Chief Development Officer
Summary:
The SEED Foundation, a national nonprofit that establishes urban, public, college-preparatory boarding schools, seeks a chief development officer (CDO) to lead all fundraising and communications activities. The CDO is responsible for the development, management, implementation, and evaluation of overall fundraising programs consistent with The SEED Foundation’s needs and goals. The CDO will join a highly successful fundraising organization that has raised in excess of $55 million over the last ten years, and will work with managing directors and board members who bring significant talent and commitment to the development effort. The CDO will lead a six-person team responsible for major gifts, annual fund, stewardship, communications and public relations, grant writing, and overall administration of fundraising efforts. This position reports to the managing directors of The SEED Foundation.

Qualifications:
Expectations-
• Commitment to the SEED mission
• Creative and receptive to new ideas; very entrepreneurial
• Persuasive manner and sales-process orientation
• Strategic thinker
• Detail oriented
• Goal oriented and assertive, yet a strong team player
• Unquestioned integrity
• Clear judgment

Skills:
• Knowledge and understanding of sophisticated fundraising, sales, or lobbying practices and essential functions of a progressive organization.
• Management experience in a operating a sophisticated development, sales, or lobbying program, including experience hiring, motivating, training, and developing quality staff. Organization and detailed planning skills required to move from strategic plan to effective implementation.
• A record of measurable results in closing transactions (e.g. gifts, sales, or other commitments).
• Proven success in managing constituent portfolios and demonstrated success in providing superior service and generating large commitments from constituents.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in motivating and working with volunteers, committees, and senior staff, involving them as appropriate in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship process for individual constituents.
• Excellent time manager with strong planning skills.
• Proven ability to manage and motivate staff, including coaching and mentoring and the ability to lead through example, as well as work in a team environment is essential.
• Practiced ability to interact in a persuasive and professional manner with a wide variety of people and ability to work effectively and maintain positive relationships with colleagues and constituents.
• Superior written and oral communication and presentation skills. Significant experience in preparing persuasive letters and proposals.
• Maturity, poise, initiative, and flexibility to handle complex situations and sensitivity to handle confidential information with professionalism.

Salary and benefits are competitive with major nonprofits. The chief development officer will report to the Foundation’s managing directors and will work in the Foundation’s Washington, D.C. office, but must be willing to travel.

Please send résumé and cover letter by e-mail to:
The SEED Foundation
Attn: Human Resources
Re: Chief Development Officer
E-mail: DevExec@seedfoundation.com

Director of Communications
Summary:
The SEED Foundation, a national nonprofit that establishes urban, public, college-preparatory boarding schools, seeks a director of communications. Reporting to the chief development officer, the director of communications will be responsible for the development, maintenance, and leadership of SEED’s communication strategy. The director of communications will develop a national communications plan for SEED and will directly manage communications activities that promote, enhance, and protect the organization’s brand. He/she will be responsible for the development, integration, and implementation of a broad range of public relations activities related to the strategic direction and positioning of SEED and its leadership.

The director of communications will be responsible for SEED’s varied and integrated communications products and services, including: annual reports; newsletters and other print publications; Web and other online communications; media and public relations; and marketing. This position will work closely with the rest of the development staff and with contacts at each SEED school to ensure that the marketing and communications efforts are coordinated and tightly focused in support of the current fund raising, student and faculty recruiting objectives, and general growth objectives.

Qualifications:
• Strong presentation skills. Effective in a variety of formal presentations settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, and with peers, direct reports, and bosses. Effective both inside and outside the organization on data as well as controversial topics.
• Appropriately marshals resources (people, funding, material, support) to get things done. Orchestrates multiple activities and tasks simultaneously to accomplish a goal. Steadfastly pushes self and others for results. Able to support and work through multiple team members to achieve goals.
• Ability to draw a variety of styles together to convey a common message, building on individual strengths and maintaining a strong morale and spirit within the group. Fosters open dialogue. Shares successes.
• Effectively copes with change and shifts gears as appropriate. Comfortably handles risk and uncertainty. Comfortable working in a fluid environment and capable of making adjustments in both day-to-day and larger-scale activities based on new information and situations.
• Interpersonal communication skills and savvy: relates well to all kinds of people, both inside and outside the organization; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; prepared to interact with team members on a non-hierarchical basis.
• A relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for ways to improve; experiments and is willing to try new ideas to find solutions.
• Effective written and oral communication skills with individuals at all levels, both one-on-one and in groups. Ability to write clearly and succinctly in different communication settings and styles.
• Solid media relations experience and demonstrated news coverage placements.
• Ability to understand, interpret and write about complex information.
• Experience managing special events and media tours independently.
• Ability to follow through on assigned tasks with limited supervision.
• Attention to detail and ability to edit and proofread.
• Excellent time management: uses his/her time effectively and efficiently.
• Mature and professional attitude.
• Willingness and desire to work in a challenging, entrepreneurial atmosphere.
• Understanding of the issues of inner-city education preferable.

Salary and benefits are competitive with major non-profits. Position will be based in the SEED Foundation’s Washington, D.C. office, but must be willing to travel.

To be considered, please forward a letter of interest, résumé, and salary history by e-mail to:
The SEED Foundation
Attention: Human Resources
Email: DirComm@seedfoundation.com

Director of Major Gifts
Summary:
The SEED Foundation, a national nonprofit that establishes urban, public, college-preparatory boarding schools, seeks a director of major gifts to manage all aspects of The SEED Foundation and the SEED schools’ major gifts and planned giving program. This includes overseeing the identification, qualification, solicitation, and stewardship practices using moves management techniques. The director of major gifts will work with senior staff to increase revenue from individuals, family foundations, and planned gifts, and will also manage a portfolio of major gift prospects. The director of major gifts will join a highly successful fundraising organization that has raised in excess of $55 million over the last ten years, and will work with senior leaders who bring significant talent and commitment to the development effort. This position reports to the chief development officer.

Qualifications:
Expectations-
• Commitment to the SEED mission
• Creative and receptive to new ideas; very entrepreneurial
• Persuasive manner and sales-process orientation
• Strategic thinker
• Detail oriented
• Goal oriented and assertive, yet a strong team player
• Unquestioned integrity
• Clear judgment

Skills:
• Knowledge and understanding of sophisticated fundraising practices and essential functions of a progressive organization.
• Proven success in managing donor portfolios and demonstrated success in providing superior service and generating large gifts from donors.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in motivating and working with volunteers, donors, committees, and senior staff, involving them as appropriate in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship process for individual donors.
• Ability to operate with effectiveness in a highly collegial environment.
• Proven ability to manage and motivate staff, including coaching and mentoring and the ability to lead through example, as well as ability to work in a team environment.
• Practiced ability to interact in a persuasive and professional manner with a wide variety of people and ability to work effectively and maintain positive relationships with colleagues and constituents.
• Superior written and oral communication and presentation skills. Significant experience in preparing persuasive letters and proposals.
• Maturity, poise, initiative, and flexibility to handle complex situations and sensitivity to handle confidential information with professionalism.

Salary and benefits are competitive with major nonprofits. The director of major gifts will report to the chief development officer and will work in the Foundation’s Washington, D.C. office, but must be willing to travel.

Please send résumé and cover letter by e-mail to:
The SEED Foundation
Attn: Human Resources
Re: Director of Major Gifts
E-mail Address: MgrMGPG@seedfoundation.com

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