Job Description

Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). 

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) seeks a highly motivated and experienced sales or development professional to join our team. This individual will be crucial in advancing TMCF’s mission of supporting historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly black institutions (PBIs) through strategic growth and fundraising initiatives and building transformative relationships with major donors.

 Reporting to:

Vice President of Development

 Responsibilities

The Director, Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for the following programmatic and operational functions:

• Traditional Selling/Fundraising: The Director will be responsible for prospect identification and movement through the sales cycle through contracting and launch.  This may include cold-calling, decision-maker identification, presentation creation and delivery, and asking for the business. 
• Storytelling and Advocacy: As the Director of Strategic Partnerships, your primary role will be to understand, advocate, and communicate TMCF’s mission and fundraising needs. You must be able to narrate compelling stories that not only captivate donors’ imaginations but also demonstrate the impact of their contributions, fostering ongoing generosity.
• Effective Communication: This person should excel in communicating across various online, in-person, and in-writing platforms. Building and nurturing relationships with donors by consistent yet non-intrusive communication is essential. This role demands an intuitive understanding of donor motivations and the ability to engage with them effectively, ensuring emotional connections and conveying pertinent information.
• Team Collaboration and Leadership: The Director, Strategic Partnerships must be a team-oriented leader, capable of working collaboratively with other departments.Sharing the spotlight and motivating team members is crucial for the role, as is the ability to remain receptive to new ideas and strategies in fundraising.

• Performance Planning and Prospect Management: The Director, Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for meeting TMCF’s fiscal-year fundraising and engagement goals. This includes managing a portfolio of prospects, with written strategies for top-tier prospects, detailing specific initiatives, involved parties, and target dates for each action. Active prospect management is a critical aspect of the role, requiring continuous focus and the ability to make timely adjustments to strategies.
• Donor-focused engagement: this person must exhibit exceptional listening skills to grasp donors’ interests and motivations accurately. This understanding enables the identification and presentation of giving opportunities that are in harmony with the donors’ objectives. Additionally, it is crucial to effectively demonstrate the impact of donations, which is vital in encouraging and sustaining ongoing donor support. This approach ensures that donor interactions are meaningful and aligned with TMCF’s philanthropic goals, fostering a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship.

Special Demands

• Travel required: 25%

 Required Competencies and Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Preferred
• A minimum of five years of development or related experience is required
• 1-3 years of supervisory experience preferred
• Proven experience in sales or major gift fundraising
• relationship-building skills with a track record of establishing and maintaining meaningful connections with donors.
• Comfortable cold-calling and asking for business.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic and diverse environment.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Familiarity with customer relationship management systems (CRMs) and proficiency in prospect research tools.

Additional Information:

• Employee Type:                    Full Time, Exempt
• Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(B),
• Salary $ 75,000- $90,000
• Manages Others:         No
• Location:                     Remote