DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
POSITION PROFILE
ABOUT US
Free to Run’s mission is to advance gender equity globally through running. We are a U.S. registered nonprofit/nongovernmental organization that has been operating community-led programs for adolescent girls and young women since 2014. We are known for delivering long-term, youth-led, progressive running, leadership, rights, and health programs directly to girls and young women living in protracted conflict zones. However, the longer-term impact of our work is building enduring social change - decreasing barriers to public participation, increasing women in leadership, and making power structures more equitable and inclusive. Free to Run identifies as an organization working at the intersections of feminism, human rights, development, and humanitarian interventions.
The organization is in a position of significant growth, in terms of our strategy, reach, impact, and operating budget. In 2024, we embarked on a new three-year strategic plan that positions us to reach 50,000 people by 2026. We will meet this goal through our work across three strategic pillars: direct service (EMPOWER), capacity building for local, women-led NGOs (EQUIP), and building a global movement of activists who are passionate about gender equity and running (MOVE).
POSITION OVERVIEW
A new role to the organization, the Development Officer is responsible for identifying, building, and managing a (new) portfolio of trust, foundation, and grant funders from identification to stewardship, developing high-quality proposals, budgets, and reports. Alongside ownership of this portfolio, the Development Officer will support the broader Free to Run with prospect research and assist with applications and reports for institutional/transformational funders.
This position offers a high degree of flexibility and would suit a proactive self-starter with a strong ability to self-manage to achieve goals and a demonstrated passion for the work of Free to Run. This is an exciting opportunity to build and grow a previously untapped revenue stream for Free to Run from the ground up. This role reports to the Director of Development and Communications and is a part-time (20 hours per week), fully remote position that may require occasional travel.
CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES
1) Create and manage a portfolio of trust and foundation donors at the 4- to 5-figure level (60%)
Take primary responsibility for developing, growing, and building strong relationships with a portfolio of trust/foundation/grant funders through the full donor cycle
Take an active role in meeting and exceeding annual income targets by developing strategies to maximize foundation and grant funding, regularly assessing progress, and reporting to senior management
Develop a formal pipeline of foundation funding opportunities for Free to Run
Develop compelling, high-quality funding applications tailored to donor requirements, leveraging program data and impact narratives
Work with the Programs team to oversee budget tracking and reporting requirements for grants, ensuring accurate fund allocation, compliance with donor requirements, and timely submission of financial and impact reports
Collaborate with the global Free to Run team to identify and develop new funding opportunities and projects
2) Support the process of donor qualification and prospect research (15%)
Use research tools to support the ED and Development Team with prospect research for individuals, family foundations, and other prospective funders
3) Provide support to the Free to Run team with institutional grant applications (20%)
Monitor grant tracking tools to identify and qualify new opportunities for institutional or transformational grants
Keep up to date with the funder landscape and giving trends across multiple geographies
Support the ED and Programs team with the development of grant applications, project budgets, or other related materials where needed
Work with internal stakeholders to lead organizational grant tracking within the donor database (Every Action), ensuring accurate documentation of all interactions, proposals, and gifts
4) Engage with the Free to Run Team (5%)
Participate in weekly 1 on 1 meetings with manager
Participate in performance planning, goal setting, and evaluation activities
Liaise with key staff across functions of this position
Attend team meetings and participate in strategic planning and evaluation meetings
LOCATION
The Development Officer position is a fully remote position that can be done from anywhere in the world, with an expectation of flexibility to attend regular meetings with donors and colleagues in global time zones. Travel may be required occasionally to attend fundraising events or organizational/donor meetings.
WORKING HOURS
The Development Officer position is a part-time role, estimated at 20 hours per week with a high degree of flexibility. Due to the global nature of the organization’s business, working hours may occasionally fluctuate outside regular core hours to attend meetings or support resource mobilization efforts as needed.
COMPENSATION
Compensation at Free to Run is aligned with the market rate in the candidate’s geographic location of residence and benchmarked against comparable roles. For example, full-time equivalent ranges for this role may include:
Boulder, Colorado: $45,000 - $50,000 USD pro rata
London, UK: £32,000 to £35,000 GBP pro rata
Amman, Jordan: 20,00 to 26,000 JOD pro rata
Benefits include paid time off for public holidays and 10-20 vacation days (aligned with norms and laws in the country of residence), 10 personal health days, a technology stipend, and discounted pro deals on outdoor gear and apparel.
EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES
Below is what we are looking for as we evaluate applications. Candidates don’t need to have all these experiences and competencies but should be able to display strengths across multiple areas.
Language:
English (full fluency required - written and spoken)
Experience:
3+ years of fundraising experience for nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations with a specific focus on trusts, foundations, and/or grant writing
A demonstrable track record of developing long-term relationships with funding organizations and/or major donors
Experience in prospect identification, research, and qualification
Experience creating compelling funding applications and associated project budgets
Familiarity with the funding and donor landscape in North America and experience working with donors in the US
A general understanding of funding mechanisms across geographies and how this may impact gift eligibility for a US-registered non-profit
Skills and Competencies
Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to write compelling and persuasive cases for support
Ability to convey passion for social justice, gender equity, and the power of running/hiking/outdoor sport in a powerful way
Ability to think creatively and spot opportunities for new or increased funding
A results-oriented mindset with the ability to self-organize, meet deadlines, and deliver on goals
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic, religious, sexual orientation, gender, and generational backgrounds
Interest in international girls’, women’s, and human rights or running/outdoor sports
Free to Run is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We don’t just accept differences — we celebrate, support and thrive on them for the benefit of our team, our programs, and our organizational strength. We are proud to be an affirmative action employer, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion of ALL people in our hiring and employment practices. We encourage applications from people who have non-dominant identities based on race, ethnicity, migration status, ability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, etc.
TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION
Please prepare a cover letter and CV/resume in PDF form and submit your application via the form below. Contact info@freetorun.org if you have any challenges with your submission.
This call for applications is intended to be open until December 31, 2024. We will close it once we have a significant pool of candidates who have expressed interest. We will be contacting applicants on a rolling basis between submission and the close of the application process.