Senior Director of Development (43)

ROLE:​ Senior Director of Development

LOCATION:​ Remote or Hybrid if within 30 miles of Providence, Rhode Island

POSITION TYPE: Exempt, Full-time

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT: ~20% travel required (primarily to conferences and donor meetings)

START DATE: ASAP

REPORTS TO: ​President

DIRECT REPORTS: 1 full-time Development Director; 2 part-time Development staff

ROLE OVERVIEW

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and its partner organizations, Education Reform Now (ERN) and Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), are seeking a dynamic, mission-driven Senior Director of Development to lead the organization's fundraising strategy and revenue growth. This role is responsible for building and sustaining diverse philanthropic and political revenue streams across DFER's 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and Federal PAC entities, while managing and developing a three-person development team.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in development and donor relations within a complex, politically engaged nonprofit environment. They will work closely with the President and senior leadership to set and execute an ambitious fundraising agenda in service of DFER's mission to increase the number of Democratic leaders who enthusiastically champion innovative, evidence-based, high-quality options for all students, particularly students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and other historically underserved students.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for any employer in the United States and will be required to submit proof of eligibility. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

WHO WE ARE

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America's students and confront those that do not. We prioritize historically disadvantaged students and families.

DFER partner Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA) is an advocacy group that advances education reform measures through direct political advocacy. ERNA keeps constant pressure on policymakers to champion high-quality educational options.

DFER partner Education Reform Now (ERN) is a nonpartisan think tank that promotes innovative reforms in K-12 public education, particularly for historically disadvantaged students.

WHAT WE DO

1. Support for Forward-Thinking Education Leaders — In an approach that is markedly different from our peers and partners in the field, DFER engages directly with candidates and elected officials to empower them to advocate for education policies that focus foremost on serving students. Our partner organization, Education Reform Now, does work that involves policy research, analysis and awareness-raising that helps policy makers at all levels understand complex education issues and make informed decisions.

2. Informing the Education Debate — Our coalition work reflects the breadth of our policy priorities. We work collaboratively with organizations and our community networks to create an education system that serves and is held accountable to all students and families.

3. Targeted Interventions and Rapid Response — DFER's reach, from the most local district relationships to state and federal policymakers, enables us to respond quickly to the changing landscape and policy trends. Activities vary significantly from project to project and may include training, policy analysis, public engagement, electoral and issue advocacy, and policy guidance for elected officials and local advocates.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising Strategy and Execution

• Develop and execute a comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising plan targeting revenue growth from diverse sources, including 501(c)(3) foundations and individual donors, 501(c)(4) contributors, Federal PAC contributions, and political bundling.
• Collaborate with the President and senior leadership to ensure fundraising strategies align with DFER's organizational priorities and multi-year growth targets.
• Build and steward a robust portfolio of major donors, foundations, political stakeholders, and institutional partners to secure long-term financial support for DFER's work.
• Identify and cultivate new donor prospects, expanding DFER's network across both the philanthropic and political funding ecosystems.

Team Leadership and Management

• Manage, mentor, and develop a development team of one full-time director and two part-time staff, setting clear goals and supporting professional growth.
• Create a culture of accountability and high performance within the development function, ensuring the team meets aggressive revenue targets.
• Establish and maintain strong systems, workflows, and use of CRM tools to maximize team efficiency and donor relationship tracking.

Donor Stewardship and Relationship Management

• Lead stewardship of high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and political stakeholders, ensuring donors are engaged, informed, and invested in DFER's mission.
• Ensure timely, compelling donor communications including impact reports, grant reports, acknowledgments, and updates.
• Oversee the planning and execution of high-profile fundraising events, including donor cultivation events, galas, and candidate fundraisers.

Cross-functional Collaboration and Financial Oversight

• Partner with the Director of Finance & Operations to ensure strong cash flow management, timely financial reporting to donors, and compliance with grant and donor restrictions.
• Collaborate with the communications team to align messaging across fundraising materials, ensuring consistency with DFER's national brand and mission narrative.
• Track and report on fundraising metrics, pipeline health, and outcomes to the President and Board on a regular basis.

Board and Senior Leadership Engagement

• Partner with the President to engage the Board of Directors in fundraising, including board member cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship support.
• Prepare and present development reports for Board meetings, providing clear updates on revenue performance, pipeline, and strategy.
• Contribute to senior leadership discussions on organizational strategy, resource allocation, and long-term growth planning.

External Representation

• Represent DFER at external conferences, donor convenings, and public forums to advance the organization's mission and expand its philanthropic network.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Democrats for Education Reform welcomes applications from all, and strongly encourages women, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees & LGBTQ people to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization and recruiting a team that reflects the diversity of the students we serve.

Requirements

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and skills:

Experience

• 5 to 9 years of progressive experience in nonprofit development, with a demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding ambitious fundraising goals.
• Experience managing fundraising across multiple entity types (C3, C4, and/or PAC contexts) strongly preferred.
• Proven success in individual major gifts, foundation relations, and/or political fundraising.
• Experience managing and developing development staff in a fast-paced, matrixed organization.
• Background in education, political, or advocacy-focused nonprofit environments strongly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Ability to develop and implement long-term fundraising strategies while balancing the immediate needs of a growing organization.
• Relationship Management: Expertise in cultivating and managing relationships with high-net-worth individuals, foundations, political stakeholders, and institutional partners.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and hold accountable a development team to achieve shared revenue goals.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling donor-facing materials and make persuasive asks.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong skills in pipeline management, fundraising analytics, and CRM utilization to drive decision-making.
• Execution and Planning: Highly organized, results-driven, and skilled at managing multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.

Personal Attributes

• High level of integrity, professionalism, and discretion in managing sensitive donor and organizational information.
• Passion for educational equity and a genuine commitment to advancing policies that expand opportunity for underserved students.
• Collaborative, positive, and adaptive team player who thrives in a mission-driven environment.
• Flexibility to travel as needed and adapt to shifting organizational priorities.

Benefits

COMPENSATION

The base salary range for this position is $150,000 - $170,000. DFER is proud to offer excellent benefits: health, vision, and dental coverage; flexible spending plan; life insurance; short- and long-term disability insurance; 401K plan with a match plan; flexible spending/benefits plan; paid family leave; paid time off (vacation, sick time, floating holidays, and all National holidays).