As we launch a strategic planning process in 2023, the Deputy Director of Development & Operations (DD) will work in close partnership with the Executive Director to lead our 5-person team to actualize our strategic priorities and achieve our goals. The DD has direct oversight and responsibility for fundraising and operations. This position is both strategic and tactical, as it is responsible for updating, managing, and executing Shout Mouse’s annual development plan, as well as executing on that plan. The ideal candidate has strong leadership skills that they bring to working externally with donors and partners as well as to working with the Shout Mouse team as the lead for HR and internal operations.
We are seeking an experienced, organized, energetic, self-starter who is committed to our mission and to a friendly, supportive, close-knit team environment. The DD will be responsible for all aspects of fundraising from individuals, financial management, and general operations to allow the Executive Director more capacity for publishing and program development. Our first priority in hiring will be demonstrated success in individual giving, including major gift work and annual giving campaigns. This role also requires experience managing development operations (including CRM management), financial management, and organizational operations.
The position reports to and works closely with the Executive Director (ED) and partners across the full Shout Mouse team and board of directors to promote an organizational culture of philanthropy. Close collaborators include the Grants Director and the Communications & Operations Manager.
This position is a full-time, 40-hour per week job in a hybrid role of two days/week in the Shout Mouse office and work-from-home option the remainder of the time. The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $100,000 per year.
Candidates who have a shared identity and/or lived experience with the young people we serve will be prioritized.
Essential Job Responsibilities
This job description provides a general guideline to duties and responsibilities expected and essential for this new position.
Leadership and Strategy:
Culture: Contribute positively to organizational culture and reflect SMP’s values
Storytelling: Become a SMP “expert” and excel in telling our story. Act as a spokesperson for the organization to bring in funding and engage with donors and prospective supporters
StrategicPlanning:Working in partnership with the ED, board of directors, and staff to develop and implement a multi-year strategic plan
Development Planning: Update existing development and stewardship plans with new ideas, industry best practices, and data-driven analysis. Ensure the development plan remains aligned with the strategic plan such that it is always in service of evolving organizational goals. Manage and execute plans to achieve annual revenue goals
BoardofDirectors: Cultivate relationships with board of directors and support them both as a group and as individuals in identifying and tailoring their best development contributions to SMP as well as working with the nominating committee in the identification of potential board and/or committee members
Development Team Leadership: Collaborate with the Grants Director to ensure consistency of messaging across SMP individual and institutional fundraising strategies. Provide management and guidance to the Communications and Operations Manager
Individual Fundraising and Donor Relations
Relationship Management: Energetically and proactively cultivate and nurture relationships between SMP’s donors and donor prospects, board members, volunteers, and other key constituents – serving as the main point of contact for all individual donors and incoming donor inquiries
Prospecting: Ensure a robust gift pipeline big enough to hit annual revenue goals by researching donors and executing strategies to expand the overall donor community
Moves Management: Work closely with the ED and board to determine moves management plans for mid-sized and major funders
ED Collaboration: Project manage the ED’s fundraising work, directing her where and how best to spend her time and efforts on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis
Donor Messaging: Help develop creative and mission-focused fundraising messaging that effectively articulates the special role and impact of SMP in the community
Annual Campaigns: Lead strategy, execution, and evaluation of all annual direct response campaigns focused on developing new donors and retaining existing mid-level and smaller-dollar donors
Monthly Giving: Manage and grow the community of monthly donors
Donor Stewardship: Manage the execution of SMP’s donor stewardship plan and update it annually with new and meaningful ways to connect donors and foster a sense of community
Anniversary Event: Work in partnership with the board of directors and event host committee to execute a special anniversary event in the spring of 2024
Marketing and Communications
Communications Planning: Work closely with the Communications and Operations Manager to draft an annual communications plan that ensures strategies across the organization are coordinated
Writing/Editing: Serve as a collaborator and editor for regular communications and marketing materials
Data Management: Work with the Communications and Operations Manager to ensure constituent data is flowing reliably between SMP platforms and systems
Organizational Operations and Revenue Tracking
Budget: In partnership with the ED, establish and monitor annual and long-term revenue goals and budgets. Design and update a regular progress-to-goal report and development
Accounting: Serve as key liaison with SMP’s outsourced accounting firm, working together to ensure accurate reporting and coding of all revenue and managing receivables, payables, and billings.
