What We Are Looking for in Our New Development Director

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Our team originates from diverse geographical and professional backgrounds. The combined narratives of our origins contribute distinct perspectives and strategies to our efforts, enabling us to create effective pathways and systems tailored to address the unique challenges in our field. NALAC is supported by a dedicated Board of Directors and a diverse group of funders.

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Human Expectations and Personal Values

 

We are excited to add this very important role to the NALAC team. The Director of Development will be deeply committed to putting people first and working clearly and directly with the team to provide the real support that our staff needs.

As our Director of Development, you will understand and proactively manage human expectations; personal values are crucial in effectively managing and supporting our employees. Human expectations refer to the desires and anticipations individuals have regarding their work environment, organizational culture, career growth, and overall job satisfaction. The Director of Development should align these expectations with NALAC’s goals and create a healthy and positive work culture.

The desire to contribute to a thriving and healthy organizational culture will be a notable feature of our Director of Development – they are fueled by being present and getting to know everyone in long-term and authentic ways. They aren’t just a good listener – listening to others and learning about them is their favorite way to spend their time. 

In order to meet human expectations and honor personal values, the Director of Development should prioritize open communication, transparency, and collaboration within the team. This includes providing opportunities for professional growth and development, fostering a culture of trust and respect, and ensuring that the work environment aligns with the core values of the team members.

By recognizing and addressing human expectations and personal values, the Director of Development can contribute to the overall success and satisfaction of both the NALAC employees and the organization as a whole. 
 

Where Our Development Director will be Exceptional

 

Our Director of Development will be truly exceptional on two related fronts – strategic fund development planning and leadership and execution.

As the lead strategist for fund development, this team member will craft a multi-year plan aimed at increasing revenue. This plan will serve as a guiding framework that informs and aligns with the organization’s revenue growth objectives over the next three years. 

The Director of Development will collaborate closely with the President & CEO, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief Financial Officer to initiate and establish program goals aligned with the organization's strategic objectives. Additionally, the Director of Development will directly oversee the hiring and ongoing supervision of two Development Associates.

The Director of Development is responsible for formulating and executing the development strategy for NALAC’s $9M annual operating budget, accomplishing fundraising objectives, engaging funders and sponsors, and utilizing key relationships to ensure the fulfillment of NALAC’s revenue goals. This role will serve as the primary individual accountable for managing all fundraising activities, taking a hands-on approach to implementing and concluding fundraising plans. This includes managing major gifts, foundation and corporate giving, grant solicitation, and acquiring in-kind resources. 

The candidate should have knowledge about and experience in addressing funding challenges from a Racial, Gender, Disability, Immigration, and Sexual Orientation justice perspective, especially those pertinent to the Latinx/é arts and culture sector. Our new Director of Development appreciates the challenges Latinx/é arts and culture workers face in the sector and how that may translate to the programming and services NALAC provides. They will have some familiarity and comfort with difficult conversations surrounding Racial, Gender, Disability, Immigration, and Sexual Orientation justice challenges around how Latinx/é arts and culture organizations address biases, access to resources, and create pathways for other funding opportunities.

The ideal candidate is expected to possess excellent organizational and leadership skills, a comprehensive understanding of development fundraising methods and frameworks, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to think strategically and operationally while implementing multiple projects simultaneously.

 

 What Our Development Director Will Handle Directly

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The NALAC team brings many capabilities to the table, but there are specific tasks and responsibilities that our Director of Development will have to handle personally.

These include:
 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategic plan for various fund development activities, encompassing the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of foundation, individual, and corporate support. This involves setting and achieving annual and multi-year revenue goals.
   

• Manage the composition of foundation, corporate, federal, state, and city grant proposals, ensuring the timely submission of all grant reports. Additionally, create and execute individual donor strategies based on donor capacity and readiness to contribute, overseeing a donor portfolio.
   

• Support the President & CEO's major gift initiatives with top prospects and collaborate with the Board Development Committee. Keep the NALAC board informed with development updates as needed.
   

• Collaborating with the CSO, CEO and other NALAC staff, design and implement a donor relations and management database.
   

• Facilitate team meetings involving direct reports, NALAC staff, and external stakeholders as required. Supervise all functions related to the donor database, including gift entry, database management, report generation, donor cultivation, stewardship, and prospect research.
   

• Collaborate with the Technology Services team to ensure alignment in the understanding and utilization of the organization's technology platforms. Develop a comprehensive communication plan to promote the organization to donors and enhance public awareness of fundraising activities. Work closely with the communications staff to devise messaging, marketing strategies, and outreach for NALAC development priorities.
   

• Lead the Annual Appeals process and contribute to the recruitment, hiring, training, management, and retention of fund development staff in accordance with organization protocols. Play a vital role as a member of the NALAC team, fostering an organizational understanding of philanthropy.
   

• Stay technologically up-to-date and apply new knowledge to the job, maintaining discretion and confidentiality per NALAC policies. Produce accurate and timely reports and queries with great attention to detail. Communicate directly with the public, representing the organization to various external sources, and analyze information to choose optimal solutions and solve problems. Be accountable for project plans, timelines, tracking, and due dates on assigned projects.

 

What Our Development Director Needs to Support and Understand

 

Working with and alongside the rest of the team, there are important areas where we do not expect our Director of Development to be more knowledgeable and capable than other people in NALAC but where we do need them to have enough expertise to collaborate with us effectively.  

