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Development Director, Midwest

Jewish National Fund

Jewish National Fund

Chicago, IL, USA · Detroit, MI, USA · Indianapolis, IN, USA · Minneapolis, MN, USA · St. Louis, MO, USA · Milwaukee, WI, USA · Pittsburgh, PA, USA · Minneapolis, MN, USA · Milwaukee, WI, USA · Detroit, MI, USA · Michigan, USA
Posted on Jun 1, 2024

If working for an organization that supports the land and people of Israel excites you, then join us and you needn't wait another minute to change the world!

Position:

Jewish National Fund-USA seeks a Development Director with a proven track record in sales, investor or donor relations, and campaign growth. The position will be responsible for a portfolio in select markets throughout the Midwest region (spanning from the Twin Cities, Detroit, Pittsburgh to St. Louis, Milwaukee and areas in between). The Director will not be responsible for areas in Illinois nor Ohio. The position requires significant travel and in-person donor meetings and events.

As part of the Midwest Region's team of fundraisers, the professional will report directly to the National Campaign Director, Midwest to develop and implement fundraising strategies in alignment with the JNF-USA Annual Campaign Plan.

The Development Director's main priorities will include expanding Jewish National Fund USA's annual campaign through portfolio management of donors giving $1000 and higher, new donor identification and cultivation, day to day management of operations, and overseeing all aspects of the annual campaign. Building and maintaining strong relationships with existing donors and strategically expanding the fundraising portfolio to support Jewish National Fund USA's growth in the region is a paramount priority.

The successful candidate must be an experienced professional who is a "go-getter" and must combine sophisticated leadership with an entrepreneurial spirit. The ideal candidate will be collaborative, results-oriented, positive, and have a clear passion for Jewish National Fund-USA's mission and Israel.

Responsibilities:

  • In collaboration with the National Campaign Director, develop strategic annual and long-term fundraising plans
  • Manage a donor relations portfolio of 250-300 donors
  • Engage in direct and systematic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors giving or have the capacity to contribute $1000 or more annually
  • Develop leadership opportunities and committees to support JNF-USA campaign goals and expand our reach.
  • Identify tools within and that align with the Annual Campaign Plan to bring donors into JNF-USA annual and lifetime giving societies and professional affinity groups
  • Promote donor-centric approaches, based on research and data to ensure philanthropic and value-based alignment with donor giving.
  • Identify and cultivate new donors; renew financial commitments of existing donors and provide value propositions to move them into higher giving categories including major gifts.
  • Utilize internally-generated data reports and open communications with supervisor to evaluate progress to goals and overall performance
  • Work with volunteer leadership to develop Jewish National Fund USA's strategic vision, goal, and strategies and engage committees to assist in the identification, solicitation, and stewardship of current and new donors
  • Attend in-person and virtual meetings with team members, fundraisers throughout the country and affiliates in Israel, as required. Weekly meetings with your supervisor also required.
  • Maintain a high level of tracking and reporting of results through Salesforce
  • Build and facilitate philanthropic capacity by maintaining collaborative relations with other organizations throughout the region while showcasing Jewish National Fund USA's at its best
  • Research funding sources and trends, with foresight, to help position Jewish National Fund USA's ahead of philanthropic giving changes or trends; utilize best practices and innovative fundraising approaches
  • Utilize the Jewish National Fund USA's Salesforce database to manage donor and prospect relationships
  • Recruit for JNF-USA's Annual Global Conference for Israel, missions and other national programs
  • Travel to your areas of supervision will be required, along with travel to Israel

Qualifications:

  • At least 8-10 years of advancing responsibility and experience in fundraising, or proven sales experience in a client driven business
  • Extensive experience working with stakeholders and mid- and senior-level executives
  • Recognized as an independent, self-starter who gets the job done
  • Significant experience leading and growing successful fundraising/sales functions including building strategies to strengthen and increase funding from a diverse range of sources including individual donors, private corporations, and philanthropic foundations
  • Excellent decision-making skills and the ability to balance multiple data points, stakeholders, and overall funding landscape in designing and implementing fundraising strategies
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and collaborative environment, as well as an interest in advancing the organizations fundraising function to be even more strategic, innovative, and results-oriented
  • Strong communication skills including experience in presenting and public speaking
  • Projects professional presence when representing JNF-USA at donor, community and internal meetings
  • Experience with Salesforce preferred or similar data management systems
  • Experience working with or serving on a Board of Directors is a plus
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required

