Description
Position at IDEA Public Schools

About Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is ranked in the top 100 on the U.S. News and World Report Best Places to Live Rankings. It is also home to IDEA Innovation and IDEA Bridge, the first IDEA Public School regions outside of the state of Texas. We are honored to pledge our passion and focus to the students of Baton Rouge and provide an educational experience that will end with college acceptance and matriculation.

While Baton Rouge is well known for its delicious cuisine and entertainment, it is also a nucleus for an abundant culture and history. We are ecstatic to enlist a cohort of strong individuals that will help support student's dreams to get to and through college.

In 2017, only 1 in 6 students graduated in the state of Louisiana graduated college-ready. Changing this statistic is part of the promise IDEA makes to current and incoming students. IDEA Southern Louisiana is part of the solution for sharing the endless possibilities in grade school, college, and beyond.


Role Mission

IDEA Public Schools is working to transform the lives of children and families in southern Louisiana by launching and operating high-quality charter schools with the mission of sending every student to and through college. The Director of Development - Southern Louisiana will sit on IDEA's advancement team and is responsible for working closely with the Executive Director to meet ambitious fundraising targets that will fuel growth. These goals are met through: a) major gift solicitation of foundations, individuals and corporations in the Southern Louisiana region, including grant writing and reporting, b) targeted donor acquisition and stewardship through a diverse portfolio of campaigns, events, meetings, and school tours; c) strengthening the impact and size of the local boards of directors; d) community engagement efforts including cultivation of local, state, and federal elected officials.

Accountabilities

1. Raise $1MM* to support Southern Louisiana region by June 30, 2020

• Develop and execute yearly cultivation/stewardship goals and plans for prospects and donors in districts where IDEA schools are operating or planned
• Draft compelling grant applications, reports and other collateral
• Plan and host a variety fundraising events and activities
• Hold personalized stewardship meetings with all donors who have given to IDEA in Southern Louisiana
• Create opportunities for Southern Louisiana Executive Director to achieve future fundraising outcomes through engagement with local philanthropic community
• Leverage local influencers for connections to prospective national and state donors

2. IDEA Southern Louisiana meets its growth plan by launching 8 new charter school campuses between 2019 and 2024

• Assist Executive Director in identifying and prioritizing new charter opportunities
• Identify individuals to serve on local boards of directors
• Prepare winning charter applications
• Coordinate and build relationships with local district education leaders and staff members responsible for coordinating charter activities
• Position IDEA for long-term success in the region by building and maintaining relationships with key education reform allies

3. Achieve excellence in board operations and support

• Work with Executive Director and Executive Assistant to timely plan agendas and prepare board materials for all meetings
• Work with board and IDEA attorneys on legal and policy matters as required
• Work with boards to create processes and tools for annual self-evaluation
• Create individualized annual plans for each board member that defines the goals for each in the following areas:
  • Engage - the number of touch points that the board member has had with the IDEA program (e.g. school visits, hosting a student at work)
  • Inspire - the number of meetings with external stakeholders the board member has facilitated
  • Invest - Ensuring that 100% of Board members invest financially
  • Advise - a goal that will be pre-determined based on the unique backgrounds of each member

4. Live values of IDEA

• Believes and is committed to our mission: that all students are capable of getting to and through college
• Is driven by meaningful outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
• Prioritizes quality learning for both students and adults
• Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
• Seeks and responds well to upward and downward feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization, and actively self-reflects on gaps
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree required
• Experience: two to three years of fundraising or related experience
• Experience: four to five years of professional working experience
• Experience in education (preferred)

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to synthesize multiple facts, data points, and stories into compelling narrative explaining IDEA's educational vision for the region to others
• Superior writing ability and attention to detail
• Comfort and confidence engaging with individuals from all backgrounds within the Southern Louisiana community in order to explain the IDEA story and vision

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IDEA Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability, in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the organization's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), may contact IDEA Human Resources at (956) 377-8000.