Director of Development

Position description

Impact Network International, Inc. is looking for an experienced leader to elevate our fundraising efforts as we expand into new geographies, impacting the lives of over 250,000 young people in Africa annually.

Summary of Role: We are seeking a solutions-oriented, driven, and dynamic fundraising leader who is passionate about transforming lives through the power of education. As U.S. Director of Development, you will lead the growth of our organization, to reach even more young people as we expand to additional countries and maximize opportunities created by our new strategic partnership with Promoting Education in Africa Schools (PEAS). You will launch new funding streams with a focus on significantly scaling our efforts, including securing six-figure major gifts and private philanthropic support.

You will spearhead the development of new funding streams, with a strong focus on major gifts and private philanthropy. Working closely with our Board of Directors and senior team, you will transform our fundraising capabilities—bringing in and creating new networks and opportunities to support our expanded mission. This is a hybrid position based in New York City, with opportunities for remote work 2–3 days per week.

What We Do

Impact Network believes every child deserves access to a quality education. For 12 years, we have been delivering transformative education to some of the poorest children in Eastern Zambia across 42 primary schools. Findings from our randomized controlled trial show strong results on improving literacy and numeracy.

In 2024, we launched an exciting new partnership with PEAS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to affordable, high-quality secondary education in rural Africa. Together, we’ll provide high-quality education to over 250,000 students annually across 376 schools in Zambia, Uganda, and Ghana, creating a comprehensive K-12 education pipeline. This partnership will not only allow students to transition seamlessly into secondary school but will also strengthen our ability to deliver impactful, evidence-based programs in both primary and secondary education.

What You Will Do

This role will oversee our US Fundraising and work closely with a global team across the UK, Zambia, Uganda and Ghana. A principal focus area for the role will be to contribute to the ambitious fundraising goals required to support growth. This position will be responsible for the key responsibilities outlined below.

Set the U.S. Fundraising Direction:

• Share a deep commitment to providing quality education to all students, especially those in rural Africa.
• Design, develop and implement a new multi-million-dollar US Major Gifts Fundraising Strategy
• Work with PEAS to develop collaborative strategic priorities to attain organizational goals
• Establish priority annual and multi-year goals and plans

Lead and Grow U.S. Fundraising and Execute Communications Strategy:

• Build and expand a new donor pipeline by identifying, cultivating, and securing funding from high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Establish partnerships in new markets and uncover fresh opportunities to diversify and strengthen our funding base.
• Devise innovative fundraising strategies to drive individual giving, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and event revenue.
• Develop compelling, high-impact proposals to attract and engage new donors.
• Grow income from our annual gala, working closely with the Director of US Operations to ensure a successful event experience for donors.
• Strengthen and refine our communications strategy in collaboration with PEAS, enhancing our web presence and external relations to amplify our brand.
• Create and oversee innovative fundraising campaigns tailored to diverse donor segments.
• Build and lead a growing team over the long term as fundraising escalates
• Deepen and grow the U.S. donor portfolio through excellent relationship management from cultivation through acknowledgment.
• Take on key operational and administrative responsibilities as needed—including supporting CRM development, grant tracking, donor research, and other hands-on tasks

Optimize our new Strategic Partnership with PEAS

• Work in close collaboration with the UK Head of Partnerships to develop a US fundraising strategy, set strategic fundraising targets and annual plans to support The Partnership's mission
• Share fundraising updates with the UK Head of Partnerships in line with the partnership’s fundraising Plans

Maximize Talent & Engage Stakeholders

• Build the capacity of the Board of Directors to maximize their time, talent, and networks to achieve the organization’s fundraising goals
• Inspire and engage the board to support the global fundraising strategy and external stakeholder engagement
• Actively engage and energize Impact Network interns, board members, event committees, external partners, and funders

Who you’ll be working with

Impact Network has a small team based in the US which funds programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. The successful candidate will work extremely closely with the Director of US Operations and PEAS Fundraising Team.

Who You Are

Qualifications for this role include:

1. A champion for Impact Network and PEAS’s mission and core values, with a deep commitment to improving education quality in rural Africa.
2. An adaptable and multifaceted fundraising expert with a minimum of 10 years of experience, ideally as a Director of Development, in major gift fundraising (six-figure sums), growing revenue from new income streams, and managing a portfolio of funders.
3. A proven track record of building a prospective donor pipeline by identifying and cultivating new funding opportunities beyond an existing donor base.
4. An exceptional writer, storyteller, and communicator who can effectively inspire action through data and stories.
5. A masterful architect of connections with a dynamic approach to building and maintaining relationships with high-net-worth individuals and collaborative partnerships.
6. A strategic project manager who can juggle competing priorities in a small nonprofit environment while also operating in uncertainty. With a new partnership in place, we are evolving rapidly, and we need someone who can navigate ambiguity, take initiative, and drive fundraising efforts forward without extensive guidance or established processes.
7. A collaborative spirit with a strong desire to work with others to achieve greater impact.
8. A proactive problem-solver with initiative in seeking and implementing solutions.
9. Education background: Bachelor’s Degree in a related field (nonprofit management, business administration, marketing, etc.) is required; a master’s degree is preferred.

Compensation range is $110,000 to $140,000. The role may include travel to Zambia, Uganda and Ghana. We are open to a permanent position or 12-month consultancy role.

 

 

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