Senior Director, Development & Communications

Senior Director, Development & Communications

Families In Schools

Organization Overview

Families In Schools (FIS) imagines a public education system where parents play a leadership role in their children’s learning and where students, particularly those farthest from opportunity, are set up to succeed in school and in life.

Founded in 2000, FIS is a nonprofit statewide organization based in Los Angeles, California, whose mission is to ensure student success by building authentic partnerships between families, educators, and system leaders, and through parent-led advocacy. In 2024, FIS enters a new chapter, marked by new leadership and a clear, unflinching commitment to excellence and impact. In this new chapter, FIS delivers on its promise to more intentionally connect family engagement as a strategy for improving student outcomes by elevating and addressing an early and critical milestone of student success: reading proficiently by the end of third grade. Both through capacity building efforts and advocacy, FIS will develop and lead an effort in Los Angeles to address the early literacy crisis in Los Angeles and the state.

Position Overview

As Families In Schools enters an exciting phase of growth and impact, we are launching a search for the Senior Director of Development & Communications. This strategic leader will be responsible for managing and overseeing the organization's communication, marketing, and fundraising efforts to ensure continued success and sustainability.

The Senior Director will be tasked with developing and implementing a renewed development strategy, cultivating a diverse donor base, and establishing sustainable fundraising systems and operations. Additionally, this individual will steward the refreshed Families In Schools brand and be skilled at communicating across stakeholder groups to help catalyze a family-led literacy movement throughout Los Angeles.

The ideal candidate is a mission-focused, dynamic, self-directed, and result-oriented professional with expertise in messaging and fundraising. This is a full-time, exempt position reporting directly to the President & CEO.

Key Responsibilities

Fund Development

• Provide fundraising leadership, strategy, and support to the CEO and the Board of Directors
• Develop, lead, and implement annual and long-term development strategies
• Cultivate, grow, and solicit a portfolio of donors and prospects
• Develop and implement a systematic approach to cultivation, stewardship and donor engagement. 
• Oversee the grant proposal writing, submission, and reporting process
• Maintain a working knowledge of best practices and significant developments and trends in philanthropy and adapt strategies as necessary
• Oversee adoption of a CRM/development database and manage database to improve donor research, prospecting, and relationship management
• Actively participate in all Board meetings

Communications

• Oversee the Families In Schools brand, communications, and targeted marketing for growth
• Collaborate across the organization to develop and implement annual and long-term marketing strategies as well as ensure 
• Catalyze a family-led literacy movement in LA through a robust advocacy strategy that advocates a broad coalition of at least twenty unique community organizations and 100 parent ambassadors. 
• Develop a literacy advisory group of early literacy and Science of Reading experts to provide guidance and expertise.  
• Establish and maintain strong systems of communication with school and community partners regarding student progress and the literacy campaign program implementation. 
• Collaborate with English Learner and special needs advocates to ensure that both the campaign, parent education efforts, and classroom instruction are equitable and inclusive of all children’s learning abilities. 
• Collaborate with regional and statewide leaders working on statewide efforts to impact policy on  effective literacy instruction. Ensure that parent voice is at the table. 
• Develop fresh, creative ideas toward enlisting new partners in the campaign. For example, explore with  City Neighborhood Councils a commitment to triple the number of free little libraries in every neighborhood in Los Angeles. 

About You

You have demonstrated experience in development, marketing and communications. You have a deep commitment to educational equity, and closing equity gaps. 

Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience including experience in communications, marketing, and fund development/fundraising. Experience with CRM databases for fundraising and digital marketing platforms.
• A bachelor’s degree in management, communications, public policy, education, or related fields. 

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write compelling grant proposals, solicitations, donor communications, and marketing materials
• A deep commitment to Families In Schools’ mission and approach
• Exceptional people skills and the ability to build trust and a sense of community among staff, senior  leadership, and partners
• A systems-builder who excels at developing organized and efficient workflows across multiple areas
• Strong project manager. Able to work independently, managing a variety of projects and tasks effectively, with minimal oversight.
• Strategic and creative thinker and problem solver
• Culturally competent with the ability to seamlessly adapt in multicultural, multi-ethnic environments. 
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, a plus

Mindsets

• Collaborative: Committed to collaboration, teamwork, and accountability to oneself and others. Committed to building positive relationships with all agency stakeholders, across levels, roles, and functions. 
• Learning Oriented: Demonstrate an openness to feedback and a commitment to learning and improving. 
• Flexible & Adaptable: Embraces change and ambiguity with a positive attitude. Willing to adapt to new situations, challenges, and information. Handles complex situations and environments with resilience.
• Action Oriented: Ability to work in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment while maintaining quality attention to detail
• Trustworthy: Ongoing use of good judgment, tact, and diplomacy in all professional matters. High degree of integrity, strong work ethic and commitment to the efficient and effective use of resources. 

Additional Qualifications

• Willingness to work weekends and evenings, and travel as necessary. 
• Access to a car, possession of a valid driver’s license, and proof of automobile insurance. 

Working at Families In Schools

Families In Schools fosters a mission-driven, collaborative work environment where teamwork,  communication, excellence, quality, integrity, inquiry, and commitment to community are highly valued. We provide  employees with ongoing professional development opportunities through structured learning and training coupled with project assignments that maximize a diverse and high-functioning skill set. 

Location: Los Angeles, California with some statewide travel. Our organization works a hybrid schedule, two days in the office and three days virtually. 

Salary & Benefits: The salary range for the Senior Campaign Director is $95,000-$110,000 commensurate with experience. In addition, we offer a competitive benefits package that includes: 

• Company-paid health insurance for employees and dependents. 
• Vacation, sick and personal time. 
• 401k with employer match. 
• 10-paid holidays per year and a 5-day winter break during the last week of December