Job Title

Development & Communications Manager or Director

Objective

The Development & Communications Manager or Director will be involved in all aspects of fundraising, development and communications for Orkeeswa, including updating, establishing, and executing a multi-year development plan, and building a pipeline and communications materials to support it. The ideal candidate is excited about serving in a transformative role, and is motivated by the prospect of both creating systems and developing relationships. The title of manager or director will be determined by the applicant’s experience and skills. If hired as manager, there is an opportunity to work up to the director level position.

The Development & Communications Manager or Director is both relationally and results-driven, with experience in using data to achieve fundraising success. This person maximizes time with organization leaders by presenting strategic plans, roadmaps, and dashboards and can flag and troubleshoot challenges early on, without prompting. This person will serve a key role in driving significant revenue and partnerships for Orkeeswa to support its mission, evolving model, and growing impact.

While the first year in any new development role involves outreach that may not result in funds immediately, it is expected that within 9-12 months the Development & Communications Manager or Director will secure at least $50k in new donations and will be actively stewarding 5 or more new donors who do not currently exist in our active pipeline. The expectation is that within 12-18 months, the Development & Communications Manager or Director will own the fundraising and communications strategies for Orkeeswa, with demonstrable growth and a strong pipeline for both individual and institutional funders.

Location

Remotely within the USA, or in person at Wyoming-based office

Reporting To

Managing Director, Executive Director

Direct Reports

• Communications Associate, based in Tanzania
• Videographer & Photographer, based in Tanzania

Working Relationships

• Director of Strategy
• Orkeeswa Head of School
• Director of Finance
• Development Operations Manager

Key Responsibilities & Tasks

Development Strategy

• Use data to create a development strategy that meets annual and multi-year budgetary goals, with an eye toward growth
• In collaboration with Managing Director, leverage Orkeeswa’s success and strong relationships with our current donor base to reach our growing annual fundraising targets
• Manage Orkeeswa’s foundation pipeline and serve as the lead for researching, identifying and applying for funding opportunities
• Execute on grant writing and reporting, and ongoing foundation stewardship, including serving as the primary manager for a specific portfolio of foundation partners
• In collaboration with Managing Director, steward major donor relationships, both current and prospective
• When appropriate, collaborate on the fundraising strategy for Orkeeswa’s Scholarship Program
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Managing Director to increase Board of Directors, Advocates Board, and other supporters’ involvement in fundraising and advocacy, as well as maximizing their own personal giving
• Set and execute on fundraising goals and strategy for in-person and virtual events and campaigns
• Collaborate with Managing Director and Development Operations Manager on execution of outreach, relationship management, and reporting systems in Salesforce

Communications Strategy

• Set a communications strategy that meets the fundraising and networking needs of Orkeeswa, and lead Orkeeswa’s Communications team in executing on this strategy
• Set and execute on a branding strategy that addresses immediate re-branding needs, as well as serves as an ongoing guide
• In coordination with the M&E Manager, utilize the organization’s M&E data to communicate to our external network about the impact of our work
• Oversee research and help build out a comprehensive database of compelling statistics related to our issues, area, and region (data on access to education, child marriage, girls’ education, etc.)
• Provide an initial and subsequent annual audit of Orkeeswa’s core messaging, product templates, and other materials to ensure brand consistency and integrity, and provide ongoing guidance to communications and development team members to keep all messaging and materials on track with Orkeeswa’s branding strategy

Communications Products and Public Relations Oversight

• Oversee and send regular newsletters to the Orkeeswa network through Mailchimp
• Oversee and send quarterly “insider” newsletters to Orkeeswa’s major donor network
• Collaborate with the Managing Director, contracted grant writer(s), and other Orkeeswa team members as appropriate, on foundation proposals and reporting, ensuring alignment to core messaging and key program messaging
• Set strategy and provide guidance on scholarship program communications
• Ensure Orkeeswa’s website and communication materials are up to date
• Set strategy and oversee graphic design, providing final editing and quality control on all materials, including proposals and reports
• Oversee strategy for digital filing to ensure an organized, searchable photo and story telling archive for the organization
• Oversee the design and execution of fundraising campaigns
• Provide leadership, expectations, and strategy for the Communications team to curate and post 3-5 weekly posts on all Orkeeswa social media accounts, aligned to our strategy and goals

Team culture

• Actively participate in Orkeeswa’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and decolonization through the leadership decisions and examples you set, and represent this commitment in Orkeeswa’s fundraising and communications strategy
• Provide leadership, coaching, and guidance for Orkeeswa’s communications team, with the goal of building a pipeline of highly motivated and skilled communications team members within the organization

Compensation

• $50,000-$70,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Very flexible work environment
• Generous holiday, vacation and sick leave policies, starting at 26 days a year

Qualifications

Experience, Skills & Strengths

• 3 years of nonprofit fundraising and communications experience is preferred
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Experience in designing and executing on fundraising plans
• Proven writing, story telling, and editing experience, with an ability to distill complex information into compelling messages
• Developed understanding of the needs of public audiences
• Must be able to provide guidance on photography and communications products by pointing out improvements and inconsistencies. Must be able to lead a team to produce images and products that communicate our vision
• Strong project management skills and ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously
• Experience producing live and digital events and running fundraising campaigns
• Ability to work independently, with a commitment to clear and honest verbal and written communication
• A personal connection and deep passion to our mission of equipping young leaders
• Proactive and energetic self starter with a willingness to work hands-on to develop and execute a variety of activities
• High level leadership skills that includes strategic thinking, planning and delivery, people management, communication, relationship building, persuasion and influencing.
• High level or proficiency with Microsoft/Google Applications, including Google Drive and Trello
• Familiarity with Salesforce is strongly preferred
• Being coachable, openness to receiving constructive feedback, and a willingness to evolve and grow as Orkeeswa evolves and grows

Orkeeswa Culture

Orkeeswa’s team is diverse and located across the globe. Respect for other cultures, norms and contexts is essential, and a belief in our mission is critical for success in any role with Orkeeswa’s team. We work hard and are fiercely committed to our vision of cultivating thoughtful decision-makers and creative problem-solvers prepared to achieve their own vision for impact. All team members must be humble, willing to learn from their colleagues around the globe, and challenge their own perceptions about global development and social impact work.