Director of Development and Communications: Public Interest Law Center

The Public Interest Law Center uses high-impact legal strategies to advance the civil, social, and economic rights of communities in the Philadelphia region facing discrimination, inequality, and poverty. The Law Center uses litigation, community education, advocacy, and organizing to secure access to fundamental resources and services. You can learn more intlaw.org .

The Director of Development and Communications position is an ideal opportunity for an experienced fundraising professional who possesses a passion for public service, an interest in working in an intellectually stimulating environment, a track record of raising significant gifts across a variety of funding sectors, and a demonstrated ability to effectively manage direct reports and lead a team.

The Director of Development and Communications position at the Public Interest Law Center offers the opportunity to work with an engaged and loyal base of supporters –including individuals, law firms, corporations, and foundations – and a robust roster of identified potential prospects, ensuring a dynamic pipeline for ongoing fundraising activity.

Atthesametime,theLawCenter’smissionspeaksdirectlytocurrentgovernmentalpolicychangesaffectingcivil,social,andeconomicjusticeand,asaleaderinthepublicinterestlawfield,theLawCenter isoptimallypositionedtoattract theattentionofnewdonorsandfunders.

This position is an excellent opportunity to be part of a team of dedicated, ambitious, compassionate individuals, including a staff of 15, an outstanding Board of Directors, and a roster of remarkable volunteers.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Director of Development and Communications (the Director), is responsible for the overall conceptualization, planning, and execution of a coordinated program of fundraising and constituent communications for the Public Interest Law Center. The Director is responsible for an annual department goal of over $2 million.

The Director will oversee the communications strategy and the implementation of an annual communicationsplanand willprioritize fundraisingactivity day-to-daywitha focus on securing significant gifts from individuals, law firms, and corporations, and stewarding Board and select foundation relationships. The Director is also responsible for supporting the Executive Director and the Board in their respective fundraising roles.

The Directorservesasanintegralmemberoftheseniorleadershipteamandplaysakey role in setting organizational priorities and strategies.

Duties also include supervision, mentoring, and professional development of a team of three staff members who work on annual fundraising programs, grants, events, communications, and database operations.

Lead a coordinated and comprehensive Development and Communications department that includes:

• creating and maintaining comprehensive annual development and communicationsplans;
• providing data driven metrics to maintain and analyze progress in support of annual goals;
• conceptualizingdevelopmenteventsandvisibilityopportunitiesinsupportofstrategicinitiatives;
• planningandexecutingspecialcommunicationsinitiativesandfundraisingcampaigns as needed;
• craftingeffective messages forLaw Centerprojects, includingthrough press releases, newsletters, social media, and annual reports; and
• buildingmediarelationships.

The Director creates and implements an annual work plan encompassing the following areas:

Prospect Management:
Manages a portfolio of 100 – 125 top prospects to include individual donors, law firm/corporate funders, and a rolling pipeline of prospective major donors. A select number of foundation relationships will also reside in the Director’s portfolio.

Leadership Support:
Staffs the Executive Director on their assigned prospects. Staffs the Development Committee of the Board.

Departmental Management:
Supervises three full-time Development and Communications team members, including mentoring/training and collaborating as needed, oversight of the planning and implementation of fundraising events, review of grant applications and reports, management of communications strategies, and annual work plans for…