Development & Communications Manager (FA)

Development & Communications Manager (FA)

Posted on February 24, 2019

Foster America: Who We Are

Foster America is a nonprofit startup that aims to improve the lives of our nation's most vulnerable children: those in foster care or at risk of abuse or neglect, who are served by the child welfare system. We recruit talented professionals who have skills and expertise in the areas that child welfare agencies are expressing active needs to innovate: data and technology, design and marketing, and strategy and operations. We give them the training and tools they need to succeed as 18-month, full time fellows in child welfare agencies across the country. In the short term, fellows lead local reform projects that require their specialized skills to make a measurable impact. In the longer term, we will help to scale what works and build a movement of fellowship alumni who will help transform the child welfare system. Within five years, we will recruit at least 100 new leaders to the field. To date, Foster America has launched three cohorts of fellows, presently serving in 20 different agencies across the nation.

Role Overview: Who You Are

You are a self-starter, a talented nonprofit fundraising professional, an exceptional storyteller, and a great writer who believes in the power and possibility of government innovation. Reporting to our Founder and Executive Director, Sherry Lachman, you will balance an organized, meticulous approach to planning and managing systems with a passion for crafting narratives that appeal to foundations, donors, and the public. You will bring a creative approach to identifying and pursuing new opportunities to create better and more equitable outcomes for our nation's most vulnerable children and families. The Development and Communications Manager will be an integral part of building our organizational brand, increasing the visibility of our work, and helping expand our set of partners and funders. As a core addition to our fast-paced startup team, the Development and Communications Manager will be responsible for working across the Foster America team to resource the people and systems needed to scale to meet our goal of cultivating 100 new child welfare leaders in five years.

What You'll Do

• Inspire funders with a shared vision of how the right combination of talent, leadership, and opportunity can drive meaningful change in the child welfare sector.
• In partnership with the Executive Director, develop and implement an annual and 3-year development plan with diverse strategies and ambitious but realistic goals.
• Lead research and prospecting to identify and develop new institutional and individual funding sources.
• In partnership with program staff, draft and coordinate content for all grants, grant reporting, and foundation relationship management.
• Organize fundraising events as needed, including receptions, dinners, and virtual events.
• Generate compelling development-related copy, including grants, reports, appeals, speeches, and other materials.
• Using Salesforce, manage effective systems for tracking donors, prospects, and other organizational contacts and ensure timely processing, recording, and acknowledgment of grants and gifts.
• Collaborate closely with the Executive Director and program staff on external messaging, materials, and events.
• Support efforts to build Foster America's brand and increase visibility by designing and editing digital communications, including e-blasts, press releases, infographics, and event invitations.
• Maintain our website, including basic technical updates and drafting and coordinating regular content updates.

How Others Might Describe You

• Great storyteller who connects the Why to the How in powerful ways.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Highly organized and methodical in tracking projects from start to finish.
• Able to navigate the varied fundraising approaches required for foundations and individual donors.
• Proactive in seeking opportunities to contribute.
• Persistent problem-solver who finds alternate ways to reach goals.
• Critical and creative thinking.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Humble, receptive to feedback, and an eager learner.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, virtual work environment.
• Passionate about social change, racial justice, and improving outcomes for vulnerable families.

Education/Experience

• 3+ years of work experience.
• Associates or Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent sector or lived experience.
• This is a full-time position based in San Francisco, CA or potentially Boston, MA with a projected start date of March 15, 2019 or as soon as possible.
• The projected salary range for this position is $60,000-$70,000. This position will require 15-25% domestic travel.
• As a geographically dispersed team, our work is frequently conducted by phone, video, and email.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter and resume with your full name and "Development and Communications Manager" in the subject line to

Foster America, a project of Tides Center, is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer. Foster America does not discriminate and takes measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicants on the bases of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.