Development Director

Equality Texas is seeking a Director of Development who will help imagine and drive the implementation of a strategic and ambitious fundraising plan. The Director is responsible for the organization’s income-generation strategy and success, working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and Development Operations Manager to ensure the strategy is in line with our priorities and plans for growth. The Director of Development will ensure we raise funds through effective and diverse income-generating streams including individual giving and major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned-giving, and events. The candidate will be able to work across diverse teams and work styles and help the organization design and administer systems that make our workflow more efficient.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create and oversee execution of strategy to dramatically grow Equality Texas’s fundraising over the next 3 years.
• Direct the annual fund program, including mailings and annual fundraising drives.
• Plan and execute signature events including Austin Gala, San Antonio’s Spirit of Texas Event, Amarillo’s Halloween Party and Dallas’s Love Equality.
• Oversee grant seeking including research, proposal writing, and reporting requirements.
• Build out major gift portfolio that includes individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Assist Equality Texas team in securing corporate sponsorship for core fundraising events.
• Research and apply and report on foundation and other institutional sources.
• Steward current funders while growing revenue from new sources.
• Oversee donor cultivation events such as funder briefings, mailings to funders, and foundation plans for cultivation and relationship maintenance.
• Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with major donors.
• Strengthen and expand the Equality Club, Capitol Club and Texas Cabinet donor circles.
• Create a moves-management plan that includes individualized donor cultivation, special events, and relationship building and enhancing activities.
• Oversee the building of a strong base of low-dollar individual donors.
• Manage fundraising database and tracking systems.
• Work with Development Operations Manager to establish strong internal systems for coordinating and tracking development work.
• Ensure all fundraisers in the organization have clear fundraising workplans and goals.
• Oversee creation and maintenance of fundraising materials including one-pagers and corporate giving resources.
• Provide excellent and regular supervision and support to development staff.
• Develop organizational income projections, accurately tracking progress towards those goals, and ensure that the goals are met and that the organization operates with a positive net operating income and continues to grow.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the digital team to come up with online campaigns around key dates like Amplify Austin, Giving Tuesday and GiveOUT Day.
• Work closely with the Board to inspire greater participation with development efforts, capitalizing on the resources, talents, and networks the Board offers.
• Provide writing support where necessary for prospect proposals, endowment reports, print publications, and internal communication as needed.
• Motivate, coach, and manage the development team to ensure professional growth and attainment of team-wide and individual goals.

Preferred Qualifications/Experience:

• Demonstrated commitment to achieving full legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people in Texas.
• Extensive experience as a fundraiser with a proven track record of success in personally cultivating, soliciting, and securing major gifts.
• A strategic thinker with a focus on improving systems, coordinating efforts, using data to drive decision making, and an unwavering commitment to reaching goals.
• Sustained successful leadership achieving fundraising goals in a nonprofit organization. An exemplary reputation with stature and credibility.
• Proven ability for bringing together different departments within an organization to work together toward a shared vision and goals.
• An ability to secure funding from diverse sources — including major donors, foundations, and corporations.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to work successfully with diverse audiences, i.e. staff, management, board members, volunteers, donors, and vendors.
• Experience using databases like EveryAction, Raiser’s Edge, or Salesforce.
• Adaptive leadership style with the ability to problem-solve, navigate complex situations and relationships, and take advantage of strategic opportunities.
• Previous experience with both 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations.
• A commitment to diversity — specifically, the ability to interact professionally with dedicated Board and staff members who have diverse backgrounds, professional skills, and perspectives.
• Tenacity, grit, and resilience — doing this work in Texas demands it!

Please email your resume and cover letter detailing how your experience prepares you to assume the responsibilities and expectations of the Director of Development role at Equality Texas to jobs@equalitytexas.org with subject line: “EQTX Development Director”.

Kevin Chase Executive Search Group will be assisting in the vetting of initial applicants.  Equality Texas and Kevin Chase Executive Search Group value the leadership of people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals, and strongly encourages people of all traditionally underrepresented identities to apply. No applicant will be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Equality Texas envisions a Texas where all LGBTQ+ people and their families have full equality in the hearts and minds of their fellow Texans and in all areas of the law. Headquartered in Austin, Equality Texas is dedicated to securing full legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration. With tens of thousands of members across the state, Equality Texas is the state’s leading state-wide organizing and advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ Texans.

Today’s Equality Texas is comprised of two connected nonprofit corporations:

• Equality Texas Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides educational programming on LGBTQ+ issues and conducts campaigns to build public support for equal rights, and
• Equality Texas, a 501(c)4 organization that conducts direct lobbying and advocacy efforts to advance pro-LGBTQ+ legislation and candidates and to defeat anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Each organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors; these Boards have 33 members in total who represent a cross-section of LGBTQ community, business, and philanthropic leaders and allies. Equality Texas had combined (c)3 and (c)4 revenue of roughly $1.2 million in 2019.