Head of Development

Posted Dec 27

About Swing Left

Swing Left is a national grassroots organization working to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. We make it possible for anyone to make an impact on the elections that determine the balance of power in our country, by volunteering in and donating to key races. Since launching in 2017, Swing Left volunteers have raised $80 million for Democratic candidates, civic organizations, and voter mobilization efforts, and made more than 44 million combined phone calls, door knocks, and letters sent to voters via our affiliate Vote Forward and their partners.

About Vote Forward

Vote Forward is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that builds tools to encourage Americans to vote. We work to increase the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in the electorate, and to increase civic engagement among the public at large, by supporting the volunteers working to engage these voters. Since 2018, more than 250,000 grassroots volunteers have used the Vote Forward platform to send handwritten letters to more than 25 million prospective voters to encourage them to register to vote and turn out for elections. Vote Forward is closely affiliated with Swing Left, and Vote Forward staff work with Swing Left on many projects of mutual interest.

Overview

The primary responsibility of the Head of Development is to ensure Swing Left and Vote Forward have the financial resources necessary to execute their missions by leading the development and implementation of major donor and grassroots fundraising strategies in support of the organizations' annual operating budgets, as well as fundraising strategies for Swing Left target candidates and civic organizations. This role reports to the Managing Director and is an at-will position.

The Swing Left and Vote Forward team is fully remote, but there is an expectation for the Head of Development to attend in-person meetings and events in various locations around the country. Candidates should have the ability to travel regularly (approximately 5-8 days per month on average).

We aim to begin interviews for this position by early February. We expect to review the first batch of applications by January 20 and then will do a rolling review of applications until the position is filled and/or the application is closed. Please note that our office is closed between December 17 – January 2.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, implementation, and execution of major donor and grassroots fundraising strategies for Swing Left and Vote Forward

Lead the development and implementation of cross-cutting fundraising strategies to drive goals––operational fundraising for Swing Left and Vote Forward, and fundraising for targeted candidates, campaigns and organizations, including via Blueprint
Directly manage the Development team, including consultants and full-time staff
Oversee the development and iterations of Blueprint, determine strategies for allocations, and work cross-functionally to maintain and grow its audience
Collaborate cross-functionally to develop and implement digital fundraising strategies with the Marketing team
Lead the assessment of the organization's existing strategies to identify priorities for program development and updates, and identify, develop, and implement new and improved strategies for fundraising
Establish goals for fundraising, define systems and processes to measure success and track progress toward goals and work cross functionally to develop and implement strategies for meeting goals

Oversee and lead the development, implementation, and execution of major donor strategy for Swing Left and Vote Forward and, in partnership with the Executive Director and rest of the development team, manage relationships with the organizations' major donors

Develop and implement fundraising strategies that will allow Swing Left and Vote Forward to accomplish their respective organizational goals
Oversee the research of potential major donors to gain insights into needs, beliefs, and donation habits to understand how to engage them in donating to Swing Left and Vote Forward
Identify, contact, and follow up with existing and prospective donors to provide information necessary for engagement
Develop programs that will engage and retain new and existing donors
Develop fundraising messages and collateral that are compelling to potential donors and consistent with the Swing Left and Vote Forward brands
Work with the Executive Director and development team to set fundraising goals and report on progress
Work with the Executive Director and development team to build and strengthen relationships with donors and donor prospects
Organize campaigns and events that will lead to soliciting donors and/or in coordination with donors
Develop a process and structure for maintaining records of donor information and ensure accuracy of donor information
Develop and evaluate success of fundraising efforts and events and make adjustments to strategy as necessary
Develop donor and legal reporting documentation to ensure requirements are satisfied

Serve as a member of the organization's leadership team: collaborate with other leadership team members and executive leadership to analyze feedback from staff, identify areas of improvement, establish org-wide priorities and programs, and coordinate to ensure the success of cross-functional initiatives

Successful Head of Development candidates will have

A strong interest in Swing Left's mission and values
Excellent written and verbal communication skills that demonstrate an ability to convey a compelling understanding of Swing Left and Vote Forward's mission and impact, and translate our data, research and analysis on strategy and electoral impact into persuasive narratives
At least 2 – 3 cycles (4 – 6 years) of increasing responsibility in a fundraising environment, with a proven track record of securing significant gifts from individuals, organizations, foundations, etc.
Experience leading the creation and implementation of effective and successful donor cultivation and engagement programs
Experience with major donor fundraising in electoral, 501c(3), and 501c(4) contexts
Strongly prefer experience with digital fundraising in electoral, 501c(3), and 501c(4) contexts
Mastery of donor, principal, and key stakeholder relationship-building and management
Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively across teams in a remote environment
Ability to work under pressure and balance multiple priorities at once
Ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues, and a strong solutions orientation
Demonstrated success managing and leading staff and building an impact-driven, collaborative team culture
A demonstrated commitment to equity and belonging across all identities including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, age and ability. A specific track record of a commitment to BIPOC communities.
A keen interest in being an intentional organizational leader, trusted thought partner to executive leadership, and critical individual contributor

Working at Swing Left

The Development Lead position is a full-time, exempt and remote position. There is regular travel expected for this role (see more information in the Overview section of this posting). The pay range for this position is $148,565 – $165,073 on an annualized basis. We provide cost of living compensation increases at the beginning of each year.

In addition to health, dental, vision, and retirement benefits, Swing Left's benefits package includes a professional development fund, a remote work fund, and a technology stipend for all employees. We have an unlimited time-off policy, a flexible medical and parental leave policy, and our office is closed for approximately 25 business days each year. We are happy to answer any questions you have about our benefits and policies in interviews.

We are an equal opportunity employer and seek applications from all qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas at this time.

We welcome all applicants regardless of age, citizenship, gender identity or expression, national origin, pregnancy status, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other differences.

Please note the best way to express interest in this position is to submit an application––this is the most effective way for our team to review and process applications fairly and efficiently.