Careers

At EmbraceRace, we commit to building a team that reflects and celebrates differences in our personal identities, experiences, abilities, and skills. We believe that the more we embrace diversities in our people, the stronger our work will be.

We currently have one position open. Please apply by April 22, 2024 to potentially join the EmbraceRace Team! Read more below. (Also, find a PDF of the job description here.)

Position: Director of Philanthropic Engagement (D.O.P.E.)
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Reports to: Co-Executive Director
Apply By: April 22, 2024
Anticipated Start Date: Summer 2024
Location: Remote, location flexible within the U.S.
Salary Range: $96,600 – $125,000 is the hiring salary range (i.e. the range a candidate would be offered to start, depending on experience, geography, etc.).

The Role 

In 2023 EmbraceRace had an operational budget of $1.7 million. We are looking for a Director of Philanthropic Engagement to help us generate and manage at least $2M dollars in revenue in your first year, with expected growth annually to fuel our journey to develop race-brave kids of all racial identities. The Director of Philanthropic Engagement will help shape and implement our fundraising development strategy at a crucial time for the organization. We seek a self-directed, energetic leader eager to develop and deepen relationships with individual donors, foundations and corporate partners, someone genuinely passionate about our racial justice mission and excited by the opportunity to move our small-but-mighty organization to significantly higher levels of programmatic and movement-building impact. 

You will do this by:

Leading Identification and Cultivation of New Donors (25%)

• Developing and executing against cultivation plans for both institutional (foundations and corporations) and individual prospective donors to bring in new revenue opportunities and secure funding 
• Conducting comprehensive research to expand the funding pipeline and design solicitation strategies tailored to different donor segments, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional partners
• Creating and maintaining high-quality external materials to support fundraising, including pitch decks and one-pagers
• Authoring outreach to current and prospective funders to ensure the Executive Directors are set up to successfully support fundraising 

Managing a Portfolio of EmbraceRace Donors (25%)

• Serving as a key external representative for EmbraceRace, developing and executing engagement and renewal strategies for a diverse donor base (current and incoming) alongside the co-Executive Director 
• Designing and implementing targeted campaigns, stewardship, and engagement plans to renew and/or upgrade existing funders 
• Create meeting prep materials to ensure meetings with donors are purposeful, engaging, and tailored 

Leading Grant Management and Fundraising Campaigns (20%)

• Overseeing the full grants cycle, from drafting compelling grant applications to managing reporting calendars and deliverables, ensuring alignment with donor expectations and organizational needs.
• Spearheading individual giving campaigns and events, utilizing strategic segmentation and personalized communication to increase donor engagement and recurring contributions.

Developing Strategies to Reach Philanthropic Goals (20%)

• Leading the creation and execution of a comprehensive development strategy to achieve and surpass philanthropic targets
• Designing a fundraising strategy attached to our inaugural Conference on Children’s Racial Learning in spring 2025
• Developing and maintaining systems and infrastructure to support gold-standard fundraising and tracking
• Implementing a dashboard with key performance indicators to monitor progress towards goals, ensuring active cultivation and stewardship of new and existing funders

Leadership and External Relations (10%)

• Partnering with the EmbraceRace team to create an active and collaborative culture of philanthropy within the organization.
• Partnering with the Co-Executive Director to engage the National Advisory and manage the fundraising committee, leveraging their expertise to foster fundraising initiatives.
• Collaborating with the Communications Manager to bolster EmbraceRace’s visibility, aligning communication efforts with fundraising goals to attract and retain donors.
• Potential for supervisory responsibilities.
• Occasional travel.

The ideal candidate will possess the following skillsets:

• Strategic Planning and Execution: Ability to set clear goals, develop comprehensive strategies, and implement plans to achieve philanthropic targets. This includes the skill to navigate the complexities of various giving sectors (individual, foundations, corporate) and to adjust strategies based on performance metrics and external factors.
• Relationship Building and Management: Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range of donors, partners, and team members. This encompasses both the ability to engage effectively with high-level stakeholders and to collaborate with internal teams and advisory committees.
• Communication and Persuasion: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the capacity to create compelling narratives for different audiences. This includes the development of grant applications, campaign materials, and the ability to articulate EmbraceRace's mission and impact persuasively to inspire and secure funding.
• Analytical and Research Abilities: Proficiency in donor research, data analysis, and the use of CRM systems (like Salesforce) to inform decision-making. This skill is vital for understanding donor histories, predicting future giving patterns, and identifying new funding opportunities.
• Ability and Ease with Discussions about Race: High degree of thoughtfulness and attention to how to communicate respectfully about children's racial learning and the mission of EmbraceRace. Ability to engage donors and stakeholders in meaningful conversations about race, inclusivity, and equity.

