Director of Development and Engagement

TrainingGrounds, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in New Orleans, wants to know: are you an experienced fundraising professional with a background in individual giving, sponsorships, and grants?  Do you excel at creating strategies and working through their details and deadlines?  Would the sights and sounds of children learning through creative play add joy to your workday?

If so, you might be our first-ever Director of Development and Engagement, and we want to hear from you.

TrainingGrounds seeks a relationship-centered and detail-oriented fundraising professional to join its team and help the organization thrive in its second decade.  The Director of Development and Engagement will take the lead in crafting and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports TrainingGrounds’ next chapter.

About TrainingGrounds

For almost a decade, TrainingGrounds has worked with children and their caregivers during the critical earliest years, when 90% of brain development occurs.  We offer:

• The We PLAY Center, a space for children three and under to play and learn.
• Free training for parents and caregivers to support their child’s development during their daily routines.
• Professional development for adults working in early childhood fields.
• A family resource hub that connects people to resources from pregnancy through age five.

TrainingGrounds’ budget is currently comprised largely of grants and contracts (private and government, restricted and unrestricted) and program revenue, as well as a small individual giving program.  The members of our 16-person staff serve primarily in roles that directly support children, parents, and caregivers.

About the Director of Development and Engagement

TrainingGrounds’ fundraising has historically been managed by the organization’s two co-founders.  The Director of Development and Engagement will be TrainingGrounds’ first full-time fundraising professional.  

In this role, the Director of Development and Engagement will be responsible for creating and executing a development plan that expands beyond current funding sources.  The largest opportunities for revenue growth are 1) sponsorships, 2) individual giving, and 3) unrestricted grants.  This position provides an opportunity to build and carry out new fundraising strategies from the ground up.

In addition to overseeing strategy and execution for these areas, the Director of Development and Engagement will support a contracted event planner in preparation for TrainingGrounds’ upcoming 10th anniversary celebration and collaborate with the Executive Director on the existing grant portfolio.

The Director of Development and Engagement will also oversee the Communications Coordinator, working collaboratively to streamline TrainingGrounds’ relationships with the larger community, including donors and funders.

Candidates with diverse fundraising experiences are encouraged to apply.

Ideal Candidate Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with preference for experience with sponsorships, individual giving, and grant writing, reporting, and management.
• Understanding of and interest in the field of early childhood development.
• Strong skill sets in strategy development and management; able to create a gameplan for how to raise funds effectively and see through the execution of that plan independently.
• Experience with donor relationship management systems (CRMs) is essential; experience with Little Green Light is preferred.
• Ability to build meaningful relationships with donors, funders, program participants, and partner organizations.
• Experience working in collaborative team settings is essential; experience managing staff is preferred.
• Comfort with both external work with donors and funders (representing TrainingGrounds in the community and one-on-one) and internal operations (managing donor records, meeting deadlines, etc.).
• Regular and consistent access to a car.  This job requires frequent, local travel to events, donor and funder meetings, and other off-site activities.  Must maintain a valid driver’s license, safe driving record, and personal automobile insurance coverage.

Hours:

This is a full-time position requiring 40 hours per week, including occasional evenings and weekends.  The work environment is collaborative and supportive, centering flexibility for employees to live their lives as full people while they meet their professional responsibilities.

Benefits: 

• Health Insurance: Company pays 100% of premiums for Medical, Dental, and Vision for employees (valued at approx. $11,000/year).
• Life Insurance: The company provides $50,000 in life insurance coverage (valued at approximately $66 per year).
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Employees receive 10 vacation days and 5 sick days (available after a 90-day probationary period and prorated based on start date), as well as 21 paid holidays (subject to annual review based on the holiday calendar).
• Additional Benefits: Employees have the option to purchase short-term and long-term disability insurance, as well as additional life insurance coverage.
• Membership in Total Care EAP for employee and family.  EAP is a comprehensive, confidential employee assistance program designed to support mental health, wellness, and work-life balance