Development & Communications Director

OVERVIEW

Reporting to and working closely with the Executive Director, the Development and Communications Director will lead all fundraising activities and related communications for the Wisconsin Abortion Fund.

This role will focus on developing creative, values-driven fundraising strategies to engage, cultivate, and expand a diverse donor base that includes grassroots supporters, individuals, corporations and foundations. The Development and Communications Director will also collaborate closely with the Communications Consultant, Fund-a-Thon Consultant, Operations Manager, and Bookkeeper.

The ideal candidate will be a skilled, experienced, passionate, and values-aligned fundraising professional with strong writing and speaking skills, a deep commitment to the reproductive justice movement, and an excitement to bolster the organization’s capacity and build long-term sustainability. This person will have a commitment to abortion access as it is connected to racial, economic, and reproductive justice, and will be able to work effectively in a diverse and progressive office environment. They will share WAF’s core belief in the value and importance of access to a full spectrum of reproductive health options and operate with a high degree of confidentiality and respect for those we fund.

POSITION DETAILS

This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position with an annual salary range of $75,000-$84,000, commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

• A health reimbursement plan with sufficient funding to meet your healthcare needs, including the possibility for family coverage,
• Stipends for remote work and for professional development,
• Reimbursement for work-related travel costs,
• 3 weeks paid vacation, 14 paid holidays, and unlimited sick/personal leave,
• 14 weeks of 100% paid parental leave,
• A 36-hour work week,
• The opportunity to contribute to a retirement savings account with a 3% employer match,
• Funding for abortion care.

The Development Director will be hired and supervised by the Executive Director.

Responsibilities

This is not a complete list of duties and responsibilities. As the landscape of abortion access continues to evolve, and WAF adapts to the changing needs of our movement and organization, this job description will be iterative.

Donor Engagement & Cultivation (35%)

• Lead individual donor solicitation, from grassroots giving to larger-scale major gifts.
• Deepen relationships with existing donor base and develop strategies for ongoing cultivation.
• Identify and cultivate new and prospective donors through events and sponsorships, planned giving, monthly giving, and digital platforms.
• Write appeal letters, emails, and solicitation materials.
• In collaboration with the Operations Manager and Bookkeeper, ensure development records are reconciled with accounting records, timely acknowledgments are sent, and donor and prospect files are maintained.
• Develop and cultivate relationships with funders and other granting sources.

Events and Community Engagement (30%)

• Lead the planning, coordination, budgeting, and execution of fundraising events, including the new online quilt and fiber arts auction.
• Manage all aspects of WAF’s annual fundraising campaign and event, Fund-a-Thon, with support from the Executive Director and Communications Consultant.
• Attend and participate in / table at community events on behalf of WAF and actively engage new community and advocacy partners, expanding WAF’s community presence.

Management and Strategy (10%)

• Develop, execute, and evaluate a comprehensive fundraising strategy, including individual donor outreach, direct mail appeal(s), special events, and major gifts.
• Train and guide the board, relevant staff, and volunteers to be effective fundraisers.
• Hire and supervise development and communications staff, consultants, and/or interns.

Communications (20%)

• Participate in the planning and production of social media fundraising strategies in collaboration with the Executive Director and Communications Consultant.
• Lead the creation of fundraising-related publications, including WAF’s annual report/impact statement.
• Serve as a secondary spokesperson for WAF to media and fundraising events.
• Work with the Executive Director to develop and update fundraising messaging.

Other (approximately 5%)

• Participate in and support planning regular check-in meetings with the Executive Director and other staff.
• Participate & help lead in-person staff retreats.
• Participate & present at occasional check-ins with the Board of Directors.
• Other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director.

Location and Travel Expectations

• Madison area preferred. Could be remote, but must be based in Wisconsin.
• Coworking space and/or a remote work stipend will be provided.
• Routine travel, mostly within Wisconsin, with contingencies for COVID or other public health considerations. Regardless of where the employee lives, and barring travel delays outside of an individual’s control, the employee must be able to arrive at their destination on time. Travel expenses incurred in the execution of job duties are covered by WAF.

Job Requirements

Experience

• 5-7 years of relevant experience in values-based fundraising and development, with a proven track record of growing donor base and revenue, in non-profit or other sectors.
• Experience with and interest in digital communications, media relations, and public speaking.
• Experience working with fundraising software and project management tools.
• Strong project management, time management, planning, and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to take initiative and drive projects forward independently.
• Relevant experience includes but is not limited to successfully applying for and being awarded academic scholarships, grants, or other competitive funding sources; professional communications such as journalism, marketing or public relations; and major donor cultivation with a record of securing gifts.

Qualities

• Be deeply passionate and knowledgeable about abortion and abortion access.
• Demonstrated commitment to reproductive justice and a liberatory framework that centers racial, gender, economic, LGBTQ, and disability justice.
• Be a self-starter and feel comfortable working independently, with the ability to multitask several projects at once.
• Have meticulous attention to detail.
• Treat all people in a compassionate, equitable, just way.
• Willingness to support a culture of collective wellness that centers radical kindness, joy, and accountability.

WAF has no educational requirements or expectations for this position.

Equal Opportunity Statement

WAF is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual based on any non-merit factor, and is committed to an equitable workplace where everyone is treated as a respected and valued member of the team. WAF is committed to fostering the leadership of people from communities most impacted by abortion access barriers – including people of color, Native people, immigrants and refugees, people experiencing financial hardship, LGBQ+ and transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary people, young people, people with disabilities, people who have been formerly imprisoned, people who have received funding for abortions, and people living in the many intersections of these experiences. We encourage people from these communities to apply. We do not discourage applicants with prior conviction history.

Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary folks, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building an organization that represents our community, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may come from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that is okay. We also know that gaps in experience can be filled on the job. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications described. We want to hear from you!

About Wisconsin Abortion Fund (WAF)

WAF works with partners to provide financial assistance and practical support to Wisconsinites who need an abortion but cannot afford the full cost. We believe that reproductive autonomy and healthcare without stigma are essential to thriving, sustainable communities and that we must create the cultural and political change needed to ensure abortion access for all. We seek to engage supporters to destigmatize abortion, redistribute wealth, and strengthen our movement to fund abortion and build power.

WAF is a long-time active member of the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF). We collaborate closely with abortion funds, clinics, and other support networks in the Midwest, which have been vital to ensuring abortion access for Wisconsinites after the repeal of Roe v. Wade. Along with our partners, WAF is responding to a rapid erosion of clinical abortion access and the intensified criminalization of abortion in the U.S. We know that now is the time to turn more intentionally toward sustainability, accountability, and collaboration, in order to ensure compassionate care, support, and solidarity for people needing and choosing abortions. WAF seeks to support abortion access for people of all genders.