Director of Philanthropy & Communications
5 days ago
Mount Pleasant
Position Summary: The Director of Philanthropy and Communications at the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center is a development professional and a key member of the senior leadership team who embodies a passion for our mission. The Director of Philanthropy and Communications is responsible for developing and executing Dee Norton’s fundraising, donor engagement, brand awareness, and strategic communications efforts. This position drives philanthropic growth, fosters meaningful relationships with stakeholders, and ensures that the organization’s mission and impact are clearly communicated to the public. Working closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors, the Director leads a team to build sustainable fundraising programs and cohesive, mission-driven messaging across all platforms. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Program Leadership & Collaboration: • Oversee the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies that achieve the organization's strategic goals for charitable contribution revenue, donor engagement and overall brand recognition. Development plans should include, but not be limited to, major gifts, special events, cultivation events, annual giving, communication platforms and other tools needed to achieve established goals., • Create, execute, and evaluate development strategies with a donor-centric approach., • Provide leadership, motivation, and support to staff, using the core values of collaboration, compassion and commitment, and best practices in fundraising and communications., • Develop and promote the effective integration of brand-management, communications, marketing and fundraising messages and activities across Dee Norton to ensure fidelity to our mission and brand., • Work with the Director of Grants and Program Evaluation to contribute to the financial sustainability of Dee Norton., • Serve as strategic advisor to ED and leadership team on matters related to philanthropy and public relations., • Support Board development and engagement related to fundraising and advocacy., • Develop program policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure consistent service delivery and team coordination across a continuum of philanthropy and communications delivered by Dee Norton. Philanthropy & Fundraising: • Execute Dee Norton’s comprehensive fundraising strategy, including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events., • Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners., • Manage donor database/CRM system to track donor interactions, maintain accurate records, and generate reports., • Collaborate with the ED and Board members on major gift strategy and solicitations., • Oversee strategies to increase donor retention and acquisition through stewardship programs and donor communications. Strategic Communications & Marketing: • Lead strategic communications plan to increase public awareness in support of Dee Norton’s mission., • Oversee content creation and brand consistency across all platforms, including the website, email, social media, press releases, newsletters, and annual reports., • Serve Dee Norton’s lead storyteller, producing compelling narratives about the organization’s impact, clients, program, and donors., • Act as spokesperson when needed and ensure messaging aligns with organizational values and goals., • Develop and manage media relations, including pitching stories and cultivating press relationships. Staff Supervision & Development: • Train, supervise, and support department staff, including communications and philanthropy coordinators and major gifts officers to build a high-functioning team., • Collaborate with program team to gather stories, impact data, and program outcomes for fundraising and marketing materials., • Provide clinical and administrative supervision; conduct regular performance evaluations and professional development planning., • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and staff wellness. Community Engagement & Partnership: • Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with Board of Directors, donors, community organizations and external stakeholders to further Dee Norton’s reach in the community., • Represent the organization at community and public events to advocate for children's rights and needs. Other Responsibilities: • Participate in a minimum of 2 public awareness and/or fundraising events annually., • Abide by and meet all grant requirements and objectives., • Meet other needs as identified by the Executive Director and/or Leadership Team. Qualifications: Education & Experience: • Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree is a plus., • Minimum of 5 years in fundraising and/or capital campaign, planned giving and other major gift fundraising., • At least 3 years of supervisory or program management experience is required., • Familiarity and prior experience working with child maltreatment, healthcare and/or other child-focused issues preferred., • Experience with fundraising database platforms needed., • Experience with creative direction in communications including digital/print marketing, media and public relations preferred. Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: • Expertise in trauma-informed practices, child development, family systems, and child abuse dynamics., • Strong knowledge of child welfare systems, law enforcement procedures, and judicial processes related to child abuse cases., • Exceptional leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills., • Outstanding communication skills (verbal, written, and interpersonal) and ability to work with diverse populations., • Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion., • Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural humility in service delivery., • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and case management software. Core Competencies: Every employee at Dee Norton is responsible for contributing to a positive work environment through teamwork, positive, honest and effective communication, and professional interactions with co-workers, volunteers, clients, and community partners. Candidates should be able to demonstrate: • Interpersonal Skills: Approaches others in a tactful manner; ability to work well under pressure and respond quickly to challenges; maintains confidentiality; keeps emotions under control; and remains open to others' ideas., • Cultural Competency and Humility: Demonstrates a commitment to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and has a proven track record of working well with diverse clients and stakeholders., • Teamwork: Works as part of a team with individuals from a variety of disciplines; balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team and supports everyone's efforts to succeed., • Ethics/Professionalism: Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works ethically and with integrity; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments; and upholds organizational values., • Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance; and monitors own work to ensure quality., • Initiative: Volunteers readily; undertakes professional development activities; and asks for and offers help when needed., • Planning/Organizing: Ability to work independently; prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; sets goals and objectives; and develops realistic action plans., • Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; and able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events., • Dependability: Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; and arrives at meetings and appointments on time; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan. Working Conditions: • Standard office environment with frequent visits to off-site locations including courts, hospitals, and partner agencies., • May require occasional evening or weekend work to attend events, community meetings, or respond to critical incidents., • Exposure to emotionally challenging situations related to child maltreatment; regular support and clinical supervision provided. Physical Requirements: • Ability to sit, stand, walk, and drive for extended periods., • Capacity to work in occasionally stressful environments and manage emotional demands associated with crisis response. Salary and Benefits: • Competitive salary commensurate with experience., • Health, dental, vision, and life insurance., • Paid time off (PTO) and holidays., • Professional development allowance., • A culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional needs of team members, with access to EAP benefits, including up to 8 counseling sessions per family member, financial planning support, and guidance with legal documents., • Clinical supervision for licensure (if applicable). The Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center promotes a culturally diverse and culturally competent community response network. The Center strives for diversity regarding gender, age, ethnicity, race, faith and experience among its Board Members, staff and volunteers. Dee Norton abides by all Federal Equal Opportunity guidelines.