The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) is the leading public policy research organization in the greater New Orleans area. BGR is a private, non-profit, non-ideological, independent research organization dedicated to informed public policy making and the effective use of public resources in the New Orleans metropolitan area. We’ve been working for the betterment of our community for the past 92 years, and we seek to build a bright future for everyone in the greater New Orleans area with smart public policy solutions and by engaging citizens in constructive civil discourse.

We seek a mission-driven, strategic-thinking, data-oriented fundraising professional with outstanding communication and people skills and unfailing attention to detail to serve as our new Development Director.

The primary responsibilities of the Development Director are

·         To plan and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy for BGR, ensuring that the organization can operate and fulfill its short- and long-term organizational goals.

·         To increase BGR’s membership base by prospecting, providing outstanding donor stewardship and member engagement, and planning and executing membership campaigns with strategies informed by data.

·         To increase BGR’s portfolio of grants from national, regional and local foundations by writing successful applications.

·         To seek sponsors for our research and our events, and to serve as the point person on events.

·         To implement our new planned giving program.

·         To develop key messaging to donors and members to convey BGR’s value and impact.

In summary, the Development Director will lead all aspects of revenue generation at BGR in consultation with the CEO to help us to grow the organization and achieve our goals. This is an opportunity manage and elevate all facets of fundraising to help BGR shape local government to be more effective, transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of all citizens.

BGR is a small and committed team of seven where employees are generous with helping one another and function at the highest levels. The development director reports to the CEO, works closely with the Board of Directors and manages several board committees.

The Role

The Development Director’s job responsibilities are to

·         Develop and execute BGR’s fundraising strategy in consultation with the CEO and Board of Directors to meet financial goals.

·         Analyze the BGR membership database to inform fundraising strategies and expand membership.

·         Develop a systemic, calendared approach to strengthening relationships with BGR members and planning for fundraising opportunities.

·         Design, implement, and track innovative strategies to cultivate and solicit donors and sponsors.

·         Prospect new donors.

·         Follow fundraising best practices and ethical standards.

·         Support the CEO and Board members in donor, member and sponsor solicitations and engagement.

·         Assess, oversee and manage BGR member stewardship strategies. Manage membership renewals.

·         Develop creative ways to engage and retain members and expand the BGR membership base.

·         Conduct membership campaigns.

·         Identify national and local grant funding opportunities, prepare and submit grant applications and write reports for funders ensuring compliance with grant requirements.

·         Manage and execute BGR’s annual grants and grant reporting calendar.

·         Manage BGR events, including public forums, a luncheon, and an awards ceremony, usually with the support of an external event planner and/or BGR staff. Some BGR events occur in the morning or evening.

·         Hone messaging and develop new marketing materials to support fundraising efforts.

·         Draft letters, email blasts and social media posts related to membership and events.

·         Constructively manage board committees on fundraising and events.

·         Capture key data in our CRM and work with our business and operations manager and external accountant to process, account for and follow up on gifts.

·         Lead the development of policies and procedures related to ethical and effective fundraising and stewardship.

·         Complete other tasks or initiatives as relevant to the duties of the position or as needed by the CEO. Please note that responsibilities may be subject to change depending on the needs of the organization and our city at the discretion of the CEO.

The Candidate

Education and Professional Training: Bachelor's degree required. A professional designation(s) such as the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) is coveted.

Experience: At least five years of full-time development experience, possessing roles with increasing levels of responsibility. Experience fundraising for a public policy organization is a plus.

Skills, Background, and Capabilities: The most competitive candidates to be BGR’s Development Director will possess many of the following traits and experiences:

·         A passion for BGR’s mission and the value of civic engagement and informed public policy making and working for the betterment of the greater New Orleans area.

·         Experience developing, maintaining and expanding member or external relationships. Practiced at the art of donor stewardship and calendared, consistent engagement.

·         Prospecting and grant-writing. A track record of securing grants or gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations at the local and national levels.

·         The ability to take initiative and work with a sense of purpose and urgency. An independent self-starter. An orientation toward being highly productive, self-managed, self-motivated and deadline-oriented. Ready to deliver high-quality work products on time.

·         A strategic thinker with a creative, forward-looking, problem-solving mindset. Someone with an outlook of abundance who sees opportunities for connection, opportunity and a sense of possibility in the job.

·         Works generously with other employees. Team-oriented with a can-do attitude.

·         Goal-oriented. Knows how to execute small steps in pursuit of a goal. Can complete tasks. 

·         Curiosity. A penchant for learning and enthusiasm for professional development.

·         Well-developed organizational skills and the ability to execute with great attention to detail.

·         Outstanding written and verbal communication and listening skills.

·         The ability to translate BGR’s value proposition to foundations and prospective members.

·         Experience working constructively with a nonprofit Board of Directors and effectively managing board committees.

·         Experience working with CRMs, donor management and fundraising systems; familiarity with DonorPerfect and/or Classy is a plus.

·         Experience working constructively with administrative staff and financial contractors to process and log gifts.

·         The ability to collect, organize and analyze donor data to inform strategy.

·         An orientation toward research and data to make compelling and persuasive pitches.

·         Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

·         Experience using email marketing software such as Constant Contact and developing compelling social media posts.

·         A personal commitment to the organization’s principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion is expected.

Allowable Substitutions: A combination of education, experience, and/or training that provides the required knowledge and skills for the position may be considered in lieu of education and/or experience at BGR’s discretion.

The Development Director must be located in, or willing to relocate to, the New Orleans metropolitan area. Early morning, evening and weekend work will be required at times.

The Compensation & Benefits

The salary for the Development Director is commensurate with experience. BGR offers a competitive benefits package.

To Apply

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@bgr.org, with the subject line “Development Director.” Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted within three weeks of their submission about scheduling an interview. BGR will continue receiving applications until the position is filled.

The Bureau of Governmental Research provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. It prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

About BGR

The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, independent research organization dedicated to informed public policy making and the effective use of public resources in the New Orleans metropolitan area. BGR has been an essential, constructive, objective voice in the local policy landscape for more than 90 years. During that time, BGR has issued more than 1,500 reports to improve government effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, responsiveness and accountability. BGR seeks to empower all citizens to make informed choices and shape the city they want to live in. BGR educates citizens and policy makers alike with its ballot reports, research reports and events and has a proud legacy of organizational excellence. For decades, BGR’s work has laid the groundwork for many best-practice, government reform initiatives and policy successes by public officials and other organizations. Today, BGR is a vital force at a pivotal time in our city. BGR’s work is backed by endowments, foundation, corporate and individual support.