Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is dedicated to partnering with our community to enhance people’s lives by making our public parks, trails and green spaces better through volunteerism, innovative programming, advocacy and financial support. A non-profit established in 1992, APF fills the city’s funding and resource gap needed to develop, maintain and enhance the area’s 300+ parks, trails and green spaces.

We value collaboration, innovation, dependability and inclusiveness. We embrace diversity and equal opportunity and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. Come join us!

Chief Development Officer

Reports to: CEO
Start date: 02/04/2019
Status: Full-time, Exempt

APF seeks a dynamic Chief Development Officer (CDO) who will serve as a senior leader for the organization and who is passionately committed to raising significant funds for APF’s mission and programmatic work. Diversification of revenue is a key aspect of APF’s strategic plan and the CDO will provide critical leadership, planning, management and execution for all aspects of the organization's development efforts in order to increase APF’s revenue from various sources.

KEY ROLES

The CDO is responsible for shaping the organization’s development strategy, planning and overseeing annual and long-range fundraising, special events, donor engagement, grants and donations (including major gifts) in support of the mission and highest priorities of APF.

The CDO is responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individuals, corporations and foundations and will oversee a variety of fundraising initiatives including major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations, as well as special events.

The CDO reports to the CEO. The CDO will direct all day-to-day operations and activities for APF’s Development Department while ensuring annual revenue targets ($7MM for 2019) are met or exceeded. Additionally, the CDO leads a team-oriented, outcomes-driven Development Department and oversees a team of three. The CDO must be able to balance supervising and coaching direct reports, managing a portfolio of donors, and also working collaboratively with the CEO and Board of Directors to lead all major gift efforts for individuals, foundations and corporations.

Our ideal candidate will have expertise in building and sustaining relationships and major gift fundraising. This person is responsible for leading the philanthropic efforts of APF and works closely with the CEO and other senior leaders to advance the organization’s transformation through strategic support of culture, infrastructure and engagement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the Development team that includes donor relations, grants administration, business development and events.
• Identify and implement new revenue streams, with a focus on sustainable, unrestricted gifts.
• Support and partner with the CEO, Board of Directors and Board Development Committee to formulate and implement comprehensive fundraising objectives and strategies.
• Evaluate existing fund development strategies and programs to optimize efforts across the entire organization in individual, corporate and foundation funding.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key corporate and individual donors to cultivate, secure and elevate support.
• Spend significant time in direct donor contact or strategic written communication that results in increased and retained gifts.
• Execute, manage and lead with Development Team a multi-year, comprehensive effort to grow contributed revenue.
• Work with Development Team to build a robust and sustainable major gifts program.
• Work in coordination and collaboration with team members to prioritize prospects and coordinate discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Design, implement and evaluate comprehensive development strategies and programs that support the overall goals and priorities of APF.
• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program.
• Provide direction, support and affirmation to the department staff.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, or related field. Master’s degree in Finance, Business or Nonprofit Management preferred.
• Ten years professional experience in nonprofit organizations including demonstrated success in capital campaign management, annual campaign management, corporate sponsorship, relational philanthropy and donor development.
• Proven success in the field of major gift solicitation and secondarily in corporate & business development.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute major gift activities including the ability to ask for and close gifts of $50,000 and above.
• Demonstrated knowledge of accounting and reporting related to campaigns and philanthropy.
• Strong motivational and coaching skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective teams who successfully work in high-growth environments.
• Excellent management skills with ability to manage multiple team members and projects.
• A professional and resourceful style; the ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative, and to manage multiple tasks and projects at one time.

BENEFITS

APF offers a robust and competitive benefits package that includes health insurance, an IRA with company match, generous time off and much more!

We value collaboration, innovation, dependability and inclusiveness. We embrace diversity and equal opportunity and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspective and skills. Come join us!

APPLY

Please use the application linked below to submit your resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please.

Internships

Please read through job descriptions and the About Our Intern Program section carefully before applying. No phone calls please.

About Our Intern Program

APF hires interns in various departments each semester. If you are interested in joining our team, see below for more details!

What kinds of internships does APF offer?
Our goal is to provide a fun and educational work environment while giving real world work experience. In the past we have offered internships in Programs/Community Outreach, Marketing, Development, Events and Operations.  Every semester our needs are different so the internships we offer are different.

How much do Spring 2019 Internships pay?  
Spring 2019 interns will be compensated at $10.00/hr. (paid bi-weekly) for a total of 10-15 hours per week for ~13 weeks (February through May). College credit is highly encouraged and available upon school approval.

What is the Spring 2019 Internship Timeline? 

• November 15 - Student application deadline
• December 15 - Selection deadline
• February 4 ‐ Internship commences
• May 1 - Internship Ends

When does APF post internships and how long do they last?

• Spring - around October 15th
• Summer - around February 15th
• Fall - around July 15th

We offer paid semester-long internships in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Internships  typically start a week after classes start and end the week before finals.

Can this count for school credit?
Yes! Contact your school directly to find out how to have your internship count towards school credit.