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On-Ramps · 2 days ago

Director of Development and Partnerships at Bellingcat US

United States

Full-time

Remote

Director/Executive

$160K/yr - $200K/yr

7+ years exp

On-Ramps is seeking an experienced Director of Development and Partnerships to join Bellingcat, an independent community of researchers and citizen journalists. This role involves developing and implementing fundraising strategies, building relationships with donors, and creating partnerships to scale Bellingcat's operations in the US.

ConsultingHuman Resources

Senior Management

No H1B

Responsibilities

As our inaugural Director of Development, create and implement a comprehensive US fundraising plan to support our mission and goals

Build a development function that enables the organization to not only produce world-changing reporting, but also train journalists on open source intelligence methods, enabling meaningful action at the community level

Create a strategy to grow and diversify US revenue streams, ensuring that we have a robust pool of both individual and institutional donors in accordance with Bellingcat's fundraising policy

Develop programs and strategies to manage a portfolio of donors, including stewardship, solicitation, and recognition activities, with an eye toward meaningful donor engagement

Win ongoing funding by investing in the cultivation of key foundations that align with our mission and work

Work closely with the editorial and operations team to create compelling proposals, grant applications and donor reports, leveraging organizational assets to attract new donors and keep them engaged

Build and maintain donor database and lead data analysis to inform fundraising strategies and enable strategic decision-making

Continuously evaluate the shifting trends in philanthropy, with the goal of adapting Bellingcat's fundraising strategy to the latest context

In collaboration with the Executive Director, ensure seamless relationship management, excellent execution, and overall stewardship of current and potential partnerships

Map and monitor the broad fields in which Bellingcat operates (local journalism, education, etc), identifying opportunities for creative connections that deliver impact and generate revenue

Lead all aspects of research, analysis, and subsequent action to identify, pursue, and secure new, high-impact opportunities

Create systems for coordinating multiple concurrent partnership initiatives

Drive the moves management process by working closely with the Executive Director to track the donor pipeline, setting the agenda for regular pipeline meetings, and managing progress toward key metrics

Drive the donor identification and qualification process by providing comprehensive screening and research of prospects, elevating new potential donors and opportunities to deepen relationships with existing donors

Manage and maintain database reports, dashboards, tracking systems and lists to monitor fundraising performance, prospect analysis and portfolio upkeep

Recommend and implement best practices in pipeline management, including but not limited to workflow process management, database upkeep and automated prompts for excellent relationship stewardship

Qualification

Nonprofit fundraisingGrant writingMajor gifts managementDonor relationship buildingFundraising appeals writingPhilanthropy trends knowledgeProject managementEntrepreneurial strategy buildingData analysisCommunication skills

Required

At least seven years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, preferably for a globally-focused organization

Experience closing 5-6 figure gifts and managing a portfolio of $1M+ per year, with a track record of successful fundraising, including grant writing, individual giving, and major gifts

Track record of building new systems and strategies in an entrepreneurial context, with an eye for continuous improvement and ongoing innovation

Ability to build and foster strong relationships with donors and prospective funders

Strong project management skills

Knowledge of, and experience with, major foundations and the grant development process

Expertise in the latest trends and innovations in the broader philanthropy space; maintains, develops and incorporates that expertise as circumstances change

Passion for Bellingcat's commitment to using open source research methods to investigate a variety of subjects of public interest

Experience writing fundraising appeals, reports, and other development-related materials for print and digital platforms for targeted audiences

Effective verbal and written communication across varied audiences including internal staff, board members, donors, and other external stakeholders