Director of Development

June 2023 | Hybrid / Lawrence, MA
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AgeSpan seeks a Director of Development to oversee and expand its fundraising program.

About AgeSpan

AgeSpan is a nonprofit agency working to help the people of northeastern Massachusetts maintain their highest levels of independence, health, and safety as they age. AgeSpan is a trusted resource connecting people of all ages and abilities and their caregivers with impartial information, quality services, and vigorous advocacy. Program and service areas include Home Care, Caregiver Support, Financial Education, Health Equity & Access, Housing Support, Nutrition & Meal Services, Protective Services, and Transportation, among others. Based in Lawrence, Massachusetts with a satellite office in Danvers, Massachusetts, AgeSpan is one of 25 Massachusetts Aging Services Access Points and one of 21 Area Agencies on Aging.

Everything AgeSpan does is focused on empowering people to lead fulfilling lives as they age and they achieve this through four key strengths:

• Focused on People: AgeSpan takes a whole-person, non-judgmental approach to assessing individual needs, then connects consumers and caregivers with information and services to address their needs, with ongoing support.
• Connected to the Community: Helping people remain active members of the community as they age is at the core of AgeSpan’s mission. AgeSpan maintains close connections to community organizations and healthcare providers, working collaboratively to ensure consumers have the right services at the right time.
• Innovative, Practical Solutions: AgeSpan is known for developing and delivering innovative programs that address unmet needs in creative, new ways. Their approach is evidence-based and focused on meeting the real-world needs of people at every stage of their lives.
• Going Further to Make a Difference: AgeSpan vigorously advocates for seniors, people with disabilities, younger people in need of assistance, and their caregivers. When there’s an urgent or critical need, we go above and beyond to make sure it is met.
  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AgeSpan

AgeSpan has a long history of inclusive values and practices beginning with their inception in 1972. Over the years, their diverse, workforce-elected Staff Council advised management on inclusive practices and procedures. The Fund, an employee-led group, created opportunities to celebrate and honor the many cultures and backgrounds that AgeSpan employees and the communities served represent. For many years, AgeSpan has also co-produced an annual conference on serving LGBTQ elders, to educate others in the elder services community on the unique needs of these consumers. More recently, DEI actions have included successful recruitment, retention, and promotion of a highly diverse staff, the inclusion of Ageism and unconscious bias education into new employee orientation, and the launch of two employee resource groups: one focused on the LGBTQ+ community and the other a racism learning collaborative. In addition to internal action, AgeSpan is also committed to promoting and advancing Health Equity and Access for our consumers. Some of the programs that we have advanced with a health equity lens include LGBTQ+ Senior Social Groups and Digital Access & Literacy programs. Health Equity & Access – AgeSpan

About the Opportunity

AgeSpan’s annual operating budget is in the range of $100M, with the majority of the organization’s funding coming from state and federal contracts, and regularly operates with a surplus. In 2022, AgeSpan engaged an outside firm to conduct a development assessment which identified the opportunity to build a stronger culture of philanthropy and grow private revenue. Currently, private revenue is primarily made up of annual individual giving, corporate and foundations grants, and events.

The Director of Development will be responsible for developing, implementing, and expanding AgeSpan’s fundraising program, with a particular focus on building a pipeline of individual donors and establishing a culture of philanthropy within the organization. The DOD will report to the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and work closely with her and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to align all elements of the organization’s development and fundraising functions with the strategic plan and ensure the integration of the vision, core values, and culture of AgeSpan into the overall strategy.

The DOD will oversee three staff: a Grant Writer, Development Manager, and a Development Coordinator, and will also work closely with AgeSpan’s Philanthropic Alignment Committee, an internal group comprised of members of the development, communications, and strategy team.

The right candidate will be a well-rounded development professional who is committed to the mission of AgeSpan and is excited by the opportunity to oversee development strategy in an entrepreneurial and innovative environment.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Develop and grow an internal and external culture of philanthropy across the Agency
• Solidify a strategic plan for ongoing development, focused on expanding and enhancing the program and ensuring determined strategies are consistent with the agency’s mission, vision and culture
• Synthesize the various components of the agency’s development and philanthropy efforts, including, but not limited to, community relations, events, donor relations, major giving, and corporate giving; to ensure consistent and cohesive overall strategy
• Collaborate with senior management team in advancing departmental and agency objectives
• Develop strategies and plans in coordination with the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) to fund the Agency’s short and long-term programs and campaigns
• Assist in budget preparation and monitor overall departmental revenue and expense, with strong alignment and collaboration with the agency’s Fiscal team.
• Oversee three development staff members

Fundraising

• Implement systematic efforts to identify, solicit, steward, maintain and upgrade annual giving donors and work closely with CSO to develop partnerships with major individual, corporate, and foundation donor prospects
• Facilitate participation in development activity amongst board and non-development staff members
• Oversee the building of an effective development infrastructure, including systems and data infrastructure, policies, and procedures to ensure effectiveness and accountability across the program
• Closely monitor success of fundraising efforts to meet current approved budget and strategic goals and implement an annual evaluation process to inform future strategy and objectives
• Lead development projects and events, providing strategic guidance and support to Development Coordinator
• Represent the Agency at special events and outreach activities as necessary
• Oversee collection and reporting of development related data
• Keep current on fundraising best practices, trends, and innovations

Key Qualifications

• 5+ years development experience, ideally in a progressive leadership role with demonstrated knowledge of crafting overall development strategy and a track record of success in growing a prospect base
• Ability to create and implement strategy to guide program growth, expand funding sources, leverage existing prospects, and build sustainable organizational partnerships
• Skilled at cultivating philanthropic relationships and guiding staff and board members in doing the same
• Highly organized, thoughtful and strategic with confidence in advocating for the importance of development both internally and externally
• Experience with database oversight, reporting, and communicating development-related data to a broad audience
• Exemplary goal setting, planning, and prioritization skills
• A strong track record as an effective communicator, highly skilled in writing and donor communication
• Broad understanding of the technology needed to manage development efforts
• Charismatic and persuasive personality and should be authentic and open in gaining the respect and support of a broad range of constituencies and stakeholders
• Innovative and entrepreneurial mindset
• Experience and/or passion for working with the older adult community is preferred
• Knowledge of the Merrimack Valley and North Shore regions of Massachusetts is a plus
• Ability to work in Lawrence, MA offices three days per week

The Agency provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender-related identity/appearance/behavior, genetic information, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state or local laws. 

AgeSpan employs 500 employees with a diversity of skills, knowledge, and 11 language capacities. Among other honors, AgeSpan is a multi-year, past recipient of the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work award.

If you are interested in being considered for this search, please use the form below or email your cover letter and resume in confidence to: AgeSpan@developmentguild.com

Mary Plum

Senior Consultant

Development Guild DDI