Grist — A Beacon in the Smog

Ceres is a national coalition of investors, public pension trustees, foundations, labor unions, and environmental, religious and public interest groups, dedicated to advancing more sustainable business practices and corporate accountability. Ceres' mission is to move businesses, capital, and markets to advance lasting prosperity by valuing the health of the planet and its people.

Ceres plays a unique role in the national environmental and sustainability movement by bringing the perspective and power of investors to environmental and sustainability issues and specifically to the performance, practices and policies of corporations. Today Ceres is a growing organization with expanding influence in the investment, environmental, and corporate arenas. Our program activities seek to foster greater public disclosure of environmental and social impacts by corporations, encourage engagement between companies and their stakeholders, and create opportunities for collaborative dialogue leading to positive change on key sustainability issues. For more information about Ceres, please visit our web site (www.ceres.org).

Description and Responsibilities
Ceres is seeking a Director of Development to lead the fundraising efforts of a fast-paced, not-for-profit, organization with a $5+ million budget, approximately $3 million of which comes from philanthropic sources. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced fundraising professional to build on Ceres’ solid achievements in foundation giving, as well as to dramatically expand the individual giving program, government, and corporate programs.
The Director of Development will report to, and work closely with, Ceres’ president. S/he will lead and supervise the efforts of a six-person team of varied experience including three foundation staff, two individual giving staff, and one cross-team, communications staffer. The Director will also work closely with program staff to develop programs that advance Ceres’ mission.
Specifically, the Director of Development will:
• Lead the efforts to strengthen all aspects of a diversified philanthropic program, including overseeing the planning and management of growing revenue from individual, corporate, government and foundation sources.
• Strengthen the Major Gifts activities of the organization, including formalizing annual plan, providing guidance to staff, traveling to meet with donors, supporting stewardship efforts, and partnering with President on solicitation process
• Guide the individual giving staff in their partnership efforts with program staff to indentify programs area of potential interest or specific need to current or prospective individual donors
• Oversee the development and leadership of efforts to establish a government program and a corporate giving program, including drafting the plan, and managing the process of identifying potential contacts and donor and following up on these leads
• Direct the planning and management of special events for cultivation of current and prospective donors
• Oversee the current efforts to strengthen the foundation and individual giving program, including overseeing the planning and management of growing each of these bases to identify and cultivate new donors
• Guide the foundation staff in partnership efforts with program staff to identify and strengthen ties to foundation prospects, and to develop and write proposals
• Serve as liaison to the Ceres board fundraising committee
• Serve as member of internal senior management team to direct overall work of Ceres, including attending weekly meeting
• Supervise Development staff, including conducting annual performance assessments, leading annual team and individual goals process, conducting quarterly check-in meetings and more frequent team management meetings as necessary
• Work closely with the President and CFO to integrate fundraising and financial management efforts for optimum management of organizational resources

Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree, required. Advance degree, preferred.
• At minimum, 10 years experience in the development field, necessary.
• Demonstrated track record in identifying, cultivating, and securing gifts from major gift prospects
• Experience and/or knowledge of environmental/ sustainability issues preferred
• Solid understanding of foundation relations and grant writing required
• Experience with growing and diversifying a Development/Fundraising program
• Strong management experience required, with the ability and interest to work closely with staff members to achieve individual and team goals. Strength demonstrated in setting clear and measurable goals and empowering staff to meet those.
• Broad understanding of supporting development services: prospect research and tracking, gift processing, and stewardship
• Superior communication skills, both oral and written; ability to work effectively with people at all levels of the organization, and with external constituents
• Strong initiative and motivation, with the ability to excel in a demanding fast-paced environment
• Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet, database, email, Internet and presentation software applications, a plus.



How to Apply

We encourage all applicants to review our website to familiarize themselves with Ceres before applying http://www.ceres.org .
In addition to a resume and references, interested applicants should mail a letter to the search committee describing their qualifications, interests, and potential contribution.
Address all correspondence to:
Careers at Ceres
99 Chauncy Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Fax: 617-267-5400 Email: careers@ceres.org

Ceres is an equal opportunity employer and seeks qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.