Compliance: Ensure all tax, business license, charitable solicitation license, and other obligations are met.
Financial Management: Ensure organizational financial policies and protocols are created, adhered to, and reviewed. Review monthly financials and cash flow in conjunction with the ED.
Donor Data and Gift Processing: Spearhead development-focused data input and ensure accuracy in all records and development reports in SMP’s Conduct weekly gift processing and acknowledgement letter mail merges.
Systems Management: Routinely update how-to documentation to codify and safeguard systems. Identify recurring challenges to work that need new or revised systems and work collaboratively with staff to analyze the problem and design solutions.
Human Resources and Staffing
Employee and Volunteer Onboarding: Oversee the new hire and volunteer process in collaboration with HR & Operations
Performance Evaluation: In partnership with the ED, design updated performance evaluation appraisal and goal setting
Payroll & Benefits Administration: Manage the bi-weekly payroll process via Gusto and serve as liaison with benefits companies as needed to administer employee compensation, rewards, and
Policy Implementation & Updates: Ensure personnel handbook and other HR policies and practices are current and reflect priorities and needs of
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Support implementation of a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion plan.
StaffTraining:In partnership with the ED, plan regular staff meetings, internal team retreats, trainings, as well as celebrations and recognitions
Compensation and Benefits
Salary range $90,000 - $100,000, commensurate with experience
A flexible work environment. This position requires two days a week on-site at our office in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, but otherwise operates remotely, with flexible work hours.
Monthly tax-free healthcare
A generous PTO We value work-life balance and your holistic well-being.
Professional development We are committed to leadership development and prioritize continuing education opportunities for all staff.
To Apply
Interested applicants should send an email to jointheteam@shoutmousepress.org with “Deputy Director” in the subject line and include:
A cover letter that includes:
Your mission alignment with our work, and how diversity, equity, and inclusion guides the work you do
Your salary requirements
Your available start date
Resume
An individual-giving focused writing sample, such as an appeal or acknowledgement letter
Access, Equity, and Inclusion
Shout Mouse Press is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Shout Mouse is committed to building a culturally diverse team and to providing professional development opportunities for the next generation of diverse artists and writers. We strongly encourage applicants who are people of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, and/or members of otherwise marginalized groups.
Qualifications
We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow, and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.
An advocate for elevating underrepresented youth voices
At least 8 years of experience working in nonprofits with at least 5 years that include a track record of leading increases in philanthropic revenue year-over-year
Experience managing staff in a nonprofit environment
Experience working from, and preferably writing, a development plan
Outstanding verbal and written communication
Demonstrable experience with individual giving, with hands-on practice at major gifts, annual giving, direct mail, and online giving campaigns
Enthusiasm to propose fresh ideas without prompting by leadership, openness to feedback on those ideas, and persistence to bring those ideas to life
Experience managing and improving development operations, ranging from CRM management to budget monitoring to gift processing
Engaging and thoughtful personal relationship development and management skills
Masterful project management skills utilized to work on multiple projects with different deadlines simultaneously, with a sharp eye on details and quality
Familiarity with financial management platforms, such as Quickbooks or Xero
Experience developing, mentoring, and managing staff and general experience in organizational development, employee relations, training, and development
Must be fully vaccinated against COVID and pass pre-employment background check
Shout Mouse Press (shoutmousepress.org) is dedicated to centering and amplifying the voices of marginalized youth (ages 12+) via writing workshops, publication, and public speaking opportunities. The young people we coach are underrepresented—as characters and as creators—within young people’s literature, and their perspectives underheard. Our work provides a platform for them to tell their own stories and, as published authors, to act as leaders and agents of change.
SMP authors have produced original children’s books, novels, comics, memoirs, and poetry collections that expand empathy, advance social justice, and increase understanding of underheard perspectives. Since our founding in 2014 we have produced 50+ books by 500+ incarcerated, immigrant, Black, low-income, and otherwise marginalized youth in Greater Washington, D.C. and Haiti.
