The Pro Bono Center was established over forty-five years ago to help people in the District of Columbia who could not afford a lawyer. Since then, the Pro Bono Center evolved from a lawyer referral service into an organization dedicated to providing free legal services to individuals through pro bono volunteers and our staff in housing, family law, public benefits, consumer law, immigration, and other matters. The Pro Bono Center has provided free legal services and training to safety-net nonprofit organizations and small businesses since 1998. The Pro Bono Center serves more than 21,000 individuals and 5,000 community-based nonprofits, and disadvantaged small businesses annually through clinics, resource centers at D.C. Superior Court, and other programs. All our clinics and weekday resource centers are free, and all cases we place are for pro bono representation. The Director of Development serves as a member of the Pro Bono Center’s senior leadership team. The Pro Bono Center has an annual budget of approximately $5 million.

The Director of Development leads the Pro Bono Center’s multifaceted fundraising program and plays an integral role in creating the Center’s comprehensive development strategy. This role represents the Pro Bono Center among donors, community partners, and law firms. The Director is responsible for planning, evaluation, management, and implementation of all development and fundraising efforts, including donor solicitation and stewardship, the annual Presidents Reception, major gifts, workplace giving (Combined Federal Campaign), grants, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, special gifts, annual appeals, and other new initiatives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides day-to-day leadership, management, coaching, and mentoring to direct reports.

• Retains a diverse workforce and works to create an inclusive environment for direct reports within the department.

• Develops, identifies, and directs fundraising strategies, manages development operations including, but not limited to exploring donor advised funds, corporate giving, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, special gifts, annual appeals, Combined Federal Campaign, voluntary contributions during D.C. Bar license renewal, and other new initiatives.

• Determines annual and long-term income goals and associated metrics.

• Advises and coaches Bar leaders, committee members, board members, Pro Bono Center staff, and other volunteers on fundraising solicitations.

• Develops and evaluates the budget, reports, and analyzes results of fundraising activities.

• Collaborates with the Pro Bono Center and Bar’s and Communications Department for digital marketing and content development for fundraising appeals, events, and projects.

• Identifies, solicits and cultivates major donor prospects and promotes an engaging donor experience.

• Directs foundation grant fundraising and identifies potential sources of grant funding. Supervises, prepares, writes, and compiles components of grant submissions including development of letters of inquiry, proposals, required metrics, data, and reports.

• Oversees grants management, grant funding, and manages foundation relationships. Works closely with D.C. Bar finance team to support the single audit, track spending of grant funding, and ensure compliance with donor requirements.

• Manages fundraising systems, including a donor database, project management and AMS software. Updates fundraising expense budgets.

• Directs the solicitation and marketing of the Pro Bono Center to donors and prospects through mailed appeals, social media, email marketing, written correspondence, and public relations efforts.

• Oversees fundraising consultants, ensuring efficient use of resources.

• Manages the annual Presidents Reception, which raises approximately one-third of the overall budget. Coordinates with leadership, the honoree, and Development Committee, manages the fundraising team, including an outside consultant, and oversees production of mailed solicitations, email, and phone call follow-up to potential individual, law firm, and corporate sponsors.

• Oversees all donor communications including thank you notes, appeals, online fundraising, annual report, and other correspondence.

• Participates in meetings of the Pro Bono Committee, Development Committee, Bar leadership, and the Board of Directors.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience managing development and communications activities in a nonprofit organization.

• Direct managerial experience.

• Demonstrated success creating and implementing development strategies.

• Ability to think strategically and willing to explore outside-the-box development ideas.

• A demonstrated understanding of development trends.

• Broad-based fundraising experience including direct mail, individual donor solicitations, foundation fundraising and grant writing, special events, database management, financial reporting and budgeting.

• Experience with Board, committee, and volunteer management.

• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and Salesforce Marketing.

• Demonstrated commitment or lived experience with economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to tell compelling, client-centric stories.

• Must be detail-oriented and deadline-driven. Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to interact with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public, and Pro Bono Center and Bar employees.

• Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and be able to manage several priorities in a day.

• Experience in a legal or human services setting.

• Ability to work some evenings and weekends for meetings, stewardship, and Bar events.

• Interpersonal skills to interact with donors, potential donors, law firms, Bar leadership, volunteers, and other stakeholders.

• Must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.

• Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Experience in a legal or human services setting.

****Please submit a resume, cover letter, and two writing samples****

This position is currently a hybrid position, with days worked in the office and days worked remotely. Please see above for some of the required in-person events. The hybrid status of this position may change at any time subject to the Pro Bono Center’s discretion.

This is not an attempt to list all essential functions of this position. Job duties may change over time based on organizational/department needs.

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive, diverse, and accessible workplace environment.

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is committed to providing qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs, pursuant to applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at HR@dcbar.org.

As part of the accommodation process, we will conduct an individualized interactive process and may ask you for additional information. Additionally, any final hiring decisions or start dates may be delayed while the accommodation review process is ongoing if the individual is unable to begin work without the requested accommodation.