Job Openings
Manager of Donor Impact – Chicago
Guitars Over Guns’ Chicago region is seeking a young, dynamic leader to fill its first Manager of Donor Impact role. The person who fills this founding role will join a successful non-profit organization with ambitious regional goals and will be mentored by our National Director of Advancement & Donor Impact in Miami. Given the support and training we plan to offer, along with the tremendous potential for growth we see in Chicago, we expect to build our regional development efforts around this individual.
The Manager of Donor Impact must share a passion for education and the arts, skill in connecting and engaging individuals, and a critical lens on Chicago, with deep ties to its neighborhoods, assets, and challenges.
ABOUT GUITARS OVER GUNS:
Guitars Over Guns (“GOGO”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers students from our most vulnerable communities a powerful combination of music education and mentorship with professional musicians to help them overcome hardship, find their voice, and reach their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. Since 2008, GOGO has increased the academic achievement and engagement for over 5,000 students.
Currently, GOGO Chicago is operating on a $850,000 budget generated through philanthropic revenue and grants. This past program year we served 323 youth in 12 programs in Chicago and anticipate the number of students to increase to 400 this year.
The Manager of Donor Impact will be a key partner to the Chicago Regional Director, the National Director of Advancement & Donor Impact, and Chicago board leadership to collaborate and implement strategies to achieve ambitious annual goals. Our fundraising work will take advantage of GOGO’s reputation as an organization that effectively cultivates, engages, and retains an increasing roster of individual and institutional donors.
This is not a desk job. This position is all about relationships, both internally and in the community. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is passionate about the work and the opportunity to have a huge impact on the organization. This role will require a self-starter that can be public facing and autonomous and desires a seat at the leadership table. There will be opportunities and incentives for professional growth, both in the position and in building a team. Our work environment is fast-paced but fun, casual but professional, and very upbeat. We do serious work but having a sense of humor and a genuine desire to find joy in what we do lies at the core of our values.
POSITION PRIORITIES:
- Lead the coordination of the development of Chicago’s annual fundraising plan to support our programs, and in alignment with strategic objectives.
- Major gifts: identify, cultivate, and solicit gifts from Chicago major donors, working with the Regional Director and Board of Directors as appropriate. Ensure implementation of the stewardship plan and increase donor relations.
- Institutional Giving: manage and increase a portfolio of annual grants from corporate, government, and foundation sources. Work with the grant writer on applications and reports in a timely manner, and research new funding opportunities.
- Events: Identify, secure and assist hosts for house concerts and virtual events to cultivate major donors. Invite and cultivate major and potential donors at programmatic GOGO events.
- Communications and Collateral materials: Coordinate with communications agency to help produce fundraising materials, website content and monthly newsletter.
NATURALLY WIRED:
- Passion for raising funds for an organization that inspires youth and creates change
- Skill in connecting and engaging individuals from all backgrounds and levels within the organization and the community
- Solutions-oriented thinker who is not afraid to ‘leave the box’ for ideas
- Deep understanding of Chicago’s communities, assets, and challenges
- Highly attentive to detail and meeting deadlines
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities and a diverse workload, while achieving results
- Enjoys taking the initiative to meet new people
CONTACT:
Tiffany Cannava, Director of Advancement & Donor Impact: tiffany@guitarsoverguns.org
Communications and Development Manager – Miami
ABOUT GUITARS OVR GUNS:
Guitars Over Guns is a nationally recognized, award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is challenging the perception of what is possible for youth who experience the power of music-based mentorship. We provide after-school and community-based programming at no cost to youth from Miami and Chicago’s most vulnerable communities, pairing our students with professional musician mentors who guide them through their artistic, academic, and personal development. Since 2008, GOGO has increased the academic achievement and engagement for over 5,000 students. This past program year, our Miami region served 606 youth in 25 unique school and community-based programs throughout Miami-Dade County. Visit guitarsoverguns.org to learn more.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
Guitars Over Guns (“GOGO”) is seeking a creative, personable and proactive rock star with the ability to multi-task and collaborate across departments in our Miami, FL office.* The Communications and Development Manager reports to the CEO, with coaching and in collaboration with our national Director of Communications and Director of Advancement & Donor Impact. This role is ideal for a young, dynamic leader who shares a passion for education and the arts, skill in connecting and engaging individuals, deep ties to the Miami or Chicago community, and a natural gift for writing, storytelling and visual design.
The Communications and Development Manager will be a key partner to our regional and national staff as we implement strategies to achieve ambitious annual goals. While marketing and communications is the focus of the job, we are highly interested in candidates whose “can-do” attitude and creative, curious spirit will allow them to gain new skills in development and fundraising through intensive coaching on the job. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker who can help develop and implement a robust marketing plan that meshes with our fundraising ambitions and on-the-ground programming, cultivating long-lasting relationships that build community and provide value.
This role will require a self-starter comfortable being in the public eye and working autonomously, while also thriving in a teamwork-driven environment with the ability to collaborate with a variety of individuals and working styles. There will be opportunities and incentives for professional growth, both in the position and in building a team. Our work environment is fast-paced but fun, casual but professional, and very upbeat. We do serious work but having a sense of humor and a genuine desire to find joy in what we do lies at the core of our values.
*For the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, our team is working remotely through Zoom Video Conference.
POSITION PRIORITIES:
- Marketing strategy: Work with our CEO, Director of Communications and Director of Advancement & Donor Impact to develop and implement a forward-thinking marketing plan that engages a local and national audience of community stakeholders. Increase brand recognition in the region and nationally.
- Marketing assets & data: Support the Communication Agency’s work through copywriting, graphic design and digital analytics, including: social media, website collateral, and monthly eblasts. Analyze campaign data to hone best practices.
- Events: Identify, secure and assist hosts for house concerts and virtual events to cultivate major donors. Invite and cultivate major and potential donors at programmatic GOGO events. Support marketing efforts for major annual fundraising events.
- Creative storytelling: Our ability to connect is in our ability to tell our story. The ability to tell the story of Guitars Over Guns visually, digitally, and in-person will be a key lever in our success. Capturing and representing that story through the lens of our students, mentors, and stakeholders is imperative.
- Development mindset: Work hand in hand with the fundraising team, managing messaging and communications to cultivate and steward donors.
NATURALLY WIRED:
- Passion for telling the story of an organization that inspires youth and creates change
- Skill in connecting and engaging individuals from all backgrounds and levels within the organization and the community
- Solutions-oriented thinker who is not afraid to ‘leave the box’ for ideas
- Deep understanding of Miami’s communities, assets, and challenges
- Highly attentive to detail and meeting deadlines
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Skill in graphic design and strong visual branding
- Ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities and a diverse workload, while achieving results
- Enjoys taking the initiative to meet new people
CONTACT:
Please send a cover letter, resume, and marketing collateral sample to Carly Gordon, Special Assistant to the President/CEO: carly@guitarsoverguns.org