Perks:

  • Days off for all work-prohibitive Jewish holidays, in addition to the secular US holidays
  • 3pm close-of-business on Fridays
  • Flexible expense reimbursement for mileage and donor meetings
  • Top-notch healthcare (including dental and vision)
  • Parental Leave policy
  • Employer-paid life insurance
  • Employer-paid short and long-term disability
  • 403(b) with generous employer contribution
  • Opportunities to travel to Israel

Salary range is directly commensurate with experience ranging from $75,000- $150,00

WHAT WE DO

Jewish National Fund strives to bring an enhanced quality of life to all of Israel's residents and translate these advancements to the world beyond. JNF is "greening" the desert with millions of trees, building thousands of parks across Israel, creating new communities and cities for generations of Israelis to call home, bolstering Israel's water supply, helping develop innovative arid agriculture techniques and educating both young and old about the founding and importance of Israel and Zionism. JNF is the single largest provider of Zionist programs in the U.S. Its work is divided into seven program areas: Forestry & Green Innovations, Water Solutions, Community Building, Zionist Education & Advocacy, Research & Development, Heritage Sites, and Disabilities & Special Needs.

SINCE 1901, JNF HAS:

• Planted more than 250 million trees

• Built over 250 reservoirs and dams

• Developed over 250,000 acres of land

• Created more than 2,000 parks

• Provided the infrastructure for over 1,000 communities

• Connected thousands of children and young adults to Israel and their heritage

Jewish National Fund prides itself on honoring the pioneers of the past and celebrating their spirit by continuing the pioneering tradition in the areas of technology, environmental progress, community development, water renewal and building the land of Israel for many years to come.

Jewish National Fund affirms the bonds of the Jewish family with their strength of unity, the understanding that each member can make a difference and the collective power to build prosperity, develop innovative solutions and promote the greater good.

OUR CREDENTIALS & PARTNERSHIPS

A registered 501(c)(3) organization, Jewish National Fund is recognized as a 4-star organization by Charity Navigator, America's leading independent charity evaluator, for its sound fiscal management, accountability, and transparency. JNF has also been rated a top charity by the American Institute of Philanthropy and meets the 20 rigorous standards of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, and the transparency standards of Tzedakah, Inc. No other Jewish organization meets all these standards.

OUR CULTURE

We are ViZion-driven relationship-based, fast-paced, and Positively Israel!

OUR CORE VALUES

Be Bold: Beyond. We are proud and passionate, vocal, and visionary about Israel and Zionism. We pride ourselves on our out-of-the-box thinking and the great things it accomplishes for the land and with the people of Israel.

Belong: Stay long. We are an inclusive and diverse workplace welcoming and respecting all cultures, ages, religions, ethnicities, genders, orientations, and physical abilities. Understanding that a work-life balance is crucial to the success of our organization, we are empathetic, understanding, caring, appreciative, and respectful of one another as we strive to develop and retain our professionals and donors for the long-run.

Be Inscribed: Be the Impact. To walk in the land of Israel and see the impact of our work instills the greatest sense of fulfillment. We strive for each employee to make their mark, leave their footprint, be heard, and feel relevant as together we help ensure the vibrancy of Israel for the next 100 years. We plant the future, not just trees.

Be Kind: Act with Chesed. At JNF-USA we do not underestimate the power of kindness. We use recognition and praise to motivate teams, individuals, donors, and stakeholders. We are proud of our please and thank you's. We listen and lend a helping hand when a co-worker is challenged. Whether random or deliberate acts, kindness is a key ingredient to our positive workplace and mindset.

B'Yachad: Together. Great collaboration between our employees, donors and affiliates in Israel is a priority: everyone matters no matter their role. We recognize that open and inspirational communication, teamwork, and collegiality is a force multiplier in reaching our goals, mission, and vision. Jewish National Fund-USA exemplifies the power of unity.