Job Posting: Development Director, Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership

[Lee Cruz]

RYASAP, a leading capacity building and community change organization dedicated to young people, young adults and families, is seeking a fund development consultant with exceptional interpersonal skills to develop and implement a fund development plan for the organization.

The Organization

The mission of the Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP Catalyst for Community Change) is to be the catalyst in communities to ensure the safe and healthy development of youth, young adults and families. RYASAP has initiatives in health promotion, juvenile justice advocacy and diversion, youth and young adult leadership development, alcohol and drug misuse prevention, educational reform, community small grants, training and best practice replication, and knowledge dissemination. RYASAP is the lead agency for Public Allies of Connecticut, the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance and the Bridgeport Parent Leadership Training Institute. Through local demonstrations RYASAP seeks to foster local, state and national systems reform to give all young people the opportunity for successful development. RYASAP serves the greater Bridgeport region as well as special initiatives throughout Connecticut.

The Position

The Development Consultant is responsible for developing and implementing the fund development plan for RYASAP. Specific responsibilities include:

§ Engage in research to identify new individual, foundation and corporate prospects

§ Work in collaboration with the RYASAP Executive Director and management team to establish annual goals and develop annual fund development plans

§ Write fundraising appeals and letters; maintain regular correspondence with foundations, donors and board members; and oversee fundraising mailings

§ Help plan fundraising events

§ Train and lead other staff to support fundraising and marketing efforts

§ Cultivate and nurture relationships with current and potential foundation, corporate and individual donors

§ Develop a system of tracking all gifts to RYASAP

§ Develop a database and records management system for fund development

§ Develop and manage a portfolio of individual major gift prospects

§ Direct and expand all development activities including board engagement and participation, corporate and foundation giving, major gifts, events, annual appeal and donor stewardship.

§ Develop a Planned Giving Program

§ Coordinate all fund development efforts with marketing and communications

§ Manage and enhance policies and procedures related to resource development and marketing in partnership with the Executive Director and senior management team.

§ Establish and maintain relationships in local, regional and statewide professional associations in fund development

Qualifications and Characteristics Desired

The successful person will be a high energy person of passion and integrity who is dedicated to the mission of RYASAP with a minimum of 5 years experience in fund development. He/she will be a self-starter with an entrepreneurial will to succeed. He/she should have strong written and oral communications skills and is able to make a convincing case for donors to get involved in the mission of RYASAP. This person should be able to speak passionately about the needs and assets of young people and why they would benefit from the services that RYASAP provides. Other specific qualifications include:

§ Belief in and passion for the mission and work of RYASAP

§ Proven success in fund development in attracting new foundation and corporate support as well as new investors and soliciting major gifts

§ Minimum of a Bachelors degree in liberal arts or a related field

§ Experience with personal solicitation of major individual donors

§ Knowledge of Fairfield County and Connecticut foundations

§ Ability to build and sustain quality relationships with a variety of constituencies

§ Experience working with the print and broadcast media

§ Tech-savvy regarding social networking sites and be able to utilize these sites for fund development

§ Works well with a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural RYASAP Management Team and Board of Directors

§ Successful experience in several fundraising areas -- foundations, corporations, annual giving, and special events

§ Broad familiarity with nonprofit organizations and especially RYASAP that is focused on youth and young adult leadership activities/initiatives

For more information please visit our website at www.ryasap.org. Please excuse our website since it is under construction at this time.

To apply, please submit a proposal with cost estimates and an appropriate resume or work history electronically to Robert Francis at [e-mail].