Rethos | Saint Paul, MN
Salary Range: $78,000
Rethos is a non-profit organization that leads and inspires people to connect to historic places, promoting equity, community vitality, and engagement. Through its programs and services, Rethos advocates for a new understanding of preservation that highlights the histories of underrepresented communities and equitably enhances community vibrancy on a broad spectrum, including activities that directly impact economic and social well-being.
Rethos is building our team! In the coming years, Rethos will be growing and looking to hire and promote a high-functioning, diverse team to work in an environment of inclusion, equity, collaboration, and innovation. Rethos operates in communities in every corner of our state and across several other states, and our team members should look like and share the lived experiences of these varied communities. For us, diversity comes in various forms including race, gender affiliation, abilities, location, and socio-economic backgrounds. We welcome, cultivate, and seek out difference.
This listing is for a full-time director position that will work across all Rethos divisions, building community visibility, donor relationships, and participating in visioning and implementation with other Rethos directors. This is a professional leadership position providing direction and vision for Rethos’s comprehensive development program including annual, major, and planned gifts, special events, digital fundraising, direct mail, foundation grant writing, and capital campaigns. Additional duties include the following functions: development of collateral materials, gift recording, and donor acknowledgement. It also provides oversight of all Development and Communications staff as well as Rethos quarterly magazine Places Reimagined. The Director of Development oversees the direction of fundraising activities including donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship with the aim of expanding our donor base and including communities underrepresented in historic preservation.
In collaboration with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, this position serves as a chief strategist in the formulation and execution of a comprehensive effort to promote a culture of philanthropy supporting the work of Rethos.
This position reports to the Executive Director and is located in our Saint Paul office.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership
- Primary member of the development and communications team influencing and driving strategy, relationships and best practices to accomplish financial goals
- Provide strategic leadership, creating and executing fundraising strategies to raise annual budget; work to grow additional avenues of revenue
- Establish fundraising and grant goals with the Development Committee and ensure that those goals are met annually
- Develop and administer the Development and Communications division budget
- Develop an annual work plan and work to goals
- Maintain files in a clear and systematized manner
Fundraising and Grant Development
- Develop and oversee all division revenue streams, including managing grants calendar and working with Institutional Giving Officer on drafting and submission
- Execute annual fundraising plan to meet fundraising goals
- Prepare and present regular reports on progress toward fundraising goals
- Manage portfolio of donors
Individual and Corporate Donor Relationships
- Network and maintain regular correspondence with donors
- Cultivate relationships with individual and organizational donors
Special Events and Community Engagement
- Plan and execute special events across Minnesota, including annual gala/awards event
- Create and implement a comprehensive advancement strategy for developing and sustaining key external partnerships to enhance community awareness and financial support
- Represent Rethos and its programs in Minnesota and other markets in which the organization is active
Marketing, Communications and Brand Management
- Supervise Communications Consultant and all external campaigns, events, and marketing communications efforts, including social media
- Lead the creation of print, digital, and social media content. Work with team and other directors to ensure consistent content and messaging on all media
- Manage and schedule special project needs to ensure smooth and predictable work schedule
- Oversee content development for and design of quarterly magazine Places Reimagined
- Ensure a strong brand internally and externally
- Ensure that materials communicate a consistent message throughout all programs
- Oversee print, graphics, video, and social media content
- Generate donor communications, newsletters, and annual report
Board and Committee Support
- Staff, schedule, and attend Development Committee meetings, supporting the chair in leadership efforts
- Work with the Development Committee to create the annual fundraising plan for approval by the full Board of Directors
- Work with Board of Directors to facilitate and further Board giving and fundraising
- Prepare documents and reports for Development Committee meetings
- Support other development department projects as requested
BACKGROUND AND KNOWLEDGE AREAS
- Applied understanding of fundraising principles and development best practices
- Strong prospect identification and qualification skills
- Understanding of marketing and communications strategies and best practices
- Ability to build and maintain working relationships with a wide variety of people and organizations, including within communities that have historically been underrepresented in historic preservation.
- Experience, knowledge or passion in one or more relevant fields: development, communications, marketing
- Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading ability
- Strong interpersonal, verbal communication, and presentation skills
- Experience using fundraising software, like Neon CRM, or similar
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook)
- Experience with online fundraising, email marketing, and internet research
- Must have a valid driver’s license, access to reliable personal transportation, and the ability and willingness to travel regularly within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and throughout Greater Minnesota for up to 3-5 days at a time
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Desired:
- Cultural competency and fluency in a language other than English is highly desired, with a preference for Spanish, Hmong, and any languages of the Cushite family
- Undergraduate degree or three to four years paid or volunteer experience working in nonprofits in two or more of the following areas: communications, marketing, fundraising, event planning, or volunteer coordination
- 5+ years direct working experience (paid or volunteer) in development and marketing
- Familiarity with the geography and history of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Alabama, and/or Texas (states in which Rethos currently works) and its ethnic and cultural diversity
Preferred:
- Master's degree in development, marketing, or communications
- Previous experience managing a team of skilled and motivated members
BENEFITS
Benefits include partially paid medical insurance with dental and vision enrollment option, simple IRA with employer match, annual conference stipend, access to competitive professional development fund, generous paid time off, cellular data allowance, and parking/transportation allowance.
TIMING
Anticipated start date on or April 1, 2024.
Applications will be evaluated as they are received, and interviews will be scheduled as suitable applicants are identified.
Submit a cover letter and resume in PDF format to Heidi Swank at Heidi@Rethos.org. Any questions can also be directed to Heidi Swank. Please use subject line: Development Position Inquiry. No phone calls, please.