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By Missy Friday, May 30, 2008 at 11:43am

Help us spread the word about a new job opportunity at DonorsChoose.org: Northwest Executive Director

Northwest Executive Director

About the Position:
The Northwest Executive Director will be a critical driver of the DonorsChoose.org national expansion. Based in San Francisco, the Northwest Executive Director will lead a 2 person team focused on expanding DonorsChoose.org across an 8-state region including Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Northern California, Washington and Wyoming. This growth will involve building partnerships with corporations, foundations, high net worth individuals and other nonprofit organizations.

Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement a regional strategy for engaging corporate and foundation partners through DonorsChoose.org managed giving programs: “Giving Cards,” “Double your Donation,” Tipping Point, Corporate and Community Challenges, Youth Philanthropy, and Direct Grants
  • Prospect, cultivate, execute, and evaluate corporate partnerships to score branded marketing campaigns ensuring the highest levels of customer service
  • Utilize our customer relationship management system, Salesforce.com, to drive team performance and manage partnerships with an annual revenue goal of $1.5-$2 million
  • Initiate and develop relationships with education leaders in key markets at the district and state level as well as with our 3-5 national education partners
  • Serve as an industry expert in the area of cause marketing
  • Manage a team of 2 staff members
  • Collaborate across regional and national teams to share best practices and inform the systems and process that will influence the future of DonorsChoose.org

Qualifications:

  • 4-8 years of achievement in the private or nonprofit sectors with demonstrated success delivering ambitious sales, fundraising and/or partnership goals, including exceptional strategic planning and operational skills
  • Experience in a complex start-up and/or entrepreneurial environment is preferred
  • Team player with a strong passion for the mission and vision of DonorsChoose.org
  • Proven track record of initiating, cultivating and managing relationships with key constituencies; significant networks within San Francisco and the Northwest region preferred
  • Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to build, cultivate and leverage personal and professional networks and relationships, develop and deliver successful presentations, and collaborate and negotiate effectively
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required

Compensation:
DonorsChoose.org offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits, which include health, dental, and vision coverage; a non-contributing 401K plan; and 5 weeks paid vacation plus national holidays. This position is a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, fun, high-profile and rapidly growing organization that is changing the face of philanthropy and the lives of students from low-income families.

Application Procedure:
Please email a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, (both in Word format) to Missy Sherburne at DonorsChoose (at) cgcareers (dot) org. The subject line should read: Northwest Executive Director. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

About Commongood Careers
DonorsChoose.org has partnered with Commongood Careers to conduct the search for a Northwest Executive Director. Commongood Careers is a nonprofit search service that connects talented individuals to organizations that are dedicated to creating positive social change. Founded and staffed by nonprofit professionals, Commongood Careers offers personalized, engaged services to jobseekers and organizations throughout the hiring process, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit careers.

DonorsChoose.org is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.

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By Missy Friday, Feb 1, 2008 at 5:31pm

The following is an excerpt of an email from a DonorsChoose.org donor who shared her story with us. (Posted with permission from the donor.)

…One of the most exciting parts has been indirect feedback I have gotten in a couple of cases on the impact of my donations. [O]n your blog a couple of months ago, one of the staffers recounted an email she got from a South Carolina teacher about how various grants had helped her, including a grant for books for a little girl who was then able to pass all her state exams. I recognized this one as a project I had funded and let the teacher know how rewarding it was to hear about this success.

I also saw a repeat proposal from a teacher I funded last year (AP Statistics review books), and in this proposal he recounted how getting funding last year allowed his students to do better than the national average on the exam. I thought, “clearly, another funding opportunity for me for this year” and in fact, I did fund again. I let him know how his recounting in this year’s proposal how his students last year had fared influenced my decision to fund again this year. His email below is a good recap of why I think DonorsChoose.org is serving a vital need for teachers, donors and students.

“I often feel like you do. Are my efforts to help and teach my students going to have a lasting impact? You often have to just have faith and trust. Students sometimes return to school [after graduation] or send letters or email, and it’s then that I find it’s all worth it. For these same reasons, I just want you to know that your contributions make a difference. When I distribute these books, they often say, “Can we keep these?” “Are these really ours?” “Don’t we have to return these later?” Most of them are genuinely touched by your generosity, as I am as well.”

Amy Bernstein
DonorsChoose.org donor

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