About Trickle Up
Trickle Up (www.trickleup.org) is a 28-year-old nonprofit global microenterprise development organization working in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the United States. We provide opportunities for the very poorest people to improve their living standards by developing microenterprises via a combination of seed capital grants, training and support services. We work with a network of partner agencies in 14 countries. Since 1979, Trickle Up has supported more than 150,000 micro-enterprises in a total of 120 countries, benefiting more than half a million people. This year we will help start or expand more than 10,000 microbusinesses in 14 countries, improving the lives of more than 50,000 people.
Based in New York City, Trickle Up has a $5 million operating budget, a headquarters staff of 22 and four field offices around the world. The Director of Development is a full-time, senior staff position, reporting to the President.
The opportunity
We are looking for a high-energy development professional with the experience, creativity and organizational skill to help us achieve our ambitious goals.
Trickle Up funding comes from four major sources: individual donors, corporations; foundations and government and bi/multilateral agencies, such as USAID and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.
Trickle Up has a wealth of potential. We have a hard-working and well-connected board and an impressive list of individual donors. Our mission is compelling and easy to communicate. Our goals are to broaden our base of individual donors, both within New York City and around the U.S.; and aggressively seek greater funding from all categories of donors.
The position
As Director of Development, your role is to manage our current fund-raising activities while also building significant new sources of revenue. We want an entrepreneurial development professional who is equally adept at developing strategy, executing plans, cultivating donors, and managing staff and outside resources.
You will work closely with the President, who devotes a substantial amount of his time to development, and will be one of his four direct reports. The Board of Directors, both individually and through its Development Committee, is actively engaged in fund-raising and will look to you for both support and leadership.
Initially, you will manage a three-person staff. Additionally, you will work closely with the Marketing Director on communication strategy and execution. Our program staff also supports development, as needed, in grant writing, reporting, and presentations.
Marshalling those resources, you will be responsible for managing all development functions, including:
Cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with current major donors and identifying and cultivating new ones;
Cultivating and maintaining relationships with foundations, corporations, and government and bi/multilateral agencies;
Developing creative and effective direct mail for individual donors;
Serving as primary liaison to the Development Committee of the Board;
Ensuring that the development team maintains robust, high-quality and timely processes for managing major and other individual donors, corporations and foundations, government and multilateral organizations;
Ensuring that our development database (Raiser’s Edge) and donor-acknowledgement systems function at a high level of quality and timeliness.
Managing events, including an annual benefit gala, public presentations, small group meetings, and other fund-raising events;
Budgeting and forecasting Trickle Up revenue and development expenses.
Working with the President and Development Committee, defining and executing the organization’s long-term fund-raising strategy.
The person
We seek a strategic development professional with a minimum of 7 to 9 years of relevant experience and an impressive track record fundraising from individuals, foundations, corporations and governments and international multilateral organizations. Your development/fundraising experience may have been preceded by related corporate roles (such as, sales and marketing). We are looking for someone who thrives on challenges, meets (or exceeds) annual goals and functions effectively in a demanding role.
You will have prior experience at: managing a team; engaging a Board; and reporting to an organization’s president or executive director. You should be able to lead strategic planning for development and then effectively execute those strategies, in collaboration with the Trickle Up staff and the Board. Ideally, you will have significant experience with the tools of fundraising: maximizing the value of Raiser’s Edge, creating powerful letters and publications, developing Web and email fundraising campaigns, organizing an annual benefit gala and other events. You should be a strong communicator, both orally and in writing. We will want to learn how you have seen and seized upon opportunities, as well.
We are a high energy team, accustomed to managing multiple priorities. We are optimists who know we are contributing positively to the world. We are looking for someone who is, simply put, a team player who is great with people — comfortable and effective on fundraising calls, inspiring with staff, collaborative with other colleagues and the Board.
We are passionate about Trickle Up’s mission and are looking for a candidate who demonstrates a strong commitment to it. Experience with an international organization is a plus.
Some ability to travel domestically and, on occasion, internationally is a significant plus.
Salary and Benefits
This is a full time position. The salary will be competitive for New York-based nonprofits. Excellent benefits.
There is no reimbursement available for any relocation expenses.
To Apply
This position is currently open. We will appreciate all applications but only finalists will be contacted further. Please, no phone calls.
To apply, send a cover letter (including current salary) and résumé to our search firm: ss@machlowitz.com . Please indicate Trickle Up in the subject line of your email.
