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CAL HUMANITIES SEEKS DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Cal Humanities is seeking an innovative, dynamic, skilled, and creative Director of External Affairs in its efforts to diversify the organization’s funding sources and raise the visibility of our work.

We are looking for someone who has a love of the humanities, a deep knowledge of fundraising, and the desire and ability to play a leadership role in building our development program. We recently completed a comprehensive rebranding process and are now focused on creating a more diverse and sustainable funding base. The Director of External Affairs will focus on developing and implementing integrated, strategic development and communications plans for the organization. A majority of the Director of External Affairs’ time will be dedicated to fundraising.

Cal Humanities is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the human condition. This great state that we call home is perhaps the most diverse place on the planet. We at Cal Humanities are in love with this state and its people. We’re in love with the wealth of ideas, experiences, communities, and histories that can be found here. We believe in the way we’re shaped and often made better by the challenges we face, in our sense of adventure and our ability to innovate, in our curious natures, in our fascination with ideas and, most of all, in our capacity to dream. We now seek an individual who is excited by this adventure in the humanities and wishes to join us on the journey.

THE POSITION

Title: Director of External Affairs
Reports to: President & CEO
Supervises: Development Officer, Communications Officer, External Affairs Coordinator

JOB SUMMARY
The Director of External Affairs is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating the execution of integrated fundraising and communication plans to further the mission of Cal Humanities. A member of the Management Team, the Director of External Affairs collaborates with and manages the External Affairs Department to accomplish the below and works with the President & CEO to set the strategic direction for the organization.

LEADERSHIP
• Participate in annual and long-range planning with the President & CEO, management team, and other staff to identify annual and long-range goals and objectives and create comprehensive strategies and operating plans
• Work closely with the President & CEO and Board to develop and execute fundraising and communications plans with quantifiable goals and objectives and an integrative approach to development, communications, and programming
• Manage and motivate the External Affairs team towards completion of annual and long-term goals and activities
• Significantly contribute, through participation on the management team, to the ongoing development and improvement of organizational policies, practices, and strategies

FUND DEVELOPMENT
• Create annual and long-term fundraising plans and prioritize, implement, manage, and evaluate fundraising activities which include: an annual giving campaign, special events, planned giving, and institutional gifts from foundations, corporations, and government sources
• Develop and manage an individual donor, major gifts, and planned giving program
• Work closely with the President & CEO to engage the Board in fundraising strategies, to increase the Board’s fundraising capacity and effectiveness, and to actively involve Board members in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual major donors
• Develop and coordinate messaging and materials relevant to fundraising efforts
• Develop, implement, and manage fundraising mailings and mailing list and electronic listserv growth and maintenance
• Develop, implement, and manage grant writing and coordination of proposal submissions and funder reports, communication, and compliance
• Create, manage, and implement annual advocacy plans to maintain and secure government funding

COMMUNICATIONS
• Create, manage, and implement annual strategic communications plans to raise the visibility of Cal Humanities, its programs, and its interests
• Provide strategic leadership around and creative input into efforts to enhance Cal Humanities' identity and visibility
• Ensure that the organization's main messages are consistently and effectively conveyed and that its credibility as a trustworthy source of information is maintained
• Lead long-term planning and implementation of integrated, strategic, multi-phasic, multi-platform media campaigns
• Provide strategic direction and creative input into: 1) communications efforts, including the written, visual, and narrative aspects of print, interactive, and traditional media-based communications; and 2) improving the Cal Humanities website and other internet-based communications, including use of social networking tools
• Develop processes for growing, segmenting, and updating press and organizational contact lists
• Create, manage, and implement annual advocacy plans to raise organizational visibility and build relationships with government officials

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS
• Keep CEO abreast of External Affairs developments and issues of a strategic nature
• Collaborate with other staff members in order to facilitate effective inter-departmental communication, cooperation, planning, and project execution
• Represent Cal Humanities to a variety of constituents, including philanthropic decision makers, advisors, partners, consultants, grantees, and the public
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with individuals, foundations, organizations, and government institutions to further External Affairs goals and the mission of Cal Humanities

The ideal candidate will have:
- An understanding of and deep appreciation for the humanities
- A successful track record soliciting gifts of $10,000 or more
- Experience soliciting foundation and corporate donors for support and sponsorship
- Experience planning and executing successful strategic communications campaigns that include: clear goals, long-term and short-term objectives, multiple outlets and platforms, and multiple target audiences
- Experience making the case for the importance of the humanities
- A leadership style that is dynamic and promotes collaboration, accountability, and mutual support

WHAT WE STAND FOR

We believe that the humanities are valuable and necessary. They help us explore that which binds us together and also makes each of us unique—the magic and mystery of being human. Through the power of literature, we gain insight and empathy. History’s lens lets us better understand the present and improve the world in which we live. Critical inquiry skills help us make sense of our experiences and become engaged lifelong learners. The humanities are not only a means for elevating the quality of our lives—they are truly vital for a healthy society.

An independent non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, we were founded in 1975 and have grown and evolved over the years. We produce, fund, create, and support humanities-based projects and programs, eye-opening experiences, and meaningful conversations. Our audience is as diverse as the 38 million people from every corner of the globe that make up our state.

Our mission: to connect Californians to ideas and one another in order to understand our shared heritage and diverse cultures, inspire civic participation, and shape our future.

Our long-term vision: Californians possess the knowledge, understanding, respect, and empathy to create a more thoughtful, open, and just state.

We are committed to asking and exploring questions that matter, to striving for greater understanding and insight, to finding meaning, and to building the bridges, partnerships, skills, and opportunities that can make California a state of open mind.

We are passionate about our current work, and we’re looking for a Director of External Affairs who is excited by our programs and initiatives.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

You can read more about us and our work and see copies of our recent publications at our website, www.calhum.org.

This position is located in San Francisco. Candidates must be willing to travel occasionally as part of their work. Cal Humanities is an equal opportunity employer that values a diverse staff.

Cal Humanities offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package for its employees.

How to Apply: Please email a letter of interest and résumé as file attachments to: jobs@calhum.org. Include “Director of External Affairs” in subject line of email. Priority will be given to candidates who apply by April 15, 2013. No phone calls, please.