The Problem is Global... and Not Exclusive to Our Associations

The question “When do we hire our first development officer/director?” and the accompanying tension between executive management and the board is not a local issue; it is a global pattern seen in most nonprofit organizations: management cites the board's lack of engagement in fundraising, while some board members believe the solution lies in hiring a development specialist. This article provides a practical framework for decision-making and transforming hiring into a successful investment rather than a new burden—with executive appendices suitable for our local context and the growth of associations.

Who is Joan Garry? (A Brief Introduction to the Author)

  • Joan Garry began her career as part of the launch team for MTV in 1981, and then held senior executive positions at Showtime Networks.
  • In 1997, she transitioned to the nonprofit sector as the executive director of GLAAD (one of the largest LGBTQ rights organizations in the United States), which was then in a severe financial crisis; she led a transformation that made the organization a tangible media presence and influence.
  • After GLAAD, she worked in political fundraising and took on leadership roles in national boards, then founded Joan Garry Consulting, where she trains leaders from major organizations and supports leadership transitions.
  • She is the author of Joan Garry’s Guide To Nonprofit Leadership (second edition published in 2020), and the founder of Nonprofit Leadership Lab, which supports thousands of leaders in small organizations.
  • Her blog reaches over 100,000 leaders monthly, and her podcast Nonprofits Are Messy has garnered millions of listens.
  • She served as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, is a graduate of Fordham University, and resides in New Jersey.

Summary of the Introduction: Joan merged her media and business experience with realistic nonprofit leadership, producing practical principles that assist organizations—especially emerging ones—in building development as a relationships function and shared responsibility.

First Idea: “It Takes Money to Make Money”

  • The central lesson: Before hiring, ensure funding that covers the salary for at least a year. Some leaders raise several years in advance as a smarter strategy to ensure sustainability.
  • What must be completely rejected: the logic of “Kiss of Death” that states: “We hire a development specialist, and revenues will immediately rise to cover the salary.”
  • The reality: Development is a relationship venture, not a transactional one; it takes time for the employee to build trust and develop a pathway. There may be an increase in the first year, but it is a hope rather than an expectation.

Local Application (for Emerging Associations)

  • Include salary items in a realistic and feasible annual budget, and do not start hiring if there is no clear funding pathway.
  • Consider hiring as a foundational investment for the initial stages of development, not as a “quick fix for gaps.”

Second Idea: Managing High Expectations… Before Announcing the Position

  • The hidden risk: The board may believe that hiring a development specialist exempts them from their role in opening doors and building relationships.
  • What is required from the leadership (board chair and executive director): A clear message that accountability for the board will increase, not decrease.

Talking Points Ready for the Board

  1. Hiring enhances the board's role in opening doors and building relationships.
  2. The executive director remains the development leader in partnership with the board.
  3. We assess success by relationship and pipeline indicators, not by immediate cash received.

Third Idea: Three Questions Before Starting the Hiring Process

  1. Is there a “development champion” on the board?

    A passionate and articulate person who promotes the organization and leads a culture of giving. If found, place them immediately on the development committee.

  2. Can the development committee become a “peer accountability platform”?

    Its role should empower the board to: open doors, engage new faces, give and solicit—not monitor staff.

  3. Is the executive director ready for a higher level of accountability?

    The success of hiring depends on the personal engagement of the executive director in development and dedicating quality time to it.

Fourth Idea: You Have One Hire... What’s the Best Job Description?

  • “Not too senior, not too junior.”
  • Avoid the title Director if there aren’t teams being managed yet; the most suitable title is often Manager who leads operations and connects the board and executive management.
  • Until resources grow, the executive director remains the development leader in partnership with the board.

Overview of the Proposed Job Description (with Executive Templates)

Proposed Title: Development Manager.

Purpose: To build a sustainable relationship pipeline leading to voluntary revenue generation.

Key Responsibilities

  • Serve as the “Chief of Staff” for development alongside the executive director and board.
  • Manage development operations: database, annual calendar, tracking opportunities, reporting.
  • Prepare the executive director for interviews and visits and encourage them to make well-considered asks for support.
  • Research potential donors and segment them into tiers and communication plans.
  • Coordinate with the development champion on the board to equip members with what they need to succeed.

Profile (Competencies and Behaviors)

  • Attention to detail, and proven experience with volunteers.
  • Assertiveness without aggression; respect for authority without submission.
  • Passionate dedication to the organization and its mission.

