Esalen Institute has the following position available:
Development Director
Job Summary
Esalen Institute, the pioneering alternative education center dedicated to personal and social transformation, is seeking a Director of Development to manage and enhance existing development programs and generate new major gift campaigns and strategies for the Institute. This position is responsible for increasing Esalen’s annual fundraising capacities as well as meeting short and long-term fundraising objectives to support and enhance sustainability initiatives, facilities upgrades, programming, and endowment. This full-time position reports to the CEO of Esalen, and is located in Northern California. The position is not based at Esalen Institute in Big Sur but involves travel to the Institute on a periodic basis.
Esalen’s Mission
Esalen is a leading center for exploring and realizing human potential through experience, education, and research. We work toward the realization of a more humane and all-embracing world, seeking answers to questions unlikely to be explored by traditional universities and religions. We sponsor pioneering initiatives and offer personal, spiritual, and social transformation programs for residents, interns, and workshop participants.
Qualifications
- Deep alignment with Esalen’s mission and vision (a personal history or familiarity with Esalen is desirable.)
- Experience and success in directing a comprehensive fundraising program, with emphasis on major donors, capital and endowment campaigns, planned giving, and foundations.
- Strong interpersonal, presentation, and written communication skills.
- Inspiring leadership capacities with volunteers as well as staff.
- Excellent planning and organizational skills.
- Self-direction as well as team effectiveness.
- Creativity and dedication to responsibilities.
Responsibilities
- Works with CEO, executive team, and board/volunteer leadership to develop and implement a multi-year fundraising plan for the Institute with emphasis on major gifts as well as annual and membership programs. Sets and achieves appropriate financial targets to accomplish Institute objectives, including capital fundraising goals for a number of 7-figure projects and programs.
- Identifies individual and foundation major donor prospects.
- Designs and implements strategies for successfully cultivating and soliciting major gifts.
- Prepares, trains and guides the Board of Trustees and President with the information needed to solicit funding from prospects.
- Stewards gifts and manages donor recognition programs.
- Identifies and works with other Esalen staff to develop new major giving opportunities.
- Develops mailings, proposals, presentation materials, talking points, and other materials for use during and as follow-up to solicitation.
- Records and reports on prospect cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities. Maintains comprehensive database and paper files on major gift prospects and donors using Esalen’s FileMaker database and other appropriate vehicles
- Plans and manages cultivation, stewardship, and other appropriate events.
- Articulates a vision for programs funded by individuals or through memorial, planned, or other restricted gifts and generates implementation plans, including assisting in development of budgets and monitoring expenses.
- Prepares necessary statistical and management reports.
- Significantly expands our research capability and list of prospective funders including corporations, foundations, government agencies, and
- individuals;
- Stewards our current donors and ensures continued funding from our existing base of support;
- Develops, maintains and manages systems for timely and accurate grant reporting.
Compensation
Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes full health benefits.
Application Process
Please send your resume with a cover letter to Human Resources at jobs@esalen.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
About Esalen
Established in 1962, Esalen quickly became a recognized leader in the development of human potential. Our mission is to foster personal and social transformation.
Esalen is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on any basis prohibited by law.