteers, board members and staff in all aspects of community relations.

Human Resources and Recruiting
It takes over 1,000 volunteers to produce the Northwest Folklife Festival. Develop your Human Resource skills by assisting the Volunteer Department in recruiting and scheduling volunteers before the Festival. The intern will also assist during the Festival in interviewing and matching volunteers to tasks. Requires excellent communications and people skills.

Information Booth and Festival Services
This intern reports to the Marketing & Public Relations consultant and to the Development Associate in charge of Festival Entrances. The intern is responsible for coordinating performer and customer service details for the Festival. This includes determining signage and supplies needed, setting up the Festival Services area, supporting Festival Services and Information Booth staff and volunteers, coordinating the "look" of these areas, preparing procedural manuals, assembling public information books and coordinating enter-to-win contest details. This internship may also include writing Festival Daily Highlight sheets and other activities in maintaining operations during the Festival. The intern must also be physically capable of lifting at least 25 pounds and spending long periods of time on their feet.

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