Director of Development & Programs, The Maasai Girls Education Fund, Washington, DC

Director of Development & Programs

Posted by: The Maasai Girls Education Fund


The Mission of the Maasai Girls Education Fund is to improve the literacy, health, and economic
well-being of Maasai women in Kenya through education of girls and their communities.

DESCRIPTION


The Maasai Girls Education Fund (MGEF)—www.maasaigirlseducation.org—is a nonprofit
organization headquartered in Washington DC, working in partnership with a Community Based
Organization (CBO) in Kajiado, Kenya. MGEF was founded in 2000 by Barbara Shaw who was
first inspired to personally sponsor the education of one Maasai girl. As of January 2013, MGEF
has enabled 120 girls to attend school. In 2006, MGEF launched its Community Education
Program to address the cultural barriers to girls’ education, and more than 6,000 girls, boys,
women and men have participated.

MGEF started as a volunteer-based organization and hired its first employee in 2011. As
awareness of MGEF grows, so do opportunities to provide more scholarships and expand
the Community Education Program. Program growth will require an experienced Director of
Development & Programs (DDP) to assist in bringing the organization to the next level. The
ideal candidate would be interested in transitioning to the position of Executive Director as
funding becomes available to support such a position.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising

•Work with the President and Board collaboratively to develop a strategic plan to include short-term (during the transition) and long-term goals for the organization, costs associated with the strategic plan, and strategies to meet these goals.
•Raise funds to meet the operational needs of the organization.
•Participate in all levels of fundraising through cultivation of new donors (individuals, foundations and corporations) and increasing support from existing donors.
•Establish and meet fundraising goals with monthly reporting of actual performance vs. goal to the Board.
•Increase the portfolio of donors that offer general operating support for MGEF.

General Management

•Gain familiarity with and significantly assist in managing day-to-day operations.
•Oversee and monitor the organization’s finances and coordinate this work, as appropriate, with the Board’s Audit Committee.
•Improve and oversee organizational procedures and systems with the Board.
•Serve as the point of contact for MGEF student sponsors.
•Support the public relations efforts as an enthusiastic ambassador and spokesperson.

Partnership with MGEF-Kajiado

•MGEF-Kajiado administers all of MGEF’s programs on the ground. This collaborative relationship with the Kajiado CBO is critical and requires almost daily communication between the two organizations. MGEF funds the Kajiado office, and works directly with the staff to design and execute projects and to develop budgets. Travel to Kenya two times per year, for a combined duration of at least 4 weeks, is required.
•Manage reimbursement of Kajiado office expenses (receipts must be provided).

IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have the following experience and qualifications:
•A minimum of three to five years of fundraising experience.
•Commitment to fundraising with measurable success in identifying, cultivating and soliciting major donor gifts and generating other sources of revenue.
•A proven passion for, knowledge of and involvement with global women's issues.
•Demonstrated skills to envision and set strategic direction and create and implement short-term and long-term plans while working in a collaborative manner.
•Strong financial management, business and analytic skills combined with a record of success directing people in a small office environment with limited staff and resources.
•A solid understanding of new media, marketing techniques and the use of emerging technologies to effectively build new audiences.
•A track record as an effective communicator with the presence and credibility to serve as an enthusiastic spokesperson.

Starting salary for the Director of Development & Programs is $40,000 with the opportunity for growth. As noted above, the ideal candidate would be interested in transitioning to the position of Executive Director as funding becomes available.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants may send a letter of interest and resume/CV to fostercpf@aol.com