The Development Director (“DD”) is responsible for the effective organization and leadership of all development efforts at Tree House Books. Working closely with the Co-Executive Directors and other key THB leadership, the DD will spearhead development efforts as Tree House Books continues to grow. The DD is a key external face of the organization, and as necessary, acts as a liaison between the organization and donors, foundations (grant funders), vendors, and other contributors. The DD works closely with the Co-Executive Directors in all facets of communication with the community. The DD also plays an important role in successfully evaluating and reporting fundraising outcomes.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The Development Director reports directly to the Co-Executive Directors and collaborates horizontally as part of the leadership team. This role is largely self-directed: you will set priorities with the Co-Executive Directors, then own your workplan and deadlines, with regular check-ins. We are a small, growing team, so you will help build systems, not just inherit them.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The Development Director’s specific duties include, but are not limited to:

Campaign and Major Gifts:

• Taking a lead role in the execution of the Expansion Fundraising Plan, including general oversight of all fund development activities

• Developing and maintaining ongoing relationships with major donors through prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities
  

Annual Giving and Events:

• Creating and executing a strategy for a large, sustained base of annual individual donors through acquisition, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, to increase annual revenue goals year-over-year

• Overseeing planning and implementation of special events

Grants:

• Securing grants from foundations and corporations, including relationship building, metrics, some proposals and reports

• Directing our Grant Writer (contracted)

• Tracking proposals and reports for all foundation, corporate, and individual funders, as may be required

Data, Systems, and Reporting:

• Managing our donor database (CRM) and overseeing the staff, volunteers, and interns responsible for data entry and gift processing

• Evaluating and reporting fundraising outcomes to the Co-Executive Directors and the Board

Board, Staff, and Volunteers:

• Working with the THB Board of Directors and Co-Executive Directors to develop and execute Tree House Books’ annual fundraising plan, and reporting to the board on goals and strategy

• Educating board and staff on development trends, activities, and goals

• Managing periodic interns and volunteers, including setting goals and providing educational feedback
  
  

EXPERIENCE

• Previous work (3 year minimum recommended) in Development for small to midsize (or growing) organizations.

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent professional experience) required; Master’s degree appreciated, but not necessary.

• Knowledgeable about working with communities of color in urban environments.

• Previous work or background in grassroots, community organization, or social work.
  
  

SKILLS

• Strong organizational, time management, and planning skills.

• Experience with a donor database (CRM) and digital record keeping (database and program tracking).

• Proficient in Google Docs and Google Drive.

• Working knowledge of social media and email marketing (we use Mailchimp).

• Demonstrated commitment to community-led, decolonizing practices (be prepared to describe an example).
  
  

CAPABILITIES

• Demonstrated capability to conduct oneself in a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with people and/or with difficult situations.

• Self-initiating, with good judgment, and able to work with minimal supervision.

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

• Ability to work well with a diverse group of staff and volunteers.

• Willingness to adjust hours to accommodate the needs of the job.

• Ability to effectively manage a wide array of tasks, projects, and responsibilities.
  

STATUS & COMPENSATION

This is a full time (40 hours/week) position. The salary is $70,000 reviewed annually, and includes employer-contributed health care. This position has some flexibility for in-person and remote work. Must have some evening and weekend availability. Must be willing to work in the office regularly. Will work with the right candidate for appropriate balance.

TO APPLY

Please apply through the application form below. Applications close October 27. We are posting this position on several job sites, but the only applications we will review are those submitted through our webpage. The form asks for:

• Your resume

• One piece of your own writing, such as a past grant, appeal, or article (redact donor names as needed), with a note on your role in it

• A short response (200-300 words): tell us about a campaign or grant you helped raise money for, your approach, what worked, and what you would do differently
  

Successful applications will connect your personal experience and passion for the work of Tree House Books with a demonstrated track record of success in one or more of the areas above. If you meet most of these qualifications, we encourage you to apply. If you can’t use the online form or need an accommodation at any point in the process, contact me at michael@treehousebooks.org and we will make it work. 

Tree House Books is an equal opportunity employer and values equity, diversity, and inclusion in hiring. We encourage BIPOC, people from historically-underrepresented and oppressed communities, and our North Philadelphia neighborhood, to apply.

Hello!

You would like to apply for the Development Director position at Tree House Books! We are excited to welcome you to the process. We assume you have read the posting and the Job Description, and you found your way here. We appreciate your interest and we want to respect your time - so we are being up front about our process and anticipated timeline. We also want to share what we are looking for, so if that’s not you, you can continue your search elsewhere. We believe in transparency and process - but we acknowledge we don’t always live up to our ideals, so this document was created to be upfront about this process and how we see it playing out. 

To start, I (Michael) will be your host through the process. I am the Co-Executive Director and I have been in leadership at Tree House Books since 2019. I have a Co-Executive Director named Tangie, who has recently joined me in this title. Tree House Books is a community space, a free bookstore, a place of refuge, and a proud member of our Susquehanna Ave neighborhood.

The ideal candidate will be someone who loves to tell stories, and especially use words and images to move people towards deeper relationships with Tree House Books and our community. You are a book-lover and someone who takes seriously the way books can transform lives. You also believe in a strong, powerful North Philly - not at some distant point in the future - but right now. You believe in community and see yourself as part of the movement towards social justice.

Our Timeline (this is important for you to understand as you move through it.)

We will take applications until October 27. We are a small team and I will begin reviewing applications on October 28, so we will not contact anyone before then - if you don’t hear, that’s why! You will get a confirmation within a few minutes of when you apply.

Starting the week of November 2, we will reach out to schedule a phone call. We will only respond to those applications that both fit our criteria and whose writing sample and/or past fundraising experience demonstrates high competency. On the call, we will ask you to talk us through your writing sample, short answers, and your approach, in your own words. Please respond as quickly as you are able to that schedule request. If you have not heard from us by November 15, we have moved forward with other candidates - thank you for your time and interest.

Once we pass that stage, everyone should be qualified to do the job - congrats! At this point, we will bring in the top candidates to ascertain “fit” and make sure you understand what you are getting into! Expect an in-person visit to meet Tangie, our staff, and our participants, followed by a final conversation. We will try to have most of our questions in advance so you can prepare accordingly, but we also want to see you in our space, and interacting with our staff, participants and work.

Our goal is to have the final decision made by mid-December with a start date of Jan 1 (ok, we’re off Jan 1, but that week!) 

If at any point, you need to remove yourself from consideration, just let us know!

AI use - You are welcome to use AI tools in your application. Please tell us where and how you used them (or that you didn’t). On the phone call, we’ll ask you to talk through your writing and your approach in your own words.

Accommodations - If you need any accommodation to apply or to interview, let us know and we will do what we can to make it work.

Please do not send any application or materials to that email without first requesting accommodation. (This is to prevent quality applicants from getting buried in an inbox.)