Organization Overview
USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation champions tennis for healthier lives and communities, making the sport accessible to all in the Mid-Atlantic region. Committed to promoting tennis and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits, the USTA Mid-Atlantic envisions a community where tennis is accessible and available for all people to play.
For over 100 years, USTA Mid-Atlantic has been promoting and developing the growth of tennis in the region. There are 2.7 million active and interested tennis players in the Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia area. The mission to grow the sport has not wavered and remains more relevant than ever. The many health and social benefits of tennis have made tennis more popular than ever, and USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s programs and outreach are rising to meet that demand.
The USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation supports tennis facilities, events, and programs that create opportunities for character building through the sport generally, as well as through the delivery of the sport by teachers, coaches, and tennis pros. The Foundation ensures that tennis can be played by all ages and ability levels, enjoyed by families and across generations, and that all who play have an opportunity to benefit from the long-lasting physical and social-emotional aspects of the sport.
Role Summary
The USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation seeks a dynamic Director of Development (DoD) to spearhead its fundraising strategy and operations, with a particular emphasis on expanding the organization’s major donor program and corporate funding streams. The DoD will assume a pivotal role as an integral member of the leadership team, serving as a strategic thought partner to the CEO. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), and working closely with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), key volunteers, and staff, the DoD will lead all efforts to generate funds for annual operations, special projects, and campaigns.
The DoD will manage a staff of 3, including an Associate Director of Development, Development Manager, and Development Coordinator, and oversee and implement annual fundraising objectives and strategies to achieve departmental and organizational goals. The DoD will function as a key ambassador for the organization, dedicated to cultivating and deepening engagement with donors while amplifying broader mission awareness and philanthropic support. The DoD will actively participate in the formulation of a long-term sustainability plan, ensuring the organization’s enduring impact. The right candidate will have proven success in major donor/high net-worth individual (HNWI) cultivation and stewardship, events, as well as corporate and foundation fundraising.
Candidate Profile
Personal Characteristics
- Fundamental approach to development as relational organizing, engaging supporters as partners in achieving mission. A team-based approach to all work that: fosters collegiality and respect; reflects a willingness to pitch-in to assist colleagues; and recognizes and celebrates each other’s accomplishments and contributions.
- Emotionally intelligent with the interpersonal skills to develop and sustain impactful relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Ability to interact effectively and sensitively with a wide variety of people of diverse backgrounds, prioritizing an ethos of servant leadership, respect, diplomacy, equity, inclusivity, and accountability. Adaptive leadership style and a penchant for leading by example.
- Entrepreneurial self-starter with a dedication to excellence and accountability. Superior skills in organization, planning, and attention to detail, with flexibility in adapting to changing circumstances and taking calculated risks.
- Ability to deal with external customers in a professional manner. Demonstrated ability to forge mutually respectful, trusting, and effective relationships with a diverse group, including providing excellent customer service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Ability to work in partnership with others in a collaborative or advisory role, including senior staff. Able to work with a group or team of people. Team member who can contribute to a positive and effective work environment.
- Demonstrated ability to work with diverse communities across racial, class, ethnic, political, and geographic boundaries.
- Must be an enthusiastic advocate for advancing the growth of tennis in the Mid-Atlantic Foundation.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree and/or 8+ years of relevant development / direct fundraising experience preferred.
Experience
- Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising with increasingly responsible experience in the creation and execution of development strategy, programs, and systems as well as an established track record of increasing philanthropic revenue; minimum of three years of leadership and management experience.
- Experience recruiting, developing, and managing a team of development professionals. Ability to recruit, lead, evaluate, and develop staff and contribute to the ongoing fostering of a results-oriented, multiracial/multicultural workforce. Track record of maintaining best practices, clear goals, and shared accountability, as well as working cross-departmentally when necessary to achieve results. Experience managing budgets and revenue forecasts.
- Frontline major gift experience with demonstrated ability to grow a donor prospect base and successfully close individual and institutional gifts. Experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts from individual and institutional donors.
- Broad knowledge of all functional areas comprising a comprehensive development program (e.g., high net-worth individual, major, institutional, foundations, corporate, and annual giving; digital fundraising; stewardship; operations) and fundamental adherence to the principles, ethics, and best practices of modern fundraising, including the integration of various giving programs to diversify the funding base and cultivate greater donor commitments.
- A forward thinker with a track record of utilizing new methods of constituent engagement and connectivity.
- Ability to perform routine technical skills, such as, using Google Mail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Word, and Excel. Be able to learn how to use USTA/Mid-Atlantic systems required for this position. Examples of USTA systems are Tennis Link, Tableau, CRM, Charity Engine, Click Up.
- Passion for sport, community development, and advancing access to play.
USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation has retained DSG Fundraising & Advancement of DSG Global to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) may be submitted via the following link or directed to the leaders of the search team:
https://talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/22785
Ian McCray
Managing Director, DSG Fundraising & Advancement
[email protected] | 802.989.3764
Denielle Pemberton, Esq.
Global Managing Director and Chief Legal Officer
[email protected] | 301.928.8071
Tracy O’Such
Global Managing Partner, Media, Entertainment, and Sports
[email protected] | 646.207.5306