TITLE: Development & Communications Director
STATUS: Full-time; Exempt
COMPENSATION: $70,000 to $72,000 annually
BENEFITS: Employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance; generous paid vacation, sick leave, and floating holidays; Employee Assistance Program; and employee investment into Oregon Saves.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: This position supervises the Development Assistant
UNION REPRESENTATION: This position will supervise represented staff but is not represented by Communications of the World America (CWA) Local 7901. As a member of management, the Development Director may participate in bargaining and contract management, providing input for labor relations and supporting an effective relationship between both parties.
About Street Roots
Founded in 1999, Street Roots is a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to creating income opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty. As a member of the International Network of Street Papers, Street Roots is one of 30 similar publications in the U.S. and part of a global network of 90 papers. We produce an award-winning weekly newspaper featuring in-depth reporting on social, political, economic and environmental justice issues, with content contributed by professional journalists, community members, and advocacy organizations. 100 vendors each week and 400 vendors throughout a year (Independent Contractors) experiencing homelessness and poverty purchase newspapers at a nominal cost and sell them on the streets of Portland, keeping the profits as a source of income and financial stability. Over the years, the organization has expanded its impact beyond the newspaper, launching programs such as the Rose City Resource Guide, the Ambassador Program and recently, the Vendor Facilities program offering laundry and showers. Street Roots also plays a pivotal role in advocacy efforts, influencing policies such as the Portland Street Response plan. Committed to remaining a vital force in the community, Street Roots continues to strive for meaningful social change and economic empowerment.
Position Summary
The Development Director will strategically sustain and grow Street Roots’ organizational income and community support by seeking opportunities, building and strengthening relationships with individuals and groups, effectively managing both strategic vision and details, and collaborating with staff, board members, and volunteers.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Lead strategy and implementation of development efforts
- In collaboration with the Executive Director, Development Assistant, and Board Development Committee, draft and implement an annual development plan that includes individual donors, foundations, events, sponsorships, and newspaper ad sales.
- In collaboration with the Executive Director, build and sustain relationships with various funders and program officers to connect Street Roots to the local landscape.
- Function as the conductor of donor relations, ensuring donors feel connected to Street Roots and activating the Executive Director and Board members to engage in stewardship.
- Regularly engage with major donors so they hear from Street Roots leadership, receive updates on program impacts, and know how to support the agency.
- Direct the Street Roots contracted grant writer, ensuring they have access to information, program staff, and grant portals to effectively gain foundation income and fulfill grant reports.
- Plan and coordinate Street Roots’ annual event, striving to meaningfully engage vendors (individuals who sell the paper) in ways that reflect their contributions to the organization.
- Conduct sponsorship outreach and solicitation for Street Roots' Rose City Resource Guide (bi-annual sponsorship cycle) and the annual event, and engage with the community to seek sponsorship opportunities and other forms of support from businesses, faith communities, and community groups.
- Help shape advertising income strategy with Development Assistant and oversee prospecting, outreach, and sales.
- With the Executive Director, support the Board Development Committee by organizing meetings and agendas, sharing responsibility, and communicating consistently.
Marketing and communications
- Solely responsible for the marketing and communications of the organization, apart from Editorial, with support from Development Assistant. This role will manage all external communications, advertising and marketing projects for the organization.
- Draft Street Roots’ organizational and fundraising communications using email marketing and social media to convey the agency’s mission, values, and impact on the community.
- Create and implement communications plans for each fundraising campaign throughout the year, using creative and diverse strategies to engage and build our audience.
- Work with the Development Assistant to ensure that our various opportunities to support the agency’s programs are communicated as far and wide as possible.
- Use analytic data to track what strategies are working and where there are opportunities for improvement.
- In collaboration with the Editorial Program’s Digital Producer, steward the Street Roots’ website so that both our journalism and our organization are communicated effectively. This role is responsible for directing and creating content related to fundraising efforts and organizational updates and information.
Program management and administration
- Supervise the Development Assistant, providing effective support and professional development so their skills deepen and they understand their responsibilities.
- Ensure the well-being of the donor database is maintained and/or improved so that it can act as an up-to-date hub of information for campaign progress and donor contacts.
- Work with contracted and external support, including venue staff, current mail house, website developers, and other development professionals who support Street Roots on a project basis.
- In collaboration with the Leadership Team, inform and plan for the annual budget and regularly review progress on income goals and expense limits.
- Stay engaged as an active member of Street Roots’ Leadership Team, supporting and collaborating across the whole organization to strengthen our work culture to support communication, responsibility, and conflict resolution.
- When available, collaborate with other Leadership Team members by supporting their program teams as needed.
All staff are asked to participate in the following organizational responsibilities
- Support ongoing work to integrate equity perspectives and structures into all aspects of organizational operations, planning, and work. This may include participation in training, work groups, and committees as available.
- Participate and take turns in needed support roles for staff meetings, all staff retreats, board communication, and community building. This may include facilitation, research, writing, reporting, and supporting the building and maintenance of an inclusive workplace environment and culture.
- Support the recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding of new SR employees.
- Provide feedback for other SR employees through the annual performance evaluation process.
- Help advance the mission of the organization by promoting and advocating for our work when appropriate.
Core Competencies:
- Demonstrated experience in nonprofit fundraising, specifically has been responsible for designing at least one full annual development plan and led at least three annual appeal campaigns.
- Organized and executed two or more annual fundraising events.
- Previous experience with supervising others, which can include volunteer coordination and support.
- Proficiency in Google Suite products.
- Proficiency in Salesforce or other CRM.
- Sufficient design skills to build consistent branding in social media and newsletter communications.
- Exceptionally dependable with time, records, and money.
- Previous demonstrated experience with social media and/or email marketing (Mailchimp preferred).
- Organized with strong attention to detail.
- Collaborative nature with a high capacity for working effectively in a team setting.
- This role is primarily self-directed with the thought partnership of the Executive Director. Therefore, this person will be required to establish their own goals and milestones while managing their own work progress.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and commitment to teamwork, communicating regularly and clearly with the Executive Director and all Street Roots staff.
- Ability to create authentic, effective relationships that center empathy, openness, and curiosity with people from different racial, cultural, and class backgrounds, especially people experiencing poverty and houselessness.
Preferred Competencies:
Understanding of Community Centric Fundraising and how to apply it to development efforts.
Send an email with your cover letter and resume to admin@streetroots.org with ‘Development & Communications Director’ in the subject line. In your cover letter, please share your experiences related to the core competencies of leading development plans, appeal campaigns, and fundraising events, as well as your experience supervising others. We would also appreciate knowing why you’re drawn to working with Street Roots.
Research shows that women, trans, non-binary, BIPOC, and other historically marginalized people may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed qualification. We recognize that lived experience and nontraditional pathways can bring valuable skills. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and welcome candidates from all backgrounds.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. References will be requested of our final candidates.