Associate Director, Development

Associate Director, Development

Full Time, Exempt

Remote in U.S.

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Development is a member of the development team supporting the planning and execution of the organization’s strategic fundraising efforts and goals. The successful candidate will have a proven track record as a frontline fundraiser, excellent communication and relationship-building skills, and the ability to translate program and policy efforts into compelling fundable proposals alongside stewarding existing fundraising relationships. This role reports to the Vice President of Development.

About Us

We believe in an America where everyone has the freedom and stability required to thrive.

We are strongest when people are the authors of their own lives. But the inequalities in wealth and power created by bad actors, structural racism, and outdated ideas on how the economy should work have left us all more insecure and less resilient. We can make a different set of choices.

The Economic Security Project advocates for ideas that build economic power for all Americans. We legitimize bold ideas by supporting cutting edge research and elevating champions, win concrete policy victories for the communities that need to see change now, and provoke the conventional wisdom to shift what’s considered possible. Our team of academics, organizers, practitioners and culture makers disburse grants, run issue campaigns, develop creative interventions and research products, and convene to encourage investment and action from others.

We pick our fights based on our analysis of where strategic mobilization of people and resources could turn emerging trends into concrete policies. Our current efforts include putting cash into people’s pockets with a guaranteed income and policies like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit; and keeping corporations out of them by checking the unprecedented concentration of economic power with antimonopoly action. We believe these fights will get us closer to a world where families can pay the heating bills and make the rent, where consumers have choices and small businesses, a fighting chance. A future where we all have a chance not to just survive, but thrive with dignity.

Our Track Record

We’ve convened thousands in briefings, workshops, and marquee events to strategize and set the agenda for a more just political economy. We passed policies in over seven states to modernize the tax code, won over $1 trillion in checks for families in response to the pandemic, and spearheaded the federal fight for a guaranteed income for kids in the form of the expanded Child Tax Credit. These cash-based policies reduced poverty in the middle of a recession, in the words of one observer, “defying gravity”.

And we’ve built the field by investing over $25 million directly into groundbreaking research; pilots and task forces; coalitions and campaigns; new initiatives and organizations; and trend-setting narrative and cultural interventions to advance racial and economic justice and reset the conversation. As a result, ideas that were once considered impossible are now at the center of a vision for an economy where people are the authors of their own lives.

We’ve worked alongside thousands across the country exercising political muscle, moral imagination, and on-the-ground experimentation. It’ll take this and so much more in the years ahead; we are in a broader fight for a multiracial democracy and an economy that works for all. Our task is to deliver and we’re looking for talent to join us in the fight.

Our Team & Culture

Our successes are due in large part to the diverse team we’ve assembled from a wide range of fields – from campaigners to policymakers to activists to academics. We’re building an organization that supports and resources our staff to drive forward work that is critical to our mission.

We are committed to creating a best-in-class staff experience that promotes growth and performance, which requires a culture of active problem-solving, feedback, communication, and accountability. As a fully remote organization, ESP staff can work from anywhere in the country. We actively support and encourage people taking time away from work, including two weeks of full office closures and a six-week sabbatical at 5 years of service, in addition to our standard PTO. You can find more information on our full benefits offerings below.

Our internal work is deeply rooted in our values around diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that our policies and processes are equitable and informed by a wide range of lived experiences. We invest in our people’s professional development and promote regular conversations about career goals and growth opportunities. We provide opportunities to come together in person for both strategic planning and relationship-building, and we’re always up to take a game of trivia a little too seriously.

Responsibilities

Funding & Stewardship (50%)

• Support the fundraising activities of Economic Security Project (ESP) & Economic Security Project Action (ESPA) to secure $17 Million on an annual basis through the management of a portfolio of institutional donors and prospects at the five to seven-figure level.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with current and potential donors, including developing personalized cultivation strategies for institutional and individual donors.

• Translate organization and program-specific objectives into successful funder concept notes and proposals.

