Application Deadline: February 5, 2014
Start Date: late March 2014
Location: Santa Cruz, California, US
Organization Overview
Limitless Horizons Ixil’s mission is to create opportunities for the indigenous youth, women, and families of Chajul, Guatemala to develop the academic and professional skills needed to effect change in their lives and community. LHI is registered in the U.S. as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and as an NGO in Guatemala. It operates under the direction of a U.S.–based Board of Directors and a team of Guatemala-based staff. LHI focuses on education, literacy, and professional development, and supports the underserved Chajul community through comprehensive programming. LHI is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and companies, as well as revenue from handicraft sales and sustainable tourism.
Position Overview
The Development Coordinator, a .5 FTE position, is responsible for individual giving and other relationship-management aspects of meeting LHI’s annual fundraising goal. LHI seeks an ambitious, independent, dynamic, organized, articulate, and passionate individual to manage all aspects of fundraising and partnership development related to individuals, family foundations, and other collaborative relationships. The position is based in Santa Cruz, California where LHI’s Executive Director resides part-time. Hours are flexible and can be partly home-based; a shared workspace with LHI’s Executive Director may be provided. The ideal candidate will be passionate about LHI’s mission and committed to increasing resources for education and community development in rural Guatemala. Effective communication by email, by phone, and in person is crucial.
If you are looking for an opportunity to have a real impact on empowering youth to change their lives and community, value working with a network of passionate and committed staff and volunteers, and are able to work independently to apply your fundraising skills, we encourage you to apply.
Position Responsibilities
The position is charged with systematizing and streamlining LHI’s overall individual giving approach; managing and tracking donor and gift information; and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors to expand LHI’s donor base. The focus of the position is on pursuing and managing fundraising opportunities related to individuals and family foundations. In addition, the position will manage contacts including tourism participants, volunteers, handicraft sellers, and other collaborative relationships. The position will coordinate closely with other staff on communications strategies.
Responsibilities
- Managing individual donor relationships at all levels, including direct stewardship and cultivation, with a portfolio that focuses on $150+ level donors
- Coordinating, planning, and conducting donor meetings and presentations
- Cultivating and managing relationships with other contacts, i.e. tourism trip participants, sponsors, and handicraft sellers and buyers, as relevant
- Recruiting and managing interns and volunteers to support the work
- Lead fundraising efforts, with support from Operations and Development Associate and Board Fundraising Committee
- Researching and qualifying fundraising prospects
- Managing the donor management database, entering new information as needed, and maintaining its accuracy
- Coordinating donor contacts for the Board of Directors
- Managing the Executive Director’s donor relations work so as to extend her reach
- Coordinating and planning cultivation and fundraising events (1-3 times per year)
- Conducting mailings as needed (2-3 times per year)
- Contributing to social media efforts to build donor base and run successful fundraising campaigns
- Supporting other staff in planning and developing communications materials such as appeals, brochures, and newsletters (some writing and editing required)
- Reporting on fundraising activities to Executive Director and Board of Directors
Position Qualifications
- Outstanding interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate with passion across mediums and audiences; excellent social networker, both in person and online; draws energy from talking to people
- High levels of professionalism and leadership skills
- 3+ years of full-time professional work experience
- 1-2 years’ experience in fundraising, with a focus on individual giving and events preferred
- Broad knowledge of and experience in the principles of fundraising – able to participate in all aspects of the gift cycle: (1) to initiate contacts with potential donors; (2) to develop appropriate cultivation strategies for them, including working with volunteers and board; (3) to move potential donors in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation and closure; (4) to make solicitations when appropriate; (5) to maintain stewardship contacts with donors
- Experience recruiting and/or managing interns/volunteers
- Excellent writing and organizational skills
- Excellent attention to detail (i.e. database and information management)
- Experience with donor/relationship management software
- Comfort with technology, i.e. cloud-based computing and telecommunications, social media platforms
- Self-motivated and independent worker; this position will work from a home office or shared office space with limited in-person contact with colleagues in Guatemala
- Willingness to travel to Guatemala
- Passion for LHI’s work and for professional learning and collaboration
- Experience in international development/literacy/education/youth development preferred
- Spanish comprehension preferred
Position Logistics
The position, which may be set up as a long-term consultancy, reports to the Executive Director and the Chair of the Fundraising Committee on the Board of Directors. The position also works very closely with Guatemala-based staff (English-speaking). Some domestic travel (2-3 trips/year) and occasional international travel (to Guatemala) required. .5 FTE with flexible schedule.
Application Instructions and Timeline
Please submit a cover letter (noting how you learned of the position), resume, and a relevant writing sample to [email protected] with “[YOUR NAME], Development Coordinator Application” as the subject.
- Applications due by February 5
- Development Coordinator will begin work in late March