Girls for a Change

Organizational Profile: Girls For A Change (GFC) is a dynamic and entrepreneurial national non-profit organization that empowers girls to create social change. GFC brings together professional women to support urban middle and high school girls to become social change makers and innovators, by empowering them to design, lead, fund and implement social change projects that tackle problems they face in their neighborhoods. In our first eight years, Girls For A Change has trained over 11,000 girls as social change agents, engaged over 2,000 women and men as active volunteers, and been recognized regionally and nationally as a leading force of social change. Nationally, Girls For A Change has an annual budget of slightly over a million dollars. Our national headquarters are located in the Bay Area. We currently have sites serving the Silicon Valley in California, and in 10 other states with further national and international expansion moving forward rapidly.

Position Overview: The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will provide leadership, create strategy, and implement
fundraising and communications initiatives to secure GFC’s long-term national financial sustainability. This position focuses on fund development engaging local bay area and nationwide individuals, foundations, and corporations. This position will report to GFC’s COO and will be responsible for spearheading significant growth in annual gifts, major gifts, corporate and foundation gifts to advance the mission of GFC. The CDO will lead the efforts to raise an annual budget of 1 million dollars that is anticipated to grow to over 3 million in the next five years. We are looking for someone who can embody the Girls For A Change culture and values and with entrepreneurial energy help us to create a national movement for girl led social change.

The Chief Development Officer will be based out of our Santa Cruz, CA office with frequent travel throughout the
Bay Area and US.

Responsibilities: (include but not limited to)

• Develop and implement a comprehensive, diversified fund raising program, including individual giving, special events, corporate giving, private foundations, and public sector fund raising. Develop strategies and tactics to increase giving and attract new donors.
• Develop and expand major donor program, with the goal of broadening the donor base through prospect identification and cultivation, and donor recognition and stewardship.
• Create, plan and direct cultivation events.
• Work collaboratively with CEO, National Board members, local Advisory Board Members, staff, and community members/volunteers on fundraising strategies.
• Provide leadership, oversight and direction for agency communications efforts to shape and direct marketing efforts.
• Participate as a member of the Senior Management Team in annual and strategic planning, work plan development and evaluation, performance measurement and board development.
• Represent GFC in a variety of local and national venues and media.
• Create and supervise production and distribution of communication materials and publications(e.g. website, e-newsletters and annual report).
• Write and submit funding proposals, reports, outreach materials, and reports to the community.
• Ensure excellent donor management and stewardship for all donors.
• Reports regularly to Local Advisory Boards, National Board of Directors and Management team regarding development progress and strategy.
• Stay informed about research and trends in the lives of girls nationally and network with thought leaders in this area to find areas of collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Qualifications:

• 7-10 plus years of experience in the nonprofit sector or in other fields of work that require similar skills. (Such as sales or new market development)
• Exceptional & proven ability to strategize, submit and close 5+ figure gifts
• Proven ability to develop multi-year donor cultivation plans for 6+ figure gifts
• Demonstrated ability to engage, organize, utilize and solicit high net worth individuals and volunteers.
• Demonstrated advance strategic thinking ability
• Strong Bay Area and National network of resources and individual connections
• Punctual, positive, flexible, reliable, highly professional
• Experience with girls and women’s programs and appreciation for the culture of Girls For A Change and the spirit upon which it was founded.
• Effectiveness in working or volunteering in a non-profit organization that is focused on maintaining high quality work and low overhead
• Skillful in resource management, finance, and budgeting
• Proven public & media relations skills
• Superior public speaker
• Excellent oral & written communication skills in English; bilingual a plus
• Literate in Microsoft Office suite
• Salesforce.com experience a plus
• Excellent supervisory skills
• Strong time management skills
• Culturally competent & experience working with diverse populations.
• Ability to move items weighing 1-30 lbs from floor level, desk level, and shelf level of 6-7 feet.
• Ability to use a computer keyboard and communicate effectively in person, by phone, and by email daily.

To be successful as a member of the Girls For A Change team, you will also:

• Be dedicated to the empowerment of girls and women
• Have a driven and energetic entrepreneurial spirit
• Have a strong work ethic and a desire to work in a groundbreaking and innovative nonprofit
• Possess a strong dedication to social change and socially responsible organizations
• Be a motivated and self-starting leader who works well independently as well as part of a team.
• Have a high level of personal and professional integrity
• Possess an unwavering sense of the high value of diversity

Hours: Full Time
Office Location: Santa Cruz, CA (possible location in Santa Clara with travel to Santa Cruz)
Education required: Bachelors degree
Drivers License/car needed: Yes
Benefits: Competitive salary commensurate with experience- excellent benefits (Blue Cross PPO or HMO,
full dental & vision benefits, life insurance, long term disability – 16 PTO days per year, all federal holidays
and one floating holiday)

Please email your 1) cover letter, 2) resume, 3) salary history and needs, and 4) a writing sample
(preferably a fund raising sample) by email to: whitney@girlsforachange.org with the following subject line: Chief Development Officer
It is our preference that all documents are sent in pdf format.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
We will not accept applications in hard copy. No calls please.
Due to high applicant volume you may not receive a response from Girls For A Change.

GFC is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage women, people of color, and all abilities and sexual
orientations to apply.