Director of Development

• Position Category: Full-time, Regular
• Employee Type: Salaried, Exempt
• Reports to: Lydah DeBin, Deputy Director
• Direct Reports: Development Manager, Development Coordinator
• Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; evening and weekend hours required
• Salary: $70,000-$85,000/year plus benefits
• Last Updated: 12/16/2022

Organization

Literary Arts is a nonprofit literary organization based in Portland, OR. Our mission is to engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.

Our programs create opportunities for readers and writers of all ages and walks of life to engage with stories. We provide programs in concert halls, classrooms, our community space, and on the radio. Literary Arts is committed to remaining a dynamic and responsive organization that will continue to evolve with our community’s needs and deepen our equity work across all our programs.

Individual giving, corporate and foundation support, and ticket sales are the backbone of our organization. Our staff and donors connect regularly and build relationships that last. Literary Arts is hiring a Director of Development to support General Operations fundraising as we execute a $16 million capital campaign to buy and renovate a new permanent home for the organization and to start a writers’ residency in the home of Ursula K. Le Guin.

The current fundraising team raises $2-3 million each year with $1.5 million coming directly from individual gifts. This strong donor support relies on a responsive team that understands our mission and connects donors to opportunities.

The Position

Working directly with and reporting to the Deputy Director, the Director of Development will be responsible for the annual fundraising of contributed income for Literary Arts. The Director of Development will design and implement fundraising strategies to meet budget goals for individual, foundation, corporate, and governmental sources.

This position will collaborate deeply with peer Program Directors and Senior Leadership (Executive Director and Deputy Director) as well as manage general operations Development support staff (Coordinator and Grant Contractor) to achieve organizational fundraising goals that promote Literary Arts’ mission and programs.

The Director of Development actively participates in ongoing efforts to further an organizational culture that supports and reinforces the equity, diversity, and inclusion goals of Literary Arts.

Essential Duties

Individual Giving

• Solicit individual donors to increase participation in Literary Arts’ Leadership Circle of annual fund gifts $2,500+.
• Focus on NEW Major Gifts Prospects identified by feasibility work.
• Work closely with the Deputy Director to coordinate annual and capital fundraising to strategically align goals.
• Identify and cultivate new donors, as well as maintain / improve donor relations within each giving category (foundation, corporate, and individual). (125-150 relationships).
• Implement a major gifts and planned-giving program as well as other development initiatives.

Department Leadership and Management

• Develop, budget, and implement yearly strategic development plan to meet the goals of Literary Arts. Revise plan as necessary to meet and even exceed development goals.
• Manage the annual gift Development team responsible for grants, in-kind donations, and event coordination.
• Ensure the organization is using current and effective development strategy and growing our culture of philanthropy.
• Improve organizational activities around community centered fundraising
• Create, produce, and manage any special projects identified by the Deputy Director.

Stewardship and Fundraising Events

• Set strategy for cultivation events, annual fundraising events, and donor Thank You events.
• Be responsible for the annual gala-style fundraising event, including:
  • Fundraising strategy
  • Table host recruitment
  • Paddle raise commitments
  • Overseeing the Event Contractor and Development Manager

Grants and Proposals

• Generate targeted, effective corporate support prospects and proposals.
• Manage relations with corporate supporters.
• Supervise and support Development Manager’s writing of successful foundation and government grants.
• Oversee the preparation of timely and appropriate grant reports and other correspondence.

Financials

• Oversee stock transfers, endowment deposits, and withdrawals.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure accurate record keeping.

Committee/Council Work

• Run the Development Council.
• Run the Patron Advisory Council.

Skills and Competencies

Literary Arts acknowledges and celebrates all types of learning: academic and career and on-the-job training as well as volunteer and military service. Our goal is to hire and retain individuals who have demonstrated success performing the essential duties of the position and/or who possess the qualities to learn new skills quickly.

Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds is strongly recommended for this role.

Professional

• Proven professional experience and demonstrated track of success in meeting and even exceeding revenue targets. This experience can come through direct major gift fundraising or a for-profit sales role.
• Demonstrated expertise in growing a universe of donors or customers.
• Direct experience managing employees.
• Excellent grammar, spelling, and attention to detail.
• 7+ years of full-time work experience or equivalent.

Personal

• Commitment to the essential role literature plays in civic life.
• Interest in and aptitude for diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to demonstrate creative problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Phenomenal interpersonal skills, including relationship-building across communities.
• Strong collaborative instincts.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

An understanding of Literary Arts’ mission and commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion is expected of all new employees. This includes the 2019-22 Strategic Framework, which is available on Literary Arts’ website. This understanding and commitment should be demonstrated through the performance of assigned duties, as well as all-staff activities.

Job Conditions

Benefits:
Literary Arts currently pays for health, dental, and vision coverage for each FTE employee, and offers a 401K program with employer match. Literary Arts also fully pays for short- and long-term disability insurance.  All full-time employees begin with three weeks of paid vacation time, which increases to five weeks after five years of employment.  We also provide three additional paid Personal Days off, in addition to observing approximately 12 paid holidays.  As a registered nonprofit, the organization qualifies for public service loan forgiveness.  Information on additional benefits is available upon request.

Hybrid work environment:
Literary Arts works four days a week in the office September to May, and three days a week in office in the summer, with an additional allotment of remote workdays to be used at the discretion of the employee in coordination with their manger.  The organization also permits flexible scheduling to accommodate family or personal needs and preferences, including the option to be fully remote for up to one month (upon review and approval).

Office Layout is open concept, between two common spaces used for meetings, events, and workshops. The workstation for the Director of Development has direct sunlight and is in the front of the office space. Approximately 65% of the workday is spent at an unshared computer workstation, 15% in meetings, 10% at events, and 10% performing tasks around the office.

Equipment Used:
Mac laptop, copier/printer, postage machine, and other standard office equipment. Literary Arts provides an adjustable office chair; a standing desk can be requested.

Physical Demands:
Long periods of sitting are required at the computer or in meetings. Some concentrated periods of computer keyboarding may be required throughout the work week. However, this position does accommodate breaks from sitting as needed. Lifting and moving of boxes is required; boxes in excess of 25 pounds should be lifted with assistance. The Director of Development verbally communicates with patrons and members of the general public often in the course of the work, and as a representative of the organization, prolonged standing, walking, and setting up of entertainment spaces is required.

Application Information

Application materials should be submitted as a single PDF by email to applications@literary-arts.org.

Application materials must include a statement of interest and professional resume clearly indicating your experience with individual giving and managing a development department.

With questions, please contact Deputy Director Lydah DeBin – lydah@literary-arts.org.

Application Deadline:
Open until filled.  First review of applications planned for January 13, 2023.
For best consideration, please apply before that date.