Business Development Director

Change Line is a nonprofit civic hub that unlocks, builds, and channels collective power to solve challenges that impact the health of communities in the Pikes Peak region.

We’re in the process of renewing our business model and, over the next several years, will be working to diversify sources of revenue from a heavily grant-focused approach. We are seeking a Business Development Director to build a lean function and an effective process that will help us expand our impact.

The Business Development Director is a new role, designed to build and run the day-to-day operations and systems that will support Change Line’s revenue goals. This position will work in Change Line’s Colorado Springs office and work across the spectrum of business development and fundraising, from engaging high-level donors and prospects, to updating spreadsheets, and collaborating with colleagues and community partners to test out business development ideas.

This is a new position, and as a learning organization, Change Line is expecting this hire to feel comfortable in taking risks, failing, and learning from those experiences to help shape the role. In the first six months, this role will be primarily focused on building and managing the business development process, as well as the key relationships needed to be successful.

We know that it takes time to build connections with prospective funders and to test business development ideas, and we will work together to set appropriate revenue goals. A more detailed outline of the expectations is below, though these will adapt depending on the skills of the person hired.

• Drive the revenue pipeline and process
  , in collaboration with other leaders, including:
  • Identify and prioritize high-level prospects (foundations, government/public sector, corporate partners, individuals) in collaboration with the key leaders and supporters.
  • Run regular revenue pipeline meetings to ensure progress to goals, prospect strategy and action steps, and timely management of deadlines and project timelines.
  • Model effective prospect strategy and engagement, and coach and prepare others to engage with prospects.
  • Maintain a database of prospects and ensure it’s up to date, and that a robust stewardship process is in place.
  • Provide staffing support to the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer on their portfolios.
  • Coordinate efforts with project teams on grant proposals and reports.
• Own a prospect portfolio – responsible for engaging prospects and investors to contribute to the revenue goals.
  • Conduct prospect research and strategy.
  • Plan and strategize around prospect predisposition and visits, including engaging colleagues as needed.
  • Visit with prospects and make asks, sometimes leading, and sometimes supporting.
  • Manage prospect follow-up activities, coordinating with the team as needed.
• Build the department and systems – integrated with Change Line’s strategies and priorities, strategically build the function and its systems and processes:
  • Build a lean function over the next 2-3 years.
  • Prioritize, and begin to build the processes, systems, and tools to support a seamless and simple fundraising operation.

• Build relationships with colleagues to identify and understand projects in need of funding, and opportunities for collaboration.
• Identify sectors, leaders, community groups and initiatives that align with Change Line’s mission.
• Prioritize how best to connect with each group, and who on the team is best suited to make that connection.
• Work with colleagues to build a strategy for each connection point, with an eye toward potential partnerships, business development and other opportunities.

• Along with the team, identify potential business and revenue generation ideas to test.
• Work together to create project plans, sometimes leading or facilitating, while identifying and leading improvements to processes and systems.
• Serve as a collaborator for colleagues across the organization on other projects.