Sterling Search Inc. has been exclusively retained to recruit for the new Senior Director of Development (SDoD) for Make-A-Wish® Central Coast & Southern Central Valley - California (COAST & VALLEY SOUTH).

Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Make-A-Wish America
Tens of thousands of volunteers, donors and supporters advance the Make-A-Wish® vision to grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a critical illness. In the U.S. and its territories, a wish is granted every 34 minutes. A wish can be that spark that helps these children believe that anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illnesses. This one belief guides us and inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve.

Make-A-Wish is one united family. But it’s also a collection of independently chartered nonprofit organizations that stand committed to a shared vision and mission.
Founded in 1985, Make-A-Wish Central Coast and Southern Central Valley (COAST & VALLEY SOUTH)
has granted thousands of wishes for local children in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Kings, Tulare, and Inyo counties.

Headquartered in Camarillo, CA, COAST & VALLEY SOUTH is its own 501c3, governed by its local fiduciary 17-member Board of Directors, all committed to a give of $1,500 and get of $5,000 and led by Pattie Mullins who joined as CEO in 2016. During her tenure Ms. Mullins has strengthened the organization with a higher performing Board and staff, a robust infrastructure, and sustainable funders. In 2023 MAW Make-A-Wish Tri-Counties realigned and incorporated Kern, Kings, Tulare, and Inyo counties to establish the Make-A-Wish Central Coast and Southern Central Valley
chapter consisting of all seven counties, making it one of 59 chapters in the country. Mullins and her team have spent the last few years incorporating and strengthening the chapter. Today, they are in a place ready for significant growth in wishes and revenue and on target for a budget of $2.3 million granting 120 wishes for this fiscal year ending August 31, 2024. COAST & VALLEY SOUTH has just concluded a strategic plan with a goal of increasing revenue to $3 million and granting 220 wishes annually by 2026.

The “Public Support” for which the new SDoD is responsible, with the CEO and team, incorporates individual, corporations, events, major gifts, planned gifts, internal events and third-party events and is budgeted for $1.8 million for 2024. Make-A-Wish uses Salesforce, and the national office supports the chapter with wealth screenings. The SDoD will be responsible for cultivating, stewarding, and growing a portfolio of new and existing major donors. A major gift for the chapter is $10,000+. Other areas of opportunity include a large number of mid-level donors that need attention as well as upgrading annual fund donors. Additionally, post-pandemic, COAST & VALLEY SOUTH has seen an increase in demand for third-party events and workplace campaigns, which is a natural source of revenue for the SDoD.

This SDoD position oversees a contracted social media coordinator and grant writer as well as two event/outreach coordinators – one for the Central Coast and one for the Central Valley. Both of the event/outreach coordinator positions are currently vacant; however, the chapter is actively seeking to fill at least one of the positions as soon as possible. In addition to a paid staff of eight, more than 90 active and engaged volunteers support the chapter in fulfilling its mission.

Building upon COAST & VALLEY SOUTH’s momentum of success, the Senior Director of Development will lead the vision and strategy for the fund development function. This is a phenomenal opportunity to join a winning team with a successful fundraising CEO who wishes to partner with a development executive who is passionate as she is about raising funds for the children with critical illnesses in this region.

Office Location and Travel Expectations:This is a senior level development role, and it is expected that the SDoD will have experience developing donor relationships and corporate partnerships that require regional visits within all of the counties the chapter serves. The chapter supports a hybrid working environment and, depending on their home location and regional travel needs, the SDoD will go into the Camarillo office about once or twice a week.

https://wish.org/cvs/our-chapter

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Director of Development
will develop and implement a strategic fundraising plan, cultivating and stewarding individual, corporate, and foundation donors. The SDoD is responsible for all aspects of the chapter’s fundraising program, including annual fund, major gifts, individual giving, planned giving, corporate sponsorship support for events and workplace giving.

Under the direction of the CEO and working with the Board of Directors, the SDoD will expand and diversify funding to identify new donors, upgrade current donors, and increase philanthropic revenues.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising program.
• Responsible for leading and directing all fundraising efforts for the chapter.
• With the CEO support, develop the Boad of Directors and Development Committee in their fundraising responsibilities.
• Develop and demonstrate strategies for prospecting, cultivating, and stewarding a portfolio of individual, foundation, and corporate donors (i.e. five and six figure donations) as well as planned gifts to ensure the highest engagement and participation while increasing levels of annual giving.
• Regularly scan the communities served by the organization for new business prospects, fundraising opportunities, cause marketing partners and local leads to promote the Make-A-Wish brand.
• Responsible for overseeing all aspects of signature fundraising events. COAST & VALLEY SOUTH engages an event management company to manage logistics of its signature events.
• Lead team meetings and provide regular updates to the CEO, Development Committee and Board of Directors.
• Ensure accuracy of donor records, prospect lists, donor acknowledgements and stewardship of assigned and prospective donors.
• Engage, motivate, and align volunteer leadership with prospects. Serve as a resource for cultivation and stewardship efforts and track relationship progress in database.
• Partner with the Finance team to ensure timely, accurate and comprehensive development reports and expense budgets, reporting, monitoring, forecasting, and implementation.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards to donors, and ensure compliance with code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives.
• Execute all other reasonable duties as assigned by the CEO.

Professional Experience and QualificationsWe are seeking candidates offering the following qualifications:

• Passion, imagination, vision, leadership, and integrity.
• A minimum of five years of major gift fundraising, with a proven track record, through individuals/corporations and foundations in a professional capacity.
• Management experience with increasing levels of responsibility and with direct stewardship of volunteers.
• A strategic approach to development with significant experience in cultivating and managing donors.
• Exceptional financial, organizational, and administrative skills.
• The ability to plan, set goals and objectives, organize, and follow through.
• A strong interpersonal and communication skill set and demonstrated ability to work effectively with and gain the respect and support of varied and changing constituencies including staff, board members, potential donors, volunteers, and the like.
• A track record as an effective communicator; adept at writing proposals, solicitation letters, donor correspondence, in-person presentations, and other kinds of material to enhance fundraising.
• Computer literate; knowledge of Word and Excel and experience with database software. Experience with Salesforce preferred.
• Position requires extensive travel throughout the region and flexible hours.
• Bachelor’s degree required.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following capabilities:

• Commitment to the mission and work of Make-A-Wish with the credibility and persuasiveness to secure support from others.
• A manager who leads by example and exemplifies the values and ethics of the organization.
• A high achiever with the ability to seize opportunities and realize results.
• An organized individual with strong creative and conceptual skills.
• A leader who functions effectively without being autocratic or political; must be a team player who is inclusive, flexible, creative, energetic, and fair minded.
• A self-starter who is confident enough to express opinions, forging ahead when appropriate and holding back, when necessary, with a sensitivity to the feelings and opinions of others.
• An energetic person who is emotionally mature and dependable, a collegial individual.

The position pays a salary range of $130,000 to $155,000 plus a comprehensive benefits package.