Careers

Current Job Openings

Development and Investor Relations Director

Special Projects Assistant (Contract)

Development and Investor Relations Director

Black Farmer Fund seeks its first full-time Development & Investor Relations Director to support our individual, investor, and philanthropic fundraising strategies. This person will be responsible for the fundraising goals of an annual operating budget of $3M and managing investor relations for a $20M integrated capital fund. The position will manage most aspects of the development cycle including prospecting, soliciting, cultivating and stewarding donors/investors and philanthropic institutions. The Development & Investor Relations Director will also lead grant writing and reporting within the organization. A qualified candidate will have experience managing a portfolio of donors/investors, designing and implementing targeted fundraising strategies, practicing sound data management, grant writing and collaborating across teams.

This is a remote, full-time position requiring 10% travel for in-person events and workshops. This position may require work outside of standard business hours. The ideal candidate must reside in the Northeast with a preference for applicants residing in the NYC metro area.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership-15%

• Develop and strengthen BFF’s fundraising infrastructure to ensure efficient and effective support for individual giving and institutional giving

• Work as a member of the leadership team to refine our approach to giving and establish strategies that are in-line with Black Farmer Fund’s Fundraising Values & Principles;

Individual Giving- 40%

• Support the development of a comprehensive, multi-year individual donor strategy with annual raise goals

• Serve as the point of contact for individual donors;

• Organize (virtual and in person) events to establish and maintain relationships with potential donors

• Recommend new engagement opportunities for donors and implement best practices for attracting future supporters;

• Develop partnerships and collaborations with values aligned institutions and organizations that may provide financial or social capital to Black Farmer Fund

• Lead the planning and execution of prospective fundraising events, including the securing sponsorship

Philanthropic Institutional Management -30%

• With support of team, responsible for leading proposal writing (foundations, government), reporting and

• Through prospectus research of donors and philanthropic institutions, develop database of potential institutional donors that align with the work of Black Farmer Fund

• Prepare materials for leadership to be informed prior to fundraising calls and events

• Represent Black Farmer Fund in external spaces connected to donor stewardship

• Collaborate with the Operations department to maintain accurate records and reports in the Salesforce donor database, tracking cultivation and stewardship activities, reporting deadlines and progress to goals;

Investor Relations- 15%

• Serve as the point of contact for investors for BFF Fund 2.0;

• Support the Investment Director & Communications Team in generating BFF Fund 2.0 reporting;

• Convey credibility and expertise in advising investors on confidential and complex philanthropic planning matters;

• Ensure that investors to the fund are stewarded and consistently engaged through the development of biannual impact reports;

Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of direct fundraising and/or direct donor/investor relationship experience required;

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing fundraising campaigns and developing community partnerships;

• Demonstrated experience developing sound donor strategies, including using research and additional supporting materials;

• Demonstrated experience working with individual investors and/or investment firms;

• Knowledge of current philanthropic landscape and proven ability to build and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders, donors and board members while maintaining discretion;

• Expertise or strong experience designing and pulling custom reports and creating dashboards and portfolios using Salesforce;

• Familiarity with prospecting research tools (e.g. DonorSearch, WealthEngine)

• Ability to effectively communicate the work of Black Farmer Fund in a personable, passionate and engaging manner;

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including experience with grant writing and proposal development;

• A commitment to solidarity economy values, such as racial, economic, and climate justice, cooperative ownership and systems change;

• A strong preference for candidates with experience in the field of agriculture and/or development;

• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;

• Ability to work independently and efficiently in a remote work setting;

• Experience and demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook), Google Drive and online meeting tools, such as Zoom;

• Experience with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Slack);

JOB DETAILS

• $115,000-$125,000 depending on experience;

• Reports directly to Co-Executive Director, Melanie Allen;

• Remote, full-time position (must reside in the Northeast) with 10% travel for in-person events and workshops;

• Benefits include generous PTO; two paid organizational breaks; self-care stipend; work from home stipend; professional development stipend; IRA employer match; comprehensive medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage; FSA/HSA plans, and varied eligibility of OneMedical, TalkSpace, Teladoc

Special Projects Assistant (Contract)

Black Farmer Fund seeks a Special Projects Assistant to support the Co-Executive Directors in managing and organizing projects for the Executive Leadership Team. The ideal candidate will have deep project management experience and strong written and communications skills, with a preference for candidates with experience working for small nonprofits. The Special Projects Assistant will be responsible for streamlining communications between the Co-Executive Directors, Black Farmer Fund Team and Board of Directors. The Special Projects assistant will also be responsible for organizing and coordinating both internal and external events, as well as managing calendars and schedules, implementing systems and tools to automate appointments/task management among the Executive Leadership Team.

CONTRACT DETAILS

Pay Rate and Terms:

• 15-20 hours/week; $40/hour; April 15th through December 31st 2024; In cases of weeks where additional hours beyond the 20 are deemed necessary by the Executive Team the Special Projects Assistant will have the option to work a maximum of 5 additional hours;

• While the position is fully remote there will be occasions when the Special Projects Assistant will be expected to participate in-person at some events and meetings in the Northeast. Lodging, travel and meal expenses for these events/meetings will be reimbursed by the organization.

• Position eligible for additional hours at the discretion of the Executive Leadership Team; Hours are tracked, approved and processed via timesheets on a biweekly basis; Option for renegotiation of terms for additional hours/pay increase (on July 15th, for changes to be confirmed on December 15th and implemented in the New Year);

• No employee benefits are associated with this role;

SCOPE OF WORK 

Administrative Support:

• Calendar management and scheduling Zoom meetings for the Co-Executive Directors;

• Task management support through Asana, Slack and Google Drive;

• Email management for the organization’s “info@” email address and the Co-Executive Directors’ emails; 

• Scheduling, creating agenda and reports, taking meeting minutes for Board Meetings;

Communications:

• Craft messaging for the Co-Executive Directors for relaying key updates to staff members and relevant external stakeholders. 

• Streamline communications:

• both between the individual Co-Executive Directors as well as between the Executive Leadership Team and Staff; 

• providing tracking, follow-up and notification to Executive Leadership for meetings and other obligations 

Special Projects:

• Support planning and strategizing for the Abundance Festival, Harvest Dinner;

• Managing the coordination and execution of the Abundance Festival, Harvest Dinner, In-Person Meetings (external and internal to the organization);

Qualifications

• 3 or more years of experience in an administrative/assistant role;

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;

• Ability to make judgments and recommendations to ensure smooth day-to-day functioning;

• Project management and event planning experience;

• Familiar/comfortable with a start-up nonprofit environment in a growing organization;

• Ability to work both independently and be a team player; Ability to manage multiple tasks, set priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently;

• Experience with handling confidential and sensitive information;

• Proactive nature; exