Excelencia in Education is leading a national movement to transform higher education to more intentionally serve Latino, and all, students by promoting student achievement, informing educational policies with a Latino lens, and advancing evidence-based practices. As Director of Development, you will lead efforts to expand and diversify Excelencia’s fundraising approach, enhancing a well-established portfolio of foundation and corporate partnerships. Building on the success of our CEO and President, who have secured support from notable funders such as Mackenzie Scott, the Gates Foundation, and the Lumina Foundation, you will play a key role in ensuring a sustainable funding pipeline to advance our mission.
Supervising two direct reports with the potential to grow the team, you will oversee all aspects of development, from acquisition to stewardship. Excelencia currently partners with 15 funders on grants ranging from 6-7 figures that support our nationally recognized programs, including the Seal of Excelencia, the Growing What Works Database, and research and policy initiatives. Working closely with the CEO and President and leveraging their established relationships and leadership presence, you will strengthen donor relationships, cultivate new funding opportunities, and ensure fundraising systems can support organizational growth. While providing leadership to your team, you will also take a hands-on approach, developing mission-aligned grant proposals, letters of intent, and cases for support, managing funder reporting, and implementing scalable processes that enhance donor engagement and retention.
As an essential part of our team, you’ll bring a reflective and strategic mindset to the role, learning from Excelencia’s two decades of impact before building on those foundations to further our strategic goals.
How You’ll Make an Impact
Your leadership will directly support Excelencia’s growth and impact, creating meaningful change for Latino students and the institutions that serve them nationwide. Success in the first 1-2 years will be demonstrated by:
- Expansion and Diversification of Funding Sources. Expand funding revenue from $2M to $3M over a 24-month cycle by securing 1-3 new foundation and/or corporate partnerships. You’ll start with smaller funding commitments in the first year while building the knowledge, systems, and relationships needed to pursue larger, multi-year commitments over time.
- Fundraising Systems and Processes. Develop and implement the systems and processes needed to support long-term development goals and organizational expansion with executive and program leadership.
- Team Leadership and Collaboration. Build and manage a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability while supporting individual growth. Strengthen partnerships with Vice Presidents and other organizational leaders to align fundraising strategies with programmatic goals.
Work Environment, Salary, and Benefits
- Employees must live in MD, VA, TX, AZ, CA, IN, NM, FL, or DC. Team members near Washington, DC, enjoy a hybrid schedule, working in the office two days per week. Remote employees work from home and occasionally travel to DC for collaboration.
- The budgeted salary range for this role is $100,000-$115,000 annually for DC-based candidates, with adjustments for other regions. Excelencia in Education offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, and dental insurance; paid annual leave, sick leave, and federal holidays; time off between Christmas and New Year’s; a retirement plan with employer contribution; and support for professional development.
- You will join a high-performing, collaborative team dedicated to accelerating Latino student success by supporting institutions to SERVE (not just enroll) Latino students. You’ll work closely with visionary founders and a mission-driven team that values resourcefulness, teamwork, and celebrating successes. The team fosters a supportive environment where colleagues help one another, reflect on processes, and work together to achieve transformational change.
Responsibilities
- Manage and support the implementation of a comprehensive fundraising strategy.
- Partner with the executive team to propose and align fund development and business development strategies, as well as to strengthen donor acquisition and retention.
- Lead and establish goals for event sponsorship income, individual giving, corporate contributions, Board giving and board-related giving, foundation, and in-kind support.
- Lead grant applications and coordinate sourcing and responding to RFPs (requests for proposals) for grants and contracts, working closely with the executive team.
- Coordinate the progress of grant-funded projects, along with the coordination and submission of mid-year and final reports.
- Generate project reports for senior organizational leadership and funders.
- Facilitate and host fundraising meetings for Excelencia’s leadership and board members to engage new donors and retain existing donors.
- Introduce and generate enthusiasm for new, actionable donor insights, including analysis of donor segments, key messages, and calls to action.
- Ensure that all donors receive proper recognition and acknowledgment, including coordination with programmatic and communications staff to align supporting advocacy and promotional efforts.
- Report on fundraising and strategic partnerships to the executive team and justify program changes or proposals.
Qualifications
- Proven success in nonprofit development, with 5+ years of experience securing 6-7 figure gifts from corporate, foundation, and individual donors. Prior experience in or with higher education is preferred.
- Exceptional writing and communication skills, with a proven ability to craft persuasive grant proposals, letters of intent, and compelling cases for support. Experienced in developing materials that highlight measurable outcomes, such as impact reports and donor-focused content, to inspire and sustain funding.
- Demonstrated ability to secure and manage grants, with a strong track record of building and maintaining partnerships with foundations and other organizations.
- Effective leadership and organizational skills, with experience managing small teams, streamlining workflows, and implementing action plans to achieve fundraising and development goals.
About Excelencia
Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia in Education leads a national network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to tap the talents of the Latino community and address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. With this network, Excelencia accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, informing educational policies with a Latino lens, and advancing evidence-based practices. For more information, visit: EdExcelencia .orgEdExcelencia .org
Staffing Advisors is committed to reducing bias in every aspect of the hiring process. We have long recommended a competency-driven approach to hiring. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.