These include:
 

• While the Director of Development may not possess a comprehensive understanding of diverse programming and available services catering to the needs of Latinx/é arts and culture workers, their input and viewpoint on these priorities from the funding perspective would be valuable.
   

• The Director of Development will collaborate with the team to activate and maintain a clear vision for the future and make actionable plans to help the team work strategically toward those goals, including identifying new resources for funding.
   

• While our Director of Development may not be an artist, they have enough appreciation for Latinx/é arts and cultural work to engage in constructive dialogue with staff and potential employees about the sector's needs.

 

How We Will Support Our New Development Director

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We know that we need to support our Director of Development so that our success and their success are aligned. At NALAC, we continue to create and refine policies and procedures to support the team and encourage everyone to remain engaged and committed to one another and the community we serve.

Supports:
 

• NALAC recently moved to transparent salary brackets to enable applicants to make informed decisions about alignment, ensure pay equity amongst NALAC staff, and reduce predatory salary negotiations that often generate pay inequities.
   

• For this role, NALAC offers a starting salary between $100,000 and $110,000 annually
   

• Comprehensive benefits include

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance for employees 100% paid for by NALAC and 25% paid for by NALAC for dependents (beginning on the 1st of the month after hire).

  • Retirement plan with up to 3% employer match (eligible after one year of service).

  • Two weeks of Vacation PTO.

  • Twelve Holidays, with five spanning a whole week, during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, March Spring Break, and the 4th of July holidays.

  • Three weeks of Sick PTO.
     

• ​A company-provided laptop and at-home technology stipend.
   

• Work where you want, in your home office, at NALAC headquarters, or a neighborhood park. This position may be performed mostly remotely from any location in the United States, with an expectation of some travel for team collaboration and development specific events or relationship-building meetings.
   

• Mentorship or Advisory support during the first year with Creative Evolutions and one industry peer (see the Search Process above).
   

NALAC does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

NALAC is not able to sponsor work visas at this time.

We highly encourage applications from candidates whose lived experiences are of intersectionally marginalized identities.

How this Search will Operate – Values, Communication, and Compensation

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Overall Estimated Timeline:
 

• Application Period:

               February 6 to March 11, 2024
     We encourage early applications, given the nature of this position. Excellent early applications may lead to a faster timeline           and hiring decisions.  
 

• After the end of the application period, please reach out if you are still interested, and we will let you know if there is still an opportunity for consideration.
   

• Initial Screening Meetings:

                February 12 to March 12, 2024
 

• Semi-Finalist Meetings:

                March 21, 28 & 29, 2024
 

• Finalist Meetings On-Site in San Antonio:                                                           

                April 8 & 12, 2024
 

• Employment Begins:      

                May 2024

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After an initial submission of interest, selected candidates will be invited for a virtual Candidate Meeting with Kim Davis and Calida Jones from Creative Evolutions. After an initial submission of credentials, a candidate may be invited for an initial virtual meeting with Kim Davis and Calida Jones from Creative Evolutions. Following these initial meetings, a group of candidates will be advanced to virtual Semi-Finalist conversations with members of the NALAC staff along with an industry advisor with national development expertise. Semi-finalist candidates will all be compensated $200 for their participation. Candidates who advance as Finalists will be invited to come on-site to interview at NALAC in San Antonio and will be compensated an additional $500 plus reimbursement of all travel, lodging, and food expenses for their trip.
 

This search process is rooted in values shared by NALAC and Creative Evolutions and will include the following elements:

• It is important to us that you are treated with respect and are appreciated for the value you create for NALAC through your participation. 

• Throughout the process, we commit to active communication with you so you never wonder what is happening or where things stand with your application or the hiring process.

• Many perspectives have informed this announcement, and finalists will have the opportunity to come on-site and meet other members of the staff before a hiring decision is made. It is very important that staff who rely on or collaborate with the role participate in the selection process to set you up most effectively for success.

 

You can read more about principles that inform Creative Evolutions' hiring processes here.

How to Express Your Interest

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Email DODnalac@creativeevolutions.com.  This email comes to Kim Davis and Calida Jones, who will respond to you to confirm receipt and stay in communication with you consistently throughout the process. You will not go more than two weeks without an update on where you are in the search process.
 

With your email, please include:
 

• Your resume. The resume can be of any length and style, though we encourage you to adjust it as appropriate to help us see how your history and experience connect to the current circumstances, intentions, and hopes for NALAC.
   

• A written response of one to two pages that includes answers to the following questions:
   

  • Who are you and what is most exciting for us to know about you?
     

  • What motivates your application for this role, and how do you envision making a meaningful impact within NALAC?
     

  • How would you approach crafting a multi-year plan aimed at fund development, aligning it with the organization’s revenue growth objectives?
     

  • Describe your knowledge and experience in addressing challenges from a Racial, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Justice, and Accessibility lens, particularly in the Latinx/é arts and culture field.
     

  • Can you provide examples of how you've showcased outstanding organizational and leadership skills in your past positions, taking into account the intricacies of development fundraising methods and frameworks?
     

• Please also share how you self-identify on any and all lenses so we can honor your preferences and perspectives, specifically in our communications with you!
   

If possible, please have any attachments included in pdf format.
 

If you have any questions about the position or your submission, please feel free to e-mail and we will be happy to discuss with you at any time!

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