Year Up
Senior Director of Major Gifts, National Office
Boston, MA
July 2010
Year Up, a one-year, intensive training program that prepares urban young adults for successful careers and higher education, seeks a talented, strategic, and entrepreneurial Senior Director of Major Gifts, National Headquarters. Founded by Gerald Chertavian and headquartered in Boston, Year Up has regional sites located in Atlanta, Boston, New York, Providence, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. and continues to expand.
Reporting directly to the National Director of Development and External Affairs, and working closely with Year Up founder Gerald Chertavian, the new Senior Director will solicit significant major gifts. Successful candidates will demonstrate 10+ years experience, deep experience in major gifts fundraising, and an interest and ability to thrive in a social entrepreneurial environment.
About Year Up
Founded in 2000, Year Up is a non-profit organization with a mission to prepare urban young adults aged 18-24 for life and work in our technology-driven society, while guiding them toward successful careers and higher education. Through a one-year, intensive training program, students receive a unique combination of hands-on technical and professional skills, college credit, and corporate internships.
Now in its tenth year of operation, Year Up serves more than 1,000 students per year across six sites in Boston, Providence, Washington, D.C., New York City, San Francisco, and Atlanta, and expects to open a Chicago site in the summer of 2010. Year Up continues to be recognized as a non-profit leader and has received numerous awards, including Fast Company Magazine's Social Capitalist Award for innovative business model and social impact in 2005, 2007 and 2008. In every year since its inception, Year Up has experienced double digit growth. In 2009, when 75% of non-profits did not experience growth, Year Up grew its revenue by 23%. Much of Year Up's success is attributed to talented and committed staff. Please see www.yearup.org for more information about the program.
The Opportunity
The new Senior Director of Major Gifts will be in charge of managing and expanding the individual giving program. Reporting to Sandy Stark, the National Director of Development and External Affairs, the Senior Director will generate new fundraising prospects, manage existing prospects, and support the founder/CEO on significant donor relationships. The successful candidate will be an excellent relationship builder with a proven major gifts track record. While the National Headquarters is based in Boston , the relatively high concentration of donors and prospects in New York City creates the option for this Senor Director to reside in NYC.
A primary responsibility for the Senior Director of Major Gifts will be to staff founder Gerald Chertavian's individual and family foundation fundraising efforts across the country. After creating and selling a highly successful global technology company, Gerald founded Year Up to close the Opportunity Divide in the United Sates. A “hands on” CEO, Gerald has received widespread recognition and numerous social entrepreneurship awards. He also serves on the board of Bowdoin College and the Boston Foundation. Identifying and cultivating gifts from principal gift prospects is an “A-1” priority for him as he travels the country.
The new Senior Director must demonstrate creativity and relevance in linking donor interests with Year Up's purpose and embody, understand, and believe in Year Up's mission. In keeping with Year Up's values, the Senior Director of Major Gifts will also interact with students as a mentor and advocate, participating in creating and sustaining a positive educational environment, with trust among students, faculty, and site leaders.
Responsibilities
Lead the creation and implementation of a major gifts fundraising strategy in partnership with the National Director of Development and founder/CEO;
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of approximately 100 individual and family foundation donors and prospects with 6-, 7-, and 8-figure giving potential;
Engage board members in the fundraising and development process;
Coach and mentor the extended development team – particularly around issues of cultivating and closing gifts;
Report to National Director of Development and External Affairs, as well as work closely with the Senior Director of Development Strategy and CEO, as appropriate;
Some national travel is required.
Qualifications
10+ years of professional fundraising experience in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial nonprofit environment;
Proven experience securing 6- and 7-figure major gifts and managing high net worth relationships;
Success partnering with Board and staff leadership on strategic fundraising planning;
Deep understanding of moves management and metrics;
Strong interpersonal and organizational skills;
Ability to communicate with clarity and conviction -- both orally and in writing;
Passion for working with urban youth and an unshakable belief in their potential.
Preferred but not required
• Campaign planning and implementation;
• Some familiarity with corporate/foundation giving and/or planned giving.
E-mail a resume and thoughtful cover letter stating the skills/experience you have that match the qualifications of this position as well as how you heard about the position to Bill Weber at yearupnational@developmentguild.com . Please title the e-mail “Year Up National Senior Director of Major Gifts.”
Letters of interest and resume may be sent in confidence to:
