Senior Director of Development, Grants Strategy & Foundation Investor Relations

Dallas, TX, United States

Job Summary:

The Commit Partnership (“Commit” or the “Partnership”) seeks a passionate, experienced, solutions-based leader who is strongly committed to the Partnership’s mission to increase the regional living wage attainment rate for young adults in Dallas County to 50% by 2040 irrespective of race, to serve as the organization’s Senior Director of Development, Grants Strategy & Foundation Investor Relations. This person will report directly to the Partnership’s Managing Director leading its Philanthropy efforts. The Partnership’s Philanthropic Investments team plays a critical role in ensuring adequate funding resources are available for the organization to execute initiatives and make progress towards our North Star goal.

Since the Partnership's founding in 2011, the Philanthropy team has secured over $200 million represented by a 40/60 split in local versus national funder investments. Efforts made possible by philanthropic investment in Commit have helped yield transformative outcomes, including informing four state legislative sessions across the years 2017-2023 that collectively created over $7.0 billion of new and potential annual funding for a state that educates 10% of the nation’s PK-12 students. The work has also accelerated the adoption of numerous impactful practices enabled by the Partnership’s leading of two statewide learning communities reaching over 48% of Texas students including the formation of the Texas Impact Network (TIN) in partnership with Educate Texas which supports numerous “educational backbone” entities similar to Commit across the state. Best practices implemented have included: full-day PreK; extending the elementary school year to reduce summer learning loss; creating pathways to a B.A. in Early Childhood Education for less than $10,000 in total tuition over four years; and compensating educators higher and sooner in their career based on their classroom effectiveness and where they teach (vs. solely based on their seniority).

To accelerate progress towards our North Star goal, the Partnership recently launched Opportunity 2040, a new, innovative collaboration with the Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL), to significantly improve economic mobility in Dallas County. The full cost of Opportunity 2040 is $13.4 billion of which $347 million is projected to be raised over the next 17 years, from private, philanthropic investments from local, statewide, and national investors. Anchored by an initial $50 million anchor investment from Blue Meridian Partners, a national philanthropic fund, Opportunity 2040 strives to aggregate the first $125 million of flexible philanthropic capital in the first five years, to be deployed against a set of data-backed initiatives focused on living wage attainment and reducing child poverty. This role will have a unique opportunity to work closely with CPAL, Blue Meridian Partners, and a growing pool of investors to build an innovative philanthropic model, leveraging private investments to help access, unlock, and influence significant and sustainable public funds.

While we face complex problems and a stark divide within our region, there exists a tremendous opportunity in Dallas to accelerate substantial change for our students and our region at scale fueled by philanthropic capital.

The Challenges we are working to address: Dallas is the 7 th largest county in the US in number of residents living in poverty

3 out of 4 students in Dallas County qualify for free or reduced lunch

Dallas has the 3 rd highest rate of child poverty in the nation

There is a 20-year difference in life expectancy between Dallas zip codes located 15 miles apart

Dallas recently ranked last, out of 274 US cities, in economic inclusiveness

The Opportunities that exist: Dallas leads the nation in job growth (≈3600k new jobs in past 5 years)

There is over $13.6 Billion of existing annual public funding that can be invested more effectively

Over $1 Billion of available, yet unclaimed public funding is available for community partners and families to access

Tremendous local philanthropic capacity with a strong commitment to solving complex problems

Growing investments from Nation investors who see the opportunity to create change at scale in Dallas

About the Role

We are seeking a driven, self-starter who is undaunted by the challenges our region faces, energized by the opportunities that exist to secure philanthropic capital, works with a sense of urgency for our students and has a mix of executing, influencing, and leadership strengths.

Reporting to the Managing Director of Philanthropic Investments, this role’s primary purpose is to develop and execute a comprehensive, strategic plan to consistently raise, steward, and grow private and corporate foundation investments totaling $35M+ annually. In addition to managing their portfolio of investors, the Senior Director will lead, manage, and provide strategic direction to the grants team to meet individual and collective revenue goals. This role will also be responsible for continuously building stronger relationships with foundation investors engaging them in the work and communicating their impact. As a key lever to meet this goal, the Senior Director will work with team members across Commit to translate the work and impact of Commit into compelling and customized fundraising narratives and secure meaningful investments from local, state, and national investors. Once hired, this role, working closely with the Managing Director, will build out and develop the right-sized team to manage the existing grants portfolio while also growing the team to prospect and secure new investments as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of the role include:

Fundraising and Strategy Leads the execution and annual success of Commit’s collective portfolio of private and corporate grants totaling at least $35M annually

Works with the Partnership’s Managing Director of Philanthropy, Executive Leadership Team, Board, and Development Committee to develop and execute a strategy to build Commit’s pipeline supporting our regional and statewide efforts with new, five-to-seven-figure prospects from outside the organization’s existing donor pool

Pitches and closes new and renewed investment proposals

Draft proposals, concept papers, pitch decks, reports, and other relevant materials to pitch, close, and steward fundraising opportunities

Create strategic, meaningful investor relations plans for all private and corporate foundation investors

Works with the Manager of Investor Engagement and Communication to create relevant collateral, events, and other messaging to steward, engage, and secure investors

Works with the Philanthropy Operations and Finance teams to ensure best practices in record keeping in various systems including OneDrive, Salesforce, and Intacct

External and Internal Relationships and Presence Serves as a leader across the organization by building strong internal relationships, understanding the work of each team and individual, and supporting peers to grow and develop

Serves as a face of Commit in meetings, conferences, and other external convenings with investors

Creates and facilitates investor calls, meetings, events, and experiences with great attention to detail, investor-targeted messaging, and highly professional execution

Works closely with development peers at partner organizations to co-fundraise and steward joint investments

Builds and maintains relationships with investors and other critical stakeholders

Builds and co-facilitates Commit’s Investor Committee with Board members and Champions

Works closely with program staff routinely to acquire knowledge needed to solicit investments and build investor relationships effectively

Team Leadership and Management Oversees a team of at least 3, co-creating goals, coaching, completing annual performance reviews, and professional development to grow team members to continuously improve individual and overall team performance

Serves as a strategic thought partner and leader on the Philanthropic Investments team supporting annual planning, performance management, and development of the full Philanthropy team

Champions the Philanthropy Team Standards and serves as a role model exhibiting standards and coach for all team members to consistently exhibit standards

Uses Commit’s investment and investor data to create annual goals and track progress toward goals

Ensures best-in-class record-keeping via the Salesforce database

Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Skills Required (Minimum): Passionate about improving our public education systems, increasing economic mobility for Dallas and the state of Texas, and holds a deep belief that EVERY student deserves access to high-quality education and the opportunity to succeed

Bachelors degree in business, non-profit management, communications, marketing, or other related field; Masters Degree preferred

At least 5 years experience in leading a development team at a nonprofit with a budget of at least $10M; within an education-focused nonprofit preferred

Demonstrated success in securing $1 million+ gifts

At least 3 years experience managing a team of 3+ people that successfully met annual performance goals

Strong management and leadership skills

Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and accountability and to be a team player.

Ability to develop and follow through on creative and effective solicitation strategies and to motivate and generate enthusiasm for them among team members.

Ability to quickly build and continuously develop trusting relationships with funders and other stakeholders

Ability to create and deliver highly professional, compelling presentations to investors and facilitate investor meetings

Deep understanding of both the Dallas philanthropic landscape as well as National education and economic mobility-focused funders

Deep understanding of grant budget management and ability to build and manage complex grant budgets

Proficient with Microsoft Office and familiar with using donor management software; proficiency with Salesforce preferred

Philanthropy Team Standards - Who you are: Relationships drive your work, and you continuously focus on starting, building, and strengthening relationships both internally with team members and across the organization, and externally with investors and partners.

You are driven by finding ways to sell, communicate, and collaborate with investors and other team members about challenges, solutions, insights, outcomes, and impact on students and systems.

You operate with a customer service mindset to investors and team members.

