Job Opening

Stand for Children - a bold independent voice for public education reform – seeks an exceptional individual to cultivate donors and provide overall coordination and support for the organization’s development operations.

The Organization
Stand for Children’s mission is to use the power of grassroots action to help all children get the excellent public education and strong support they need to thrive.  Stand for Children is a dual-entity organization, which includes Stand for Children Leadership Center, a 501(c)3, our leadership development organization, and Stand for Children, a 501(c)4, our grassroots membership and lobby for children which is also permitted to endorse candidates. To date, Stand for Children’s five state affiliates (OR, MA, TN, WA, and CO) have won more than one hundred victories that have impacted the lives of more than two million children. We organize parents, educators, and other concerned community members into a strong, sustained constituency that:

• Helps elect strong local school board members, state legislators, and statewide elected officials who champion public schools.*
• Advocates for education reforms at the state and local level, including reforms that increase teacher and principal effectiveness, support school autonomy with accountability, and expand instructional time, that improve student achievement and close the achievement gap.
• Lobbies the state legislature for strategic K-12 investments and then ensures local school districts spend those dollars wisely.
• Campaigns for referenda and needed school construction bonds and operating levies

The Position

Stand for Children seeks a Massachusetts Development Officer to oversee the organization’s fundraising operations, build and increase its capacity to raise revenue, and support fundraisers’ efforts. The Massachusetts Development Officer will report to the Massachusetts Executive Director and work closely with Massachusetts program staff and members of the National Development Team.

Responsibilities will include:

• Coordinating all fundraising activities in Massachusetts to ensure quality, efficiency, and results;
• Rigorous oversight/tracking and continuous improvement of all development systems and procedures including major donor prospecting, gift appeals and acknowledgments, and major donor solicitation and stewardship.
• Designing fundraising strategies in consultation with the Massachusetts Executive Director; codifying best practices and tools from successful efforts;
• Developing training tools to help staff become more effective major gift solicitors, closely monitoring each fundraiser’s progress toward goals; and ensuring accountability and coaching as needed.
• Writing key development materials including on and offline solicitations and member and donor-related templates;
• Managing fundraising events and identifying additional fundraising opportunities connected to chapter events and statewide campaigns; 
• Expanding Stand’s foundation fundraising efforts, including writing and submitting proposals and grant reports, and identifying new foundation prospects. 

Support

The Massachusetts Development Officer will be joining a national team of professionals committed to improving children’s lives. Stand for Children managers and supervisors are empowering, entrepreneurial leaders who are committed to providing outstanding supervision in order for staff to develop as professionals and grow within the organization.

Qualifications and Qualities Required

• Strong belief in Stand for Children’s mission to improve public schools
• Minimum of 3 - 5 years of development experience in a non-profit organization and/or political campaigns; demonstrated track record in raising funds from individual major donors and grassroots donors; foundation fundraising experience a plus;
• Demonstrated success in the creation and implementation of innovative and effective development strategies;
• Strong interpersonal and team-building skills;
• Excellent planning and organization, skills; outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong alignment with Stand for Children’s core values, which are: results for all children; bold independence; empowering, entrepreneurial leadership, being the change we seek, and direct and respectful communication;