• Prepare donor materials, including but not limited to proposals, letters of inquiry, grant reports, agreements, emails, presentations, and acknowledgment letters. This includes drafting original copy, editing, and formatting as needed.

• Partner internally with senior staff and executive leadership to prepare and land funder strategies, pitches, and follow-ups.

• Serve as a point-of-contact between ESP/ESPA alongside the Executive team and program leads with funders.

• Work with the Vice President of Development to implement strategies and activities to increase cross-fundraising efforts and increase the level of funding from existing institutional and individual donors that align with the organization’s issue areas and minimize restrictions.

• Support in the execution of funder events and activities including funder briefings, meetings, and events.

Organizational Development and Administration (30% )

• Track and manage all proposal and grant requirements, deadlines, communications, and follow-ups in ESP/ESPA’s CRM platform.

• Ensure CRM is accurate and has up-to-date records of donor interactions.

• Analyze fundraising data to identify trends, measure campaign effectiveness, and inform future strategies.

• Collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment and integration of fundraising efforts with overall organizational objectives.

• Support funder communication efforts, including but not limited to building and reviewing outreach lists and drafting content.

• Perform other duties as assigned or needed to advance ESP/ESPA fundraising strategy, goals, and objectives.

Strategic Planning (20%)

• Serve as a partner and collaborator to the Vice President of Development and Director of Development in implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the organization's goals for their identified portfolio of institutional and individual donors

• Conduct thorough research to: identify new potential funding sources and opportunities and/or identify the interests of specific institutional funders.

• Maintain updated knowledge of philanthropic trends and recent giving of institutional and individual donors.

Work Environment

As a fully remote organization, ESP staff can work from anywhere in the country.

Salary

The salary range for this position is 106k-159k. The final salary will depend on experience and location. This role includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

ESP provides a robust benefits package which includes the following:

• Medical, vision, dental insurance with premiums fully covered for employees and their dependents

• Worker’s Compensation

• Long and short term disability insurance

• Basic Life Insurance with a 50K maximum

• 401K with a 3% contribution upon start date; up to an additional 1% at year-end

• Full office closures for the week of July 4, and between December 25 and January 1

• PTO - 136 vacation hours, 80 sick leave hours, 9 standard holidays, 2 floating holidays, and 20 hours of volunteer leave

• 6-week paid sabbatical after 5 years of full-time service

• Connectivity and home office stipends, and wellness use bonuses (taxable)

• Annual professional development budget

• Organization-provided computer or $50/month bonus for employees who choose to use their own

  Access to commuter and flexible spending accounts

Because the Economic Security Project values a diverse and representative workplace, people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and people of all gender identities are strongly encouraged to apply. ESP is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential. Our work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or equivalent additional experience

• Six plus years of frontline fundraising experience, with a proven track record of working directly with: high net worth individuals, foundation and/or labor and corporate donors or comparable work within development/fundraising/philanthropy is required, preferably at a nonprofit advocacy or policy-oriented organization.

• Proven track record in overseeing a portfolio of institutional donors securing six-to-seven-figure gifts. 

• Established expertise in skillfully securing and renewing funding from a wide array of multi-channel sources by crafting compelling cases for support via a range of communication approaches including grant proposals, reports, budget documents, and both verbal and visual presentations, and other strategies.

• Strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and highly aware of the importance of honoring racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, religious, and cultural identities.

• Highly developed interpersonal skills; able to work with cross-functional teams and lead through influence.

• Flexible and adaptable; able to multitask in a dynamic environment with evolving priorities.

• Highly developed problem-solving and organizational skills, project management, and attention to detail.

• Effective written and verbal communication.

• Robust analytical and prospect research capabilities. 

• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.

• Knowledge of the CRM database: SalesForce.

• Passion for ESP/ESPA’s mission and commitment to a progressive economic justice movement.

Preferred Attributes & Skills

• Proven knowledge of various progressive philanthropic sectors, including economic justice, racial equity and justice, health, education, and climate, is desirable.

• Familiarity with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) regulations is a plus.