You are solutions-focused, proactive in addressing challenges, and constantly thinking one step- ahead.

You are constantly learning, sharing, asking questions, and keeping up with your field.

You are meticulous about systems, processes, data, and numbers, and how those pieces connect to a big-picture goal or idea.

You lead with your strengths and skills and see success as a team effort.

Benefits Summary: Hybrid position

Health insurance plans through BCBS (medical), Guardian (dental), and VSP (vision), including FSA and HSA plans.

401k plan (Roth and traditional)

Professional Development stipend

EAP access through BCBS

8 paid holidays, 16 hrs. volunteer hours, 2 hrs. voting leave

Flexible PTO

And more!

Salary Band: $110,000-$126,000

About The Commit Partnership:

Our Mission

We believe that through our actions, Dallas County – which educates 10% of Texas and 1% of the nation– can be an inclusive and prosperous region where economic opportunity is shared equitably. That’s why our true north goal is that by 2040 at least half of all 25-34-year-old residents of Dallas County, irrespective of race, will be provided the opportunity to earn a living wage.

To increase living wage attainment, we must equitably increase educational success aligned with high-demand jobs, maximizing the cumulative impact from early education all the way to college, career, and/or military readiness and accessing and completing a strong postsecondary education. Our staff aligns community stakeholders around this shared future roadmap – analyzing data to lift up strategic initiatives that improve policies, practices, and funding that grow our community’s capacity to serve every student more effectively.

Our Story

Founded in 2012, this partnership is the nation’s largest educational collective impact organization, composed of backbone staff and over 200 partners across Dallas County and the state of Texas working collaboratively to solve systemic education challenges. Our staff aligns community stakeholders around a shared future roadmap – analyzing data to lift up strategic initiatives that improve policies, practices, and funding that grow our community’s capacity to serve every student more effectively.

Together, we work to advocate for excellent and equitable public education that ensures all students – regardless of race, place, or socio-economic status – have the power to determine their future and earn a living wage. We do this work through several ventures including Early Matters Dallas, North Texas Tutoring Corps, Dallas County Promise, Texas College Bridge, Dallas Thrives, Commit’s Policy Team, the Texas Impact Network, and several coalitions.

True North Traits

Our True North Traits creates a mission-driven environment and champions us to do our best work each day.

Systemic Impact : You understand the barriers and lived experiences that our students face and are skilled at delivering systemic solutions at scale that address these needs. You achieve significant, sustainable results that increase equitable outcomes through your work (including the reallocation or improvement in public funding), and you recognize the difference between activity and impact.

Judgment: You exhibit a relentless “students first” focus by thinking strategically about what data must be collected, analyzed, visualized, and activated (and what steps must be taken, in what order) to cause resources to be reallocated and actions to be taken to systemically overcome the root causes hindering achievement of the Partnership's mission.

Communication: By listening to understand before seeking to be understood, you’re able to build trust and facilitate collaboration across lines of difference, recognizing that both are essential to our success. You are also able to find common ground with diverse stakeholders and can tailor the organization's message to different audiences as needed to influence meaningful change.

Innovation: You can create or meaningfully contribute to the design and execution of a systemic and transformational strategic plan to solve complex problems, often at scale, that improves organizational effectiveness and/or closes equity gaps for our students and families.

Equity and Inclusion: You intentionally create spaces where relevant stakeholders have a seat or voice at the table, ensuring that each person at the table's thoughts and perspectives are shared, valued by all others at the table, and reflected in our work. You're excited to help build and/or contribute to teams where everyone feels welcomed, respected, valued, and highly supported.

Joy: You recognize that people are central to our work, striking a balance between people and process, and you inspire others with your optimism and thirst for substantive change in service to the mission.

Integrity: You admit mistakes openly, share learnings widely, and elevate bad news quickly, also capable of making difficult decisions in all situations to ensure the success of the organization.

The Commit Partnership is an Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to hire individuals with backgrounds similar to that of the stakeholders they serve. As an organization that embraces equity and inclusion, all employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Commit does not sponsor visas of any kind.

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