Ready Operational Plan (Locally Adaptable)

A. First 90 Days

  • Quick readiness audit: development budget, donor management/CRM system, acceptance and thank-you policies, and reporting.
  • Stakeholder mapping: board, current donors, potential partners, local influencers.
  • Build a preliminary list of 50 entities/individuals categorized by likelihood of support and gift size.
  • Activate a “smart thank-you” mechanism: immediate messages + personal follow-up within 30-45 days.

B. From 90 to 180 Days

  • Launch a quarterly communication calendar: brief newsletters, impact stories, regular visits.
  • Train board members on “opening doors” and storytelling for impact.
  • Establish bi-monthly meetings for the executive director with potential donors.

C. From 6 to 12 Months

  • Build a staged pipeline: awareness/interest/experience/ask/stewardship.
  • Host a targeted mini-event (Salon) for 15-25 high-interest stakeholders.
  • Secure sponsorship/partnership agreements with 2-3 local companies aligned with the mission.

Proposed Performance Indicators (Locally Adjustable):

  • Number of high-quality monthly meetings with potential donors.
  • Growth in the database (qualified entries + data completeness).
  • Number of doors opened by board members.
  • Percentage adherence to the thank-you and follow-up plan within specified timelines.
  • Value of multi-year commitments (if applicable).

Essential Preparations Before Announcing the Position

  • Budget covering at least 12 months.
  • Tracking system (even if simple) for managing relationships and opportunities.
  • Gift acceptance policy along with transparency, thank-you, and reporting conditions.
  • RACI role descriptions: Who asks? Who opens doors? Who follows up? Who approves?
  • Unified key messages: a concise impact story, clear funding priorities, sponsorship packages (if any).

Hiring Interviews: Questions That Reveal the “Work Style”

  • Tell us about a situation where you quickly built trust with volunteers/board. How did you do that?
  • An example of an innovative tracking system you created to ensure opportunities don’t “slip through the cracks.”
  • How did you push an executive director to get out in the field with specific asks for support?
  • Share with us a failure that you turned into a valuable lesson in development.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Expecting immediate fundraising to cover the salary within a few months.
  • Handing off the entire development file to the new employee and removing the board from the equation.
  • Launching the title “Director” without a proper team or budget in place.
  • Measuring success by cash receipts alone instead of quality of relationships and pipeline.

What Readers Have Said? And Why It Matters to Us?

  1. A reader expressed gratitude for the insights, stating they will use the points in their board conversation: Evidence of the importance of clear messaging to the board.
  2. A VISTA volunteer asked: How do we quickly build trust and increase accountability? The lesson: Trust is built through clear rules of engagement and distributed responsibilities, not “imposed”.
  3. A director hired the first development and communications manager and eliminated a marketing position to fund it; she is simultaneously working on the local board’s engagement and building a development committee—message: The supportive environment is part of the solution.
  4. A reader said: “This came at the perfect timing”—indicating that the decision window might be short and should be seized with a clear plan.

Saudi Context: How Do We Turn the Concept into Daily Practice?

  • In light of the growth of associations, it is advisable to start early in building a culture of development within the board: identifying a development champion, and activating a development committee with a clear monthly agenda.
  • The first development hire is not a magic wand; it is a hub that coordinates the efforts of the board and management, manages operations, and leads learning.
  • Focus in the first year on quality of relationships, field visits, and documented impact stories; these build local trust and attract supporters in the medium term.

Brief Arabic Job Description Template (Copyable and Editable)

Title: Development Manager

Objective: To establish and operate the development function and build a sustainable relationship pipeline to fund the organization’s priorities.

Tasks:

  • Manage and evaluate development operations, tools, and reports.
  • Prepare the executive director and board for meetings and support requests visits.
  • Research and qualify potential donors and develop their communication plans.
  • Coordinate the development committee and activate the role of development champion on the board.
  • Implement thank-you and follow-up policies and reporting for funders.

Requirements:

  • Practical experience in managing volunteers and working with boards.
  • High organization, excellent communication, and constructive assertiveness.
  • Passion for the organization’s mission and ability to tell the story of impact.

Performance Indicators (Determined Annually):

  • Number of doors opened by the board.
  • Number of qualitative meetings completed monthly.
  • Growth of the database and its data quality.
  • Adherence to the timelines for thank-you and follow-up.
  • Value of commitments and agreements in the closing phase.

Finally: Why Success Begins Before Posting the Job Announcement?

Because the most successful hiring in development is less about the resume and more about the stage set around it: a realistic budget, a board that takes its role, an executive director present in the field, and a simple system that captures opportunities and prevents them from slipping away. Only then does hiring become a sustainability lever, not just an additional item in expenses.

Original article source:https://joangarry.com/first-development-hire/