Business Development Director
Colorado Springs, CO
Full Time
Executive
ChangeLine is a nonprofit civic hub that unlocks, builds, and channels collective power to solve challenges that impact the health of communities in the Pikes Peak region.
We’re in the process of renewing our business model and, over the next several years, will be working to diversify sources of revenue from a heavily grant-focused approach. We are seeking a Business Development Director to build a lean function and an effective process that will help us expand our impact.
The Business Development Director is a new role, designed to build and run the day-to-day operations and systems that will support ChangeLine’s revenue goals. This position will work in ChangeLine’s Colorado Springs office and work across the spectrum of business development and fundraising, from engaging high-level donors and prospects, to updating spreadsheets, and collaborating with colleagues and community partners to test out business development ideas.
Role Expectations and Responsibilities
This is a new position, and as a learning organization, ChangeLine is expecting this hire to feel comfortable in taking risks, failing, and learning from those experiences to help shape the role. In the first six months, this role will be primarily focused on building and managing the business development process, as well as the key relationships needed to be successful. We know that it takes time to build connections with prospective funders and to test business development ideas, and we will work together to set appropriate revenue goals. A more detailed outline of the expectations is below, though these will adapt depending on the skills of the person hired.
Business Development Process (approximately 50%) – the major portion of this role is to build and manage a system and processes that will eventually lead to an increase in ChangeLine’s revenue. There are three components to this portion:
ChangeLine provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
We’re in the process of renewing our business model and, over the next several years, will be working to diversify sources of revenue from a heavily grant-focused approach. We are seeking a Business Development Director to build a lean function and an effective process that will help us expand our impact.
The Business Development Director is a new role, designed to build and run the day-to-day operations and systems that will support ChangeLine’s revenue goals. This position will work in ChangeLine’s Colorado Springs office and work across the spectrum of business development and fundraising, from engaging high-level donors and prospects, to updating spreadsheets, and collaborating with colleagues and community partners to test out business development ideas.
Role Expectations and Responsibilities
This is a new position, and as a learning organization, ChangeLine is expecting this hire to feel comfortable in taking risks, failing, and learning from those experiences to help shape the role. In the first six months, this role will be primarily focused on building and managing the business development process, as well as the key relationships needed to be successful. We know that it takes time to build connections with prospective funders and to test business development ideas, and we will work together to set appropriate revenue goals. A more detailed outline of the expectations is below, though these will adapt depending on the skills of the person hired.
Business Development Process (approximately 50%) – the major portion of this role is to build and manage a system and processes that will eventually lead to an increase in ChangeLine’s revenue. There are three components to this portion:
- Drive the revenue pipeline and process, in collaboration with other leaders, including:
- Identify and prioritize high-level prospects (foundations, government/public sector, corporate partners, individuals) in collaboration with the key leaders and supporters.
- Run regular revenue pipeline meetings to ensure progress to goals, prospect strategy and action steps, and timely management of deadlines and project timelines.
- Model effective prospect strategy and engagement, and coach and prepare others to engage with prospects.
- Maintain a database of prospects and ensure it’s up to date, and that a robust stewardship process is in place.
- Provide staffing support to the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer on their portfolios.
- Coordinate efforts with project teams on grant proposals and reports.
- Own a prospect portfolio – responsible for engaging prospects and investors to contribute to the revenue goals.
- Conduct prospect research and strategy.
- Plan and strategize around prospect predisposition and visits, including engaging colleagues as needed.
- Visit with prospects and make asks, sometimes leading, and sometimes supporting.
- Manage prospect follow-up activities, coordinating with the team as needed.
- Build the department and systems – integrated with ChangeLine’s strategies and priorities, strategically build the function and its systems and processes:
- Build a lean function over the next 2-3 years.
- Prioritize, and begin to build the processes, systems, and tools to support a seamless and simple fundraising operation.
- Build relationships with colleagues to identify and understand projects in need of funding, and opportunities for collaboration.
- Identify sectors, leaders, community groups and initiatives that align with ChangeLine’s mission.
- Prioritize how best to connect with each group, and who on the team is best suited to make that connection.
- Work with colleagues to build a strategy for each connection point, with an eye toward potential partnerships, business development and other opportunities.
- Along with the team, identify potential business and revenue generation ideas to test.
- Work together to create project plans, sometimes leading or facilitating, while identifying and leading improvements to processes and systems.
- Serve as a collaborator for colleagues across the organization on other projects.
- A background in sales or business development management (nonprofit development experience is not necessary). This is someone who enjoys telling a great story, engaging with empathy, and being bold in making asks and getting results. This person wants to make a broader impact in our community, isn’t afraid of failure, and has the persistence to push through obstacles.
- An expert orchestrator of team and process – they have a true knack for facilitating purposeful team meetings that help people move forward and collaborate to remove roadblocks. This is a person who can assess when to zoom in to handle the details, know when to zoom out to connect with what matters, and has a comfort level in using processes and systems to support momentum, while helping team members play to their strengths.
- Competitive about results – not with others, but against their goals. This is the kind of person who collaborates with peers to set challenging but achievable goals, and who creates a game for themselves about how to creatively reach their goals. This person has the judgment to try new ideas and make decisions to move things forward, in service to the larger goals, while bringing in the right people along the way.
- A natural builder – this person has gravitated toward roles that didn’t exist before – often creating opportunities where they have seen possibility. They have several successful “builds” under their belt, always leaving the team or department in a place of stability and sustainability because they can balance both vision and process. This person has a start-up mentality, creating things with minimal resources and direction, and is comfortable to roll up their sleeves to handle details.
- Is a systemic connector – this is someone who is always making unexpected connections between people or groups, who sees opportunities to do more together and can pivot as needed in the moment to do that, and who naturally keeps their own systems to nurture their networks. This person is comfortable bringing people together and facilitating conversations that benefit all stakeholders.
- Aligns with ChangeLine’s commitment to equity and to its values of Disruption, Curiosity, Tenacity, Authenticity, and Co-Creation. This is the kind of person who sees the potential of a diverse group working together to have a bigger impact, is willing to work hard and in collaboration with others and is self-aware and willing to lean into conflict to reach a better solution.
- We take our work seriously, but we laugh hard, celebrate big, and we’re not afraid to challenge the status quo.
- A culture that blends heart, strategy, humor, and values your ideas, input, and well-being.
- Salary range for this full-time position is $85,000 – $95,000 annually depending on experience.
- Medical, Dental, Vision; 401K.
- Generous vacation and sick time; flexible schedule.
- Life insurance, Short- & Long-Term Disability.
ChangeLine provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
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