Development Director: First Tee Greater Philadelphia

First Tee Greater Philadelphia is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people in Philadelphia by creating affordable and accessible golf facilities primarily to serve those who have not previously had exposure to the game and its positive values. First Tee Greater Philadelphia enables kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with life skills curriculum, First Tee Greater Philadelphia creates learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids carry to everything they do.

First Tee Greater Philadelphia is one Chapter of a national/international non-profit youth initiative called The First Tee. The First Tee was created in 1997 by the PGA Tour Foundation to provide young people of all ethnic and economic backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. By engaging young people in a combination of life skills, leadership and golf activities, they also are exposed to positive traits that will help them achieve success in life. The First Tee Life Skills & Golf Experience is the unique component that sets The First Tee apart from many other successful junior golf programs.

With an annual budget of approximately $1,025,000, First Tee Greater Philadelphia raises nearly $2,000,000 in revenue through individual contributions, philanthropic grants, corporate support, events, and program fees. All First Tee students participate in classes, receive equipment, and get access to two golf courses owned by the organization at no cost.

Development Director Position Overview

The Development Director is responsible for increasing and diversifying all of First Tee Greater Philadelphia’s revenue streams, which allow us to achieve our mission and maximize our community impact. In collaboration with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, the Development Director is responsible for creating and implementing fundraising plans and strategies, managing the development budget, and cultivating a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization. The Development Director reports directly to the Executive Director.

Key responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Developing and executing an annual fundraising plan with the goal of raising at least $3,000,000 annually by cultivating individual and major donors, writing and managing foundation grants, securing corporate sponsorships, coordinating fundraising events and campaigns, and developing a robust digital giving platform.
• Engaging and creating stronger ties with donors through timely acknowledgments and continual communications to increase donor retention and cultivate higher levels of giving (including planned giving).
• Conducting wealth and philanthropy screening to identify potential donors.
• Overseeing the organization’s development budget and ensuring that development-related expenses are cost-effective.
• Managing the organization’s Blackbaud eTapestry non-profit cloud fundraising and donor database.
• In partnership with other staff and vendors, develop all digital and print fundraising collateral and content marketing materials, including optimization of the organization’s website and SEO.
• Continually generating innovative ideas to increase revenue and donor loyalty (e.g., giving circles, virtual and hybrid events, crowdsourcing).
• Forging relationships with youth development agencies.
• Recruiting, training, and supporting the Board and volunteers in fundraising.
• Recommending ways to build the organization’s development staffing capacity over time, and, with Executive Director approval, recruit, hire, and onboard new development staff.

Development Director Candidate Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and at least five (5) years of experience in non-profit.
• Experience in grant writing and management, major gift solicitation and stewardship, membership campaigns and appeals, corporate outreach and giving, fundraising events, and planned giving.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication and organizational skills.
• Strong time and fiscal management abilities.
• Proficiency with CRM, fundraising, and donor database software (preferably Blackbaud).
• Proficiency with electronic mail, word processing, spreadsheet, and slide presentation software.
• Proficiency with the use of social media and content marketing.
• Knowledge and expertise in emerging development trends, including but not limited to digital fundraising and engaging racially and culturally diverse populations.
• Light physical demands (i.e., spending hours listening and talking; working on the computer and phone; driving to appointments and events; lifting light pieces of equipment and materials; and occasionally working long days, nights, or weekends).
• Reliable transportation for travel to meetings and events throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.
• Passion for the organization’s mission.

Salary, Benefits, and Terms

• The Development Director is a full-time, permanent, salaried position (40 hours per week).
• The Development Director works in a hybrid environment that includes the organization’s office at 800 Walnut Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19128 with flexibility to work remotely/virtually. The Development Director frequently attends events and meetings with donors and funders throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.
• Annual compensation ranges from $90,000 – $125,000 commensurate with experience.
• Merit bonuses and compensation increases may be awarded after each annual performance review by the Executive Director.
• First Tee Greater Philadelphia offers a competitive and comprehensive set of benefits including medical and dental insurance, as well as paid holidays, paid time off, and a retirement plan with company match.
• The successful candidate either lives in the Greater Philadelphia region or is willing to relocate within twelve (12) months of their start date.

To Apply

First Tee Greater Philadelphia has retained Capacity for Change, LLC to facilitate the search. Please submit your application online via this link: https://ideali.st/Fk4KUv.

First Tee Greater Philadelphia is committed to diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. We maintain a policy of non-discrimination with regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and any other class protected by applicable state or federal law. This position is not open to any third-party recruiters, consultants, and/or staffing vendors.