Sterling Search Inc. has been exclusively retained to recruit for the new Senior Director of Development (SDoD) for Easterseals Southern California.
Our Purpose
Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion and access through life-changing disability and community services. For more than 100 years, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to enhance quality of life and expand local access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities.
Vision and Impact Plan
By 2030 Southern California will be the most inclusive place for people with disabilities to live, learn, work, & play.
About Easterseals Southern California
Easterseals is a trusted expert and premier nonprofit and provider of autism services for children and adults for Southern California. Mark Whitley is President and CEO and, since assuming the role more than 30 years ago, has overseen the organization’s growth from a $1.5 million to a $500 million + organization, making it the largest of Easterseals’ 70 Affiliates nationwide. Currently serving more than 18,000 people through 75-plus service sites and hundreds of community partnership locations across Southern California, Easterseals Southern California offers the highest quality autism therapies, adult and senior day services, child development and early education programs, independent living services, and employment services for individuals and their families with disabilities. With a vision to make Southern California the most inclusive place in the country for people with disabilities to live, learn, work, and play, Whitley has developed a team of more than 2,600 professional staff committed to leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access for people with disabilities, veterans, and seniors in their communities through services and advocacy. The organization is the go-to disability inclusion organization in Hollywood and across media and entertainment, earning its reputation through award-winning multi-media campaigns as well as through the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and the Media Access Awards Presented by Easterseals.
In 2012 Sterling Search assisted Easterseals Southern California in hiring its Chief Development Officer, Nancy Weintraub (a 30+ year veteran) to oversee philanthropy. In its tradition of entrepreneurialism in creating new revenue streams that further their mission, Weintraub now oversees all its revenue and program development verticals which include government relations and grants, private foundation grants, corporate, sports and entertainment partnerships, DEIA consulting, community relations and engagement, and individual giving (planned giving, annual fund, employee giving and major gifts).
ADVANCEMENT
Weintraub (now Chief Advancement Officer) is seeking a Senior Director of Development to oversee all of its individual giving, which includes Major Gifts, Strategic Initiative Campaigns, Participant Family Giving Programs, Presidents’ Council, Annual Fund, Employee Giving, and Planned Giving. This is a newly created position oversees a Director of Development, an Associate Director of Development, and a Database Coordinator
Easterseals national office manages the direct mail program for all Easterseals affiliates. Regular reports are shared with the affiliate by which donor prospects can be acquired. These lists can be wealth screened by the local CRM and it will be one of the responsibilities of the new SDoD to help segment and strategize how best to cultivate, solicit, and steward these lists.
In support of an overarching effort to evolve individual giving efforts for ESSC, Weintraub has engaged a consulting firm who is currently benchmarking, updating and creating new policies, stewardship and moves management systems with accountabilities that will be ready to execute upon the hire of the new SDoD.
The individual giving team’s marketing, design, and communications needs, like the rest of the organization, are supported by a robust strategic marketing and communications department. Amongst the traditional marketing and communications functions, there is a strong social media and graphic design team.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This position offers a built-in direct mail donor list ready for cultivation, a passionate staff seeking mentorship and leadership, which is all supported by a well-respected, long tenured Chief Advancement Officer who serves on the executive management team of a multi-million-dollar nonprofit.
Like other nonprofits, there is always an urgency to acquire philanthropic dollars to do more for its mission. Easterseals Southern California is no different except that the core of their programs are supported by large government grants. Not only does 100% of the monies raised from philanthropy go to programming, but its annual revenue is not responsible for closing the gap on the organizational budget each year.
This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned major gifts professional who enjoys developing and executing a program to the next level. The SDoD will have a deep passion for social impact and disability inclusion and will be ready to place their mark on developing a robust major gifts program leveraging years of innovative programming, supporting its vision in creating the best place to be for people with disabilities by 2030.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Under the general direction of the Chief Advancement Officer, the SDoD will be charged with leading the development of an annual individual giving program that includes strategies to attract, renew, upgrade, and recognize annual, major, and planned giving donors. The SDoD will lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing team consisting of a Director of Development, an Associate Director of Development, and a Database Coordinator.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership, Management and Cross Department Relationships:
Staff Management
Major, Mid-Level, and Planned Giving
Annual Campaigns
Employee Giving
Stewardship
Professional Experience and Qualifications
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following capabilities:
This position offers a base salary of $155,000 to $185,000 plus comprehensive benefits, based upon qualifications and experience.