The Person

Successful candidates will see themselves in the following examples:    

• You possess a growth-oriented mindset: You believe in the potential for growth, innovation, and continuous improvement within yourself and the organization. You encourage a proactive approach to challenges, seeing them as opportunities to learn and expand the organization's impact. 
• You operate with equity and inclusivity: You have a deep commitment to understanding and valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially regarding racial equity. You recognize that this mindset is crucial for effectively communicating EmbraceRace's mission and engaging with a diverse group of donors, partners, and communities.
• You are collaborative and adaptive: You demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a dynamic, team-oriented virtual environment, adapting to changing needs and priorities while maintaining strong relationships with colleagues, donors, and partners. 
• You are positive and tenacious: You demonstrate determination and optimism, even in the face of challenges or setbacks. You know, through experience, that this approach is crucial to navigating the complex landscape of philanthropy, building relationships, and securing the resources necessary for EmbraceRace to achieve its ambitious goals.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (Required) 
• 5+ years of experience with fundraising in a non-profit environment and/or in philanthropy (Preferred) 
• Ability to set up systems and processes to streamline fundraising (Required)
• Excellent oral and written communications skills (Required) 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite (Required)
• Comfort with CRM platforms like Salesforce (Preferred) 
• Existing donor network and willingness to leverage it on behalf of EmbraceRace (Preferred)

BENEFITS

Proteus Fund is committed to ensuring that its employees are supported holistically, from compensation, benefits and resources to an enriching work environment and collaborative culture. Proteus Fund leads the market in a number of its offerings, including a sector-leading retirement plan contribution and robust benefits package. The recruiting team will share more information regarding this commitment and offerings. 

• Medical and dental benefits for employee and eligible dependents available on the first day of work.
• Retirement savings account (401k) with an organization contribution of 10% of annual salary
• Three weeks’ paid vacation in first year of work; four weeks in subsequent years
• Fifteen sick days per year
• Three personal days per year
• Fifteen paid holidays
• Professional development initiatives for growth
• Life Insurance
• Paid Family Leave, short-term, and long-term disability

INTERESTED IN APPLYING? 

The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 22.

If you are excited about the role and see connection between your experiences and what we are looking for, please submit only a resume and answers to the following two questions to applications@embracerace.org. Put “Director of Philanthropic Engagement” in the subject line. 

1. In 250 words or fewer, tell us why you believe you are a good fit for EmbraceRace.
2. In 250 words or fewer, describe one of your biggest fundraising successes and what it reveals about you. 

About EmbraceRace

Established as a national nonprofit in 2016, EmbraceRace supports parents, guardians, educators, and other caregivers working to raise children who are thoughtful, informed and brave about race so that multiracial democracy in the United States can thrive. EmbraceRace provides essential tools, resources, and networks needed to nurture resilience in children of color; nurture inclusive, empathetic children of all stripes; raise kids who think critically about race; and support a movement of kid and adult racial justice advocates for all children. At a critical growth phase following increased demand for its resources and partnerships, especially after George Floyd’s murder, EmbraceRace is poised to launch significant new initiatives aimed at empowering parents, educators, and caregivers in building a more inclusive and equitable future.

EmbraceRace is fiscally sponsored by the Proteus Fund. Visit www.embracerace.org. 

About the Proteus Fund

Proteus Fund connects philanthropy to the frontlines of social justice. We strive to advance the interconnected goals of racial, gender, queer and disability justice, and an inclusive, fully representative democracy. To do our work effectively and with significant impact, Proteus Fund creates dynamic relationships between progressive philanthropists, movement leaders, and other allies that go far beyond transactional grantmaking. Our trusted position among funders and field actors enables us to support, both through collaborative grantmaking and other efforts, a broad array of strategies to achieve social justice victories. Our donor collaboratives are best-in-class models for bridging responsive philanthropy and cutting-edge social justice movements for deeper impact, aligning resources to address critical needs, and shaping strategy alongside our partners. Through our fiscal sponsorship program, Proteus Fund partners with initiatives which play a powerful role in the larger ecosystem for social change, providing them with tailored and comprehensive organizational support.

To date, Proteus Fund, and its affiliated 501c4 organization, the Proteus Action League, have distributed $280 million in grants, and provided other essential tools to support activists, advocates, networks, coalitions, and issue-specific campaigns at the local, state, and national level. Proteus Fund is headquartered in New York City, with staff based across the entire United States.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

Please note, in an effort to maintain and safeguard staff’s health, well-being, and safety, Proteus Fund requires all employees to be vaccinated prior to their employment and adhere to the regular upkeep of COVID-19 vaccination requirements as per CDC recommendations while employed. Proof of the CDC-recommended level of COVID-19 vaccination is required as a condition of employment with Proteus Fund.

EEO Statement 

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Proteus Fund/EmbraceRace, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.