JOB TITLE: Director of Communications & Development

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

SUPERVISES: Communications and Content Coordinator; Development Intern(s)

STATUS: Full-time exempt, maximum 40-hrs/week (100% Fundraising)

SCHEDULE: On-site Monday-Thursday 8:00pm-5:30pm and some Fridays from 8:30-1:00. Some evenings and weekends required.

COMPENSATION: $55,000-$65,000/year DOE

BENEFITS: Tuition-free child care; Telemedicine health program (this is a supplemental health service; this is not insurance); Free and/or reduced price mental health counseling; Two weeks’ paid time off plus flex time; Paid parental leave; Up to five weeks of built-in paid holidays aligning with Fort Worth ISD’s major breaks; Complimentary lunch.

ANTICIPATED START DATE: July 29, 2024

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Director of Communications & Development is responsible for leading a variety of donor and fund cultivation initiatives to help the organization reach its income goals of $2,000,000 per year. In collaboration with the Executive Director, the Director develops and implements the organization’s strategic fundraising plan by managing the Friends of Fortress monthly giving program, overseeing a grants calendar, executing multiple annual fundraising events, and managing the Content & Communications Coordinator. As a member of the organization’s executive leadership team, the Director contributes to the strategic planning and execution of the overall organization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plan and execute a strategic grants schedule in collaboration with the Executive Director.
  • Conduct prospect grant research to produce new, high-quality funding opportunities 
  • Write and submit approximately 12-15 persuasive, data-rich, outcomes-based grant proposals annually, with a mix of new and existing funding opportunities.
  • Provide grant writing support to the Executive Director and other development staff by brainstorming, editing, and reviewing their grant proposals.
  • Ensure grant compliance by informing relevant staff of all outcomes and financial deliverables.
  • Manage and submit required reports for all awarded grants and other tracked funding, including collecting financial records and outcomes data from relevant staff on a timely basis.
• Plan and execute other strategic fundraising initiatives in collaboration with the leadership team.
  • In collaboration with the Executive Director and development team, plan and execute the annual StoryLand Dinner & Auction, including vendor communication, sponsor and donor procurement, and day-of event management.
  • Develop and execute 2-4 annual small- to mid-sized fundraising campaigns and donor appreciation events.
  • Assess the ROI of fundraising initiatives, including producing P&L statements and evaluating donor and community engagement.
  • Steward relationships with existing recurring donors (called  “Friends of Fortress”) and cultivate new relationships with prospective donors.
  • Cultivate relationships with corporations and businesses, churches, and other nonprofits for the purpose of partnership, collaboration, and funding.
• Maintain the CRM donor database accuracy and integrity, including running reports.
  • Work with Operations Coordinator to conduct regular audits to ensure the donor database is consistent with accounting records and reconcile errors or redundancies in the database.
  • Oversee the preparation of weekly acknowledgement letters, including custom form letters for specific donors and circumstances.
  • Lead efforts to recapture and retain donors using data from LYBUNT and SYBUNT reports.
• Oversee strategic communications efforts in alignment with Fortress’s goals and mission.
  • Shape, manage and drive the implementation of effective outreach and communication campaigns for fundraising and in-kind donation drives.
  • Manage the Content & Communications Coordinator to ensure external communications are on brand and aligned with the mission.
  • Approve marketing and communications strategies and copy, i.e. posters, photos, logos, invitations, event flyers, etc.
  • Seek and accept speaking engagements that help support and further the mission.
  • Ensure organizational adherence to Fortress’s Communication Standards and Social Media Policies.
• Attend events and meetings that will support relationship-building between the organization and existing or prospective donors, such as the Best of Fort Worth party or Margarita Ball.

• Support the efforts of the Director of Programs & Impact and other program coordinators in various areas of programming as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

• Personal Qualifications
  • Mature Christian with a passion for the mission and goals of Fortress.
  • Meets the Texas Health & Human Services (HHS) qualifications, which requires that caregivers:
    • Be 18 years of age or older;
    • Hold a high school diploma or equivalent;
    • Pass a criminal background check; and
    • Comply with Texas HHS Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers.
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with leadership, staff, clients, community partners, and a variety of volunteers.
  • Demonstrates dependability through good attendance, resourcefulness and ability to take initiative in development and completion of projects in adherence to timelines and schedules.
  • Comfortable speaking in corporate and/or church settings, using jargon specific to those environments.
  • Must possess a valid Texas driver’s license, reliable transportation, and current liability insurance.
  • Bonus: Personal and professional pursuit of racial and economic justice, or lived experience facing those injustices, and the ability to communicate confidently and competently about issues related to social justice.
• Educational & Experiential Qualifications
  • Formal college or alternative certification education in public administration, nonprofit management, grant writing, strategic communication, journalism, or other related fields.
  • Proven track record of winning competitive foundation and government grants. 
  • Experience planning and implementing small- or mid-sized events, especially for the purposes of fundraising.
  • Experience reading and interpreting budgets, especially in the context of fundraising.
  • Experience or education -- and the ability to communicate knowledgeably -- on most or all of the following topics: generational poverty, complex developmental trauma, early childhood education, 3rd grade literacy, parent engagement, youth mentoring, and systemic racial inequity.
  • Bonus: Experience using a CRM database, especially Bloomerang.
• Skills & Abilities Qualifications
  • The highest level of verbal and written communication skills, especially with the ability to be succinct and persuasive.
  • Strong command of the written English language, including the ability to proofread for both content and grammar.
  • Proficient with a computer, including Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint) and Google applications (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets). 
  • Excellent mental and physical organization, with the ability to divide a large task into small parts and manage each component of multiple and simultaneous projects or events.
  • Excellent time management and a self-starter attitude.
  • Bonus: Bilingual in English and Spanish.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The majority of this role is administrative in nature, which includes but is not limited to spending large amounts of time seated at a computer, making phone calls, participating in meetings,  and completing other office-related tasks. 
• A small but important function of this role involves meeting moderate physical demands, such as lifting and carrying items weighing up to 40 lbs. and walking up and down stairs. These demands are typically required for the execution of events.
• The majority of this role occurs on-site and in Fortress’s office. Some off-site work may be required when meeting with organization stakeholders and while executing events, and this role is responsible for their transportation to perform off-site duties.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Candidates with lived experience facing economic or racial injustice are strongly encouraged to apply. Fortress does not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. We reserve the right to inquire about and screen for religious affiliation and faith practices as a bona fide occupational requirement, as allowed by federal law under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

CORE VALUES

Our team is dedicated to upholding a core set of values which define our organization and align with our overall mission. At Fortress, we are:

• United in Christ
• Equity Oriented
• Family Focused
• Learning Centered
• Trauma Informed
• Unflinchingly Bold
• Rooted in Empathy
• Entrepreneurial yet Disciplined

To learn more about our work culture, core values, and faith practices – and to apply! – visit www.fortressfw.org/hiring.

Apply online at www.fortressfw.org/hiring