SUBMIT to Hugo House is Hiring: Director of Development (Part-Time)

Position: Director of Development

Reports to: Executive Director 

Compensation: $75,000, exempt, nonunion.

Location: In person at the Hugo House facility in Capitol Hill 

Schedule & Hours: Part-time. Approx. 21 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Must be available to work on-site during certain afternoons, evenings, and weekends, if needed.

Start Date: As soon as possible

 

Position Overview

The Part-Time Director of Development leads and executes the development efforts for Hugo House. They are responsible for building and implementing Hugo House’s development strategy. 

This individual will serve as the lead relationship manager to a portfolio of donors, developing and implementing strategies to move these prospects towards established goals, working with the Executive Director and the board to engage with certain donors as appropriate, and ensuring timely follow-through.

The Director will provide strategic vision and leadership to shape the long-term strategy for fundraising, aligning with organizational priorities and growth objectives.

This individual will be based in the Seattle area, with the ability to work from home, and must be able and willing to have in-person donor meetings and organize and attend development events.


 

Job Duties Include

Individual Giving and Major Gifts Strategy (65%)

  • Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive, multi-year strategy for individual giving, including major gifts and planned gifts in alignment with organizational priorities.
  • Develop and oversee comprehensive plans for individual donors at all levels, including major events and campaigns throughout the year.
  • Work closely with the Executive Director and Board Members, providing them with fundraising support and coaching for the identification, cultivation and solicitation of major gifts. 
  • Ensure all major donors receive appropriate, consistent engagement/acknowledgement and updates on the impact that their gifts have on community needs.

Donor Stewardship and Communications (20%)

  • Stay informed about programmatic activities, maintaining the capacity to converse with donors regarding our work as well as develop written cultivation and stewardship materials that relay the work and impact effectively, including the organization’s Annual Report.
  • Play a key role in shaping organizational messaging and external communications strategies to elevate the visibility of fundraising initiatives and their impact.
  • Ensure timely and appropriate acknowledgment of all gifts in alignment with donor stewardship best practices.

Development Committee Engagement (10%)

  • Provide staff support for the board development committee related to fundraising activities, as assigned.
  • Support Executive Director and board members in their fundraising role through coaching and resource development

Other (5%)

  • Participate in staff meetings, retreats, and other organizational activities, as needed.
  • Other duties, as assigned.

 

Ideal Candidate

The employee in this position:

  • Strives to be flexible and adapts to change.
  • Responds resourcefully to new demands and challenges.
  • Works effectively on their own, with and without distraction.
  • Brings meticulous attention to detail and leverages data to inform fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, and impact reporting.
  • Is highly detail-oriented, with a proven ability to analyze data and translate insights into actionable strategies.
  • Maintains a constructive and positive outlook with a focus on solutions.
  • Leads collaboratively with others throughout the organization.
  • Experienced in developing staff and board members with a coaching approach and mentality.

 

Physical Activity

In the course of performing this work, the employee in this position:

  • Will spend time sitting, standing, walking, reaching, speaking, and listening. 
  • Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
  • Is expected to travel via personal vehicle or public transportation to attend off site meetings.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

 

Equipment Operation

The employee in this position may operate any/all of the following equipment:

  • Telephone
  • Computer, printer, and related equipment/software
  • Copy machine and scanner
  • Personal automobile

Computer software may include any or all of the following:

  • Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Zoom
  • Salesforce
  • Donor management software
  • Knowledge of a publishing software, preferably Canva or Affinity Publisher

 

Position Requirements

These specifications are general guidelines based upon the minimum, ordinarily considered essential, to satisfactory performance in this position. Individual skills and abilities may result in some deviation from these guidelines. 

To perform effectively in this position, the employee in this position is required to have:

  • Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience years of progressive responsibility and fundraising experience with individual and major gifts. 
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Salesforce, used to maintain and track all donor and development data.
  • Working knowledge of and experience with the principles and practices of fundraising within a multi-faceted and multi-program organization.
  • Proven skills in developing sophisticated strategies in planning, implementing and administering major gift solicitations or other solicitations of a similar nature, level and complexity.
  • Strong documented record of gifts solicited and closed ranging from campaigns, annual appeals, and events to more complex solicitations.
  • A working knowledge of communications, events, and development practices in a nonprofit environment, preferably including experience in an organization providing arts education and events.
  • Compelling and inspirational communicator with outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to communicate persuasively about Hugo House’s fundraising goals and priorities with the equal ability to listen perceptively and convey sensitivity and awareness.
  • Adeptness at establishing priorities, manage multiple tasks and multi-phase projects simultaneously from inception to completion and complete work within deadlines with minimum supervision.
  • Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to work harmoniously with organizational leadership, program teams, and other      development staff toward the accomplishment of fundraising goals.
  • Values-driven individual with track record of achievement and proven ability to innovate and manage towards ambitious goals.
  • Exceptional organizational skills.
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team effort.
  • Ability to imagine, research, develop and coherently propose new ways to engage prospective and current major donors.
  • Adhere to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethical Principals and Standards.
  • A commitment to team objectives and Hugo House philosophies.
  • Ability to adapt to changing needs by acquiring new skills and knowledge

These requirements are typically met by a combination of education and experience that includes an undergraduate degree or related discipline or equivalent work experience and 3-5 years of development and supervisory experience.

The employee in this position must be able to perform this job safely, without endangering the health or safety of him/herself or others. 

 

Limitations and Disclaimer The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work performed; it is not intended as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State laws. Requirements are representative of the minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities necessary to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.

We especially encourage applicants from backgrounds that are not specifically arts-focused but who are eager to participate in and support our diverse community of writers. If you think you would be a good fit for the role, even if you don’t meet all the qualifications, we encourage you to apply!

Men typically apply to jobs if they meet about 60% of the criteria, whereas women and other marginalized individuals often only apply if they meet all the requirements. Traditional practices within the arts industry impose additional discriminatory barriers on people with marginalized identities. 

We encourage applications from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and other people underrepresented in literary arts administration. Hugo House is committed to becoming an antiracist organization and strives to remove barriers that might discourage any person from working here. It is Hugo House’s intent to maintain a diverse work force that represents our community. Our approach to diversity is intended to provide not only equal employment opportunities to minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, but also to recognize and value people with ethnic, cultural, and other differences, such as religion, ancestry, language, national origin, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, and marital status.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.

This position will be open until filled.

Hugo House