Development & Communications Director

Cal-Wood History and Mission: Cal-Wood has provided residential environmental and outdoor education programs to hundreds of thousands of Coloradans since 1982 at our 1,200-acre classroom located west of Boulder, Colorado.  Cal-Wood's mission is to offer unique outdoor educational experiences to all ages, including those who would not otherwise experience nature, through our Residential Science School Program, Summer Camps, Latino Family Camps, and High School Students Research Programs. Cal-Wood has received several national and local awards because of our quality programs and our service to linguistically diverse audiences. 

Position Overview: The Director of Development and Communications will be responsible for diversifying Cal-Wood’s revenue stream, strengthening our relationships with prospective supporters, and implementing our development plan. This includes major donor fundraising, corporate sponsorships, in-kind donations, foundation and government grants, long term capital fundraising, special events, and increasing our endowment. The position will also be responsible for developing a communications plan so Cal-Wood is perceived by all our stakeholders as being fully engaged and active in the communities we serve.

This is a leadership position that will assist the Executive Director and Board of Directors in developing fundraising and communication goals and strategies as well as helping with the direction of the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Improve and implement our comprehensive fundraising and communications plans to meet the organization’s annual revenue goals.
• Identify and cultivate major gift prospects, as well as corporate and foundation donors.
• Plan and execute special events that engage donors and raise funds for the organization.
• Manage and lead a team of fundraising and communication professionals, providing guidance, training, and support as needed.
• Develop and execute effective donor communications and marketing materials.
• Monitor and analyze fundraising data to evaluate performance and adjust strategies as needed.

Qualifications:

• Experience within a service-based nonprofit organization, demonstrating the ability to think strategically, execute established plans, effectively manage staff, leverage financial resources, and achieve exceptional results in alignment with the organization’s mission.
• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising/communication, with a proven track record of success in major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, and special events.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write compelling donor communications and marketing materials.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with experience managing a team of fundraising professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, Board members, and partner organizations.
• Demonstrate ability to interact effectively with key stakeholders, constituents, government agencies, partners, and team members.
• Experience with fundraising software and donor databases.
• We are looking to hire someone who is culturally diverse and being bilingual is a plus (Spanish).
• A deep commitment to the mission and values of our organization.
• Experience with branding, messaging, public speaking, networking, digital marketing, social media engagement, public relations, and event management.

Desired Outcomes:

• Fulfill our strategic plan goals for the next three years, specifically in the development and communications section.
• Increase our fundraising from $400K to $1.5 million per year by 2026.
• Develop and implement a communications plan.
• Develop a strong relationship with the Board to help them with fundraising.

Staff Supervision: This position will hire, supervise, and evaluate a part-time grant writer, a part-time development administrator, and a part-time communications coordinator.

Working Schedule: Four days per week working from home and one day from Cal-Wood from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. This schedule has flexibility and it might change week by week. 

Special Requirements: Some weekend and evening hours are required. Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check.