Development Director

Job Description: Development Director

Reports to: Executive Director & Publisher

Works closely with: Director of Strategic Initiatives and development staff

Supervises: Development Manager, Development Assistant

Mission

Graywolf Press publishes risk-taking, visionary writers who transform culture through literature.

Vision

When writers are free to do their most ambitious work, their books serve as portals to new possibilities and enable deeper understanding between people. Readers are changed by Graywolf’s books, which are fearlessly acquired, attentively edited, and energetically promoted.

Values

Editorial independence, patience, daring, distinctive thought, innovative expression, inquiry, collaboration, and dialogue.

Industry Context

Graywolf is a leading independent not-for-profit literary publisher in an industry dominated by large conglomerates that favor the short-term bottom line over building literary careers. In recent years, Graywolf’s books and authors have won numerous national and international awards—including the Nobel Prize, Booker and International Booker Prizes, National Book Award, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, and Anisfield-Wolf Book Award—as well as receiving countless stellar reviews in major media outlets.

Position Summary

We are reposting the position of Development Director with an important update. In addition to being open to candidates who live in, or are willing to relocate to, the Twin Cities of Minnesota, we are eager to consider candidates based in New York City. Both the Twin Cities and New York are regions of strategic importance to Graywolf Press, with high concentrations of our authors, readers, donors, industry allies, and other key stakeholders. We especially encourage development professionals based in New York who have knowledge of the contemporary literature and the community around it to apply for this position.

The Development Director leads Graywolf Press’s fundraising initiatives and creates and monitors its annual departmental budget. The Development Director will be a frontline solicitor of major gifts, comfortable managing an active portfolio of donors and finding new prospects. The Development Director oversees and is supported by the Development and Events Assistant and a Development Manager (the latter projected to be hired this year). The Executive Director and Publisher and the Director of Strategic Initiatives are active partners in all development work, including board and major donor relationship management. The Development Director is expected to reflect and uphold Graywolf’s core values.

Currently Graywolf raises approximately $1.5M per year, with about $600K sourced from institutional donors and $900K sourced from individuals. Philanthropy accounts for about 31% of our operating budget at this time. A key goal in our strategic plan is to evolve to a model that would increase total contributed revenue to approximately $2.5M per year by 2028. A key charge for the Development Director is to help plan for and realize this essential leap forward in capacity.

The salary range for this position starts at $125,000. Compensation includes paid time off; health and dental insurance, as well as short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance with all employee premiums paid 100 percent by Graywolf; paid parental leave; and a fully subsidized transit pass. Graywolf employees are eligible for retirement benefits after one year of service. Start date for this position is September-October 2024.

Strategy

• Play a key role in creating and implementing Graywolf’s development initiatives and programs in support of the organization’s 2024–2028 strategic plan.
• Assess and strengthen the effectiveness of Graywolf’s fundraising systems and procedures.
• Help ensure that Graywolf has the technological resources, as well as the staffing capacity, to achieve its fundraising goals.

Development

• Design and lead fundraising from individuals, foundations, and corporations, including major-donor drives, sponsorships, planned giving, and the annual fund, taking responsibility for fundraising results.
• With colleagues, develop a pipeline to identify, cultivate, and solicit donors in several key markets (Twin Cities, New York, California, and other regions emerging as important to Graywolf). This includes building new relationships with potential supporters and helping Graywolf enhance relationships with existing donors to stimulate near-and-long-term growth in the annual fund.
• Foster significant growth in Graywolf’s fundraising efforts by creating and managing strategies to elicit potential gifts ranging from $50,000 to $1+million.
• Spearhead the execution of Graywolf’s signature annual galas, partnering when relevant with experts familiar with target cities.
• Lead the development team’s strategy for ongoing local and national small-scale cultivation events, coordinating these efforts across Graywolf as a whole.
• Work with development team to coordinate letter-writing, website, and email campaigns, and other communications with donors.
• Oversee grant writing and reporting and compliance with state and federal grant requirements.
• Communicate Graywolf’s development goals and progress internally to staff and externally to Board, National Council, and other key stakeholders.
• Track contributed income results and other fundraising metrics and maintain development expense budget.
• Ensure that development results are reconciled with organizational budget and accountant’s records, and other related tasks.
• Represent Graywolf in the fields of philanthropy and advocacy.
• Supervise work of Development and Events Assistant, Development Manager, and other departmental roles as needed.
• Act as staff liaison (in partnership with Director of Strategic Initiatives) to the Development committee of the Board to help drive agenda and attend meetings.
• Collaborate with Board Chair, Executive Director & Publisher, and Director of Strategic Initiatives to ensure effective operation of the Graywolf board and its committees as well as the National Council.
• Adapt as needed to the perspectives of stakeholders, intra-organizational dynamics and changes, and external trends in the philanthropic landscape.

Experience, Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

Required

·      At least 5 years of experience working in a development or fundraising capacity for a nonprofit organization, or equivalent experience.

·      Demonstrated success leading a team, working across departments, and achieving significant and consistent major gift results

·      Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

·      Experience leading live events.

·      Strong organizational skills, keen attention to details, the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, and the ability to accomplish tasks with a high degree of autonomy.

·      High level of comfort with Mac OS and Microsoft Office suite and other basic office technology.

·      Previous experience working with contact databases and data entry.

·      Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly with our small staff, board of directors, and as part of a team.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Remain in a stationary position for extended period of time.
• Move about inside office to access files and office equipment.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment.

This position will be based in Minneapolis or New York City. Travel for Graywolf donor events and meetings to cities within the United States is expected several times a year, for two to three nights at a time. The Development Director will work to expand Graywolf’s donor networks on the East Coast, in the Bay Area, and other key regions, resulting in additional opportunities for travel.

To Apply

To apply, please upload the materials requested below via Submittable. Applications will be accepted up to the initial deadline of 11:59 PM PST on Friday, August 16, with further applications possibly accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Any questions about the position can be directed to oneil@graywolfpress.org. No phone calls please. All applicants will be notified via Submittable as soon as the position is filled.

https://graywolfpress.submittable.com/submit/300682/graywolf-press-development-director

Please submit the following application materials via Submittable:

· Cover letter

· Resume

Graywolf Press is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants of all races, ethnicities, gender and sexual identities, and disability statuses. To request an accommodation in the hiring process, please email access@graywolfpress.org.