WHO WE ARE
Close the Gap California (CTG) is a 527 non-PAC campaign launched in 2013. By recruiting accomplished, progressive women in targeted districts and preparing them to launch competitive campaigns, we are changing the face of the California State Legislature one cycle at a time.
Twenty CTG Legislators are serving today, 14 of them women of color. CTG Women are committed to reproductive freedom, quality public education, and an end to poverty. Today, California’s legislature stands at a record 42% women, less than a decade after sliding to a 20-year low of just 22%. We are running ahead of CTG’s founding goal to close California’s gender gap by 2028!
As of 2024, CTG is exploring potential expansion of our mission into other states and down ballot in California, via the Power in Parity Initiative (public launch planned for early 2025). The Director of Development will play a central role in raising funds for this budget (527, 501(c)3 and c4), as well as acting as a member of the leadership team overseeing implementation and expansion.
DESCRIPTION OF ROLE
Close the Gap’s Director of Development is a mid-level, managerial role that serves as the lead strategist and overseer of the organization’s fundraising and development goals, programs, events and initiatives.
The top priority of the Director of Development, in coordination and close collaboration with the Executive Director, is to ensure that the organization meets its annual and long-term fundraising goals.
In the immediate term, the central focus of the Director of Development will be to lead, develop and execute on the organization’s new initiative - Power in Parity - which includes raising a multi-million dollar budget. The Director of Development will accomplish this through various fundraising strategies, including cultivating relationships with existing CTG donors, developing new donor prospects and presenting funding proposals, executing 1:1 and mass outreach through various communications and digital strategies, and expanding donor opportunities through the organization’s new nonprofit entity.
The Director of Development will also ensure the successful execution of ongoing, year-long and annual fundraising and development events and processes, such as major donor cultivation, annual events (in-person and virtual), end of year giving program, donor correspondence, and more.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
You are the ideal candidate if you are mission-driven and aligned with Close the Gap’s vision, have the professional experience (direct and/or transferable) and skills necessary to execute the role, and are enthusiastic about developing relationships with CTG’s current and potential donors, creative about how we can accomplish our fundraising goals, and strategic in how you approach the work.
You will enjoy being part of the Close the Gap organization if you are inspired by the vision of gender parity in government, enjoy a collaborative work environment, and are not afraid of hard work with the goal of excellence in mind!
RESPONSIBILITIES
Fundraising & Donor Engagement
Steward current CTG donors and build relationships with new prospects
Ensure the successful execution of annual events (in-person and virtual) and all fundraising events, activities and donor engagement work throughout the year
Attend events and meetings with new and potential donors
Research and apply for grants, develop proposals for individual donors, and seek and secure corporate and organizational sponsorships
Strategy
Develop and execute annual fundraising plan
Lead and execute the organization’s fundraising goal within the new Power for Parity initiative
Team Leadership and Management
Co-supervise one staff member, and in close collaboration with the Executive Director, develop a long-term plan to build out the organization’s fundraising team and support functions
Effectively “manage up” to the Executive Director in regards to her donor engagement goals and fundraising priorities
Lead a team approach to fundraising and provide opportunities to the full team to support fundraising and development efforts
Fundraising Communications, Materials & Processes Management
Draft, review and oversee communications and social media related to fundraising and donor development, including individual and mass donor correspondence
Develop and distribute materials related to fundraising and development efforts
Learn all CTG fundraising administrative and other processes and systems, including the donor database (EveryAction/NGP-VAN), and develop and manage all systems to ensure a strong fundraising infrastructure
QUALIFICATIONS
Close the Gap is seeking candidates with at least 5-8 years experience (including 2-3 years of management experience) with some focus on fundraising and development, and/or in a role with transferable skills, ideally in a political, policy-oriented or nonprofit setting. In addition, Close the Gap is seeking the following specific qualifications:
Commitment to racial and social justice, women’s leadership, queer communities, progressive values
Familiarity with and mature judgment about politics
Experience and ability to develop and create a strategic plan, and guide its implementation with a team
Management experience, including with direct reports, and ability to lead and direct staff and team towards ambitious goals
Strong track record of effectively managing a diverse array of teammates in a collaborative, fast-paced environment
Experience and enthusiasm in building relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, prospects, organizational partners and allies
Solid follow-through with a demonstrated ability to work independently with remote guidance
Must be detail-oriented and able to track numerous projects and processes across multiple geographies
Familiarity and/or willingness to learn and use virtual office tools, including NGP/EveryAction, Google Drive/Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Gmail, Airtable
At Close the Gap, diversity, equity and inclusion are central to our mission and to our daily outlook. It is of utmost importance to us that our team reflects the very leaders we aim to recruit, who in turn reflect the communities they aim to serve. We strongly encourage applications from communities that are underrepresented and from voices that have been traditionally excluded from systems of power.
This includes applications from those who may not meet 100% of the qualifications outlined here. We are not seeking the perfect applicant, we are seeking someone who has the experience, willingness and potential to succeed in this role.
POSITION TERMS
Reports directly to Executive Director
Remote position with moderate travel required
Salary Range: $90,000 - $110,000
Benefits: CTG’s benefits package includes premium reimbursement for medical, dental and vision insurance, up to $18,000 per year. We also offer a generous holiday plan, unlimited PTO, and the opportunity to work with a brilliant team of mission-driven people.