Deputy Director of Development

Role Overview

Under the guidance of the Director of Development, the Deputy Director of Development ensures that the ACLU of Texas is establishing and strengthening long‑term partnerships with philanthropic entities that contribute to the organization’s revenues: individual and leadership gifts, grants, and membership. The Deputy Director executes strategies to engage donors while externally advancing organizational values and internally aligning with strategic goals. This role supports the Director of Development in managing the Development Department, supervises staff, manages a select portfolio of major donors (individual capacity $25,000+ and institutional capacity $50,000+), and works to diversify donors to support the ACLU of Texas’s racial‑justice goals.

Organizational Overview

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is one of the leading civil‑rights organizations in the Lone Star State. It works in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect and advance the rights of Texans. The ACLU of Texas is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and Brownsville.

Responsibilities

• Management – 45%
  • Directly manages all gift officers and grant strategist positions; hires, sets goals and expectations, and provides evaluation and feedback.
  • Acts as a key partner to the Director of Development on departmental matters and delegated responsibilities.
  • Oversees department integration, culture building, and the organizational culture of philanthropy.
  • Partners with the Director to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and racial‑justice goals within the department, staff, donors, and community.
  • Works with the ACLU national office to ensure effective infrastructure, operations, protocols, accountability measures, performance metrics, and evaluation practices.
  • Collaborates on strategic planning, budgeting, expense tracking, and project planning.
• Donor Engagement Oversight & Implementation – 15%
  • Grows and manages engagement opportunities to advance fundraising‑related strategic goals.
  • Collaborates closely with the Communications Department on external platforms (ACLU News, website, social media, emails, etc.) as they relate to development priorities.
  • Leads conceptualizing, planning, drafting, and editing donor‑focused communications, including impact reports and appeal letters.
  • Manages fundraising events, supervising and coordinating staff and consultants involved.
• Portfolio & Relationship Management – 40%
  • Manages relationships with selected foundations, corporate donors, and event sponsors.
  • Manages a portfolio of approximately 75 individual leadership‑gift donors.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight to ten years of experience in philanthropic or nonprofit fundraising, with at least five years in a management position.
• Experience growing and sustaining major‑gift donor programs and securing six‑figure and complex/blended gifts.
• Experience with program design, assessment, and development of performance metrics and protocols.
• Proven ability to develop strong relationships with a variety of organizational partners.
• Experience managing staff at varying career stages, including performance management, professional development planning, and fostering a team culture aligned with departmental and organizational values.
• Familiarity with “moves management” and “community‑centric fundraising” concepts (preferred).
• Required Skills
  • Interpersonal skills and tact; ability to bring out the best in others.
  • Effective teamwork and collaborative problem‑solving.
  • Understanding of donor motivations to craft appropriate opportunities and communications.
  • Good judgment, attention to detail, dependability, initiative, follow‑through, and punctuality.
  • Discretion with confidential information.
  • Creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and flexibility in program development.
  • Availability for regular travel within Texas, limited travel outside Texas, and occasional weekend/evening events.
• Technical Skills
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
  • Familiarity with project‑management software such as Asana and willingness to learn new tools.
  • Experience with donor database applications.

Compensation

The salary for this position is $125,000.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off policy
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Life and long‑term disability insurance
• Generous paid holidays