Director of Philanthropy

Reports to: EVP for Involvement

Job Summary

Thread’s Director of Philanthropy is responsible for the successful management and implementation of short and long-term fundraising strategies. Emphasis will be on generating new support from individuals, public grants, foundations and corporate giving.  The Director will frequently interact and collaborate with community leaders, local and national foundations, corporate and individual donors, Board Members, and the Thread leadership and Involvement teams.  The Director will grow and maintain a portfolio of donors and prospects, including government sources, for Thread program support and will have a passion for ending social isolation and building a more equitable Baltimore where everyone can thrive.

Key Goals & Responsibilities

Leadership & Management 

Authentically engage in relationships with colleagues, especially across lines of difference, modeling, teaching and coaching the Thread Core Competencies: (a) Show all the way up; (b) Fail forward; (c) Treat relationships as wealth; and (d) Learn from all voices.

The Director is an advisor on strategic team priorities and initiatives, making regular recommendations to the Lane Lead and Leadership team. 

Share your journey of personal and professional growth with young people, volunteers, collaborators and staff.

Make the connection between driving towards outcomes and organizational imperatives and diversity, equity and inclusion explicit within the organization.

Demonstrate the willingness and resilience to engage in an agile and flexible way.

Coach team members with primary responsibilities within the philanthropy team.

Develop and retain high-performing team members by building trusting relationships that allow for exchanges of direct feedback and extend opportunities for professional growth.

Instill a sense of accountability among team members towards collective and individual outcomes.

Engender and promote a culture of mutual respect and restoration and healing.

Acknowledge in words and behavior that each individual and role brings a unique vantage point and support team members in leveraging that unique vantage point to gain greater visibility that leads to shared understanding and optimized and iterative problem-solving. 

Ensure data derived from the implementation of lane-specific programs and initiatives, are reported to the staff at large and utilized to guide decision-making.

 

Philanthropy

In collaboration with the CEO, EVP of Involvement, and other senior staff, establish and implement the organization's annual and long-term fundraising plan (5+ years forward), setting and reaching appropriate financial goals to meet the rapidly growing needs of this nationally acclaimed program.

Help identify public and private funding opportunities from new and diverse sources beyond Thread’s traditional donor base.

Manage a personal portfolio of leadership prospects and donors to ensure that timely steps are taken toward solicitation, closure, and stewardship.

Work collaboratively with the CEO and the EVP of Involvement while supervising other philanthropy team members in the areas of grant writing, prospect research, corporate/foundation proposal preparation, direct mail, and database management.

Identify, recruit and develop an expanded circle of staff, Board and volunteer leadership to achieve campaign success. 

Represent Thread at appropriate civic and cultural events and attend conferences as approved.

Establish a high level of cooperation and partnership with Thread team members to develop initiatives and grow the organization’s portfolio

Leverage Thread staff, programming, and success metrics to inspire donor enthusiasm and support.

Participate as an essential and collaborative member of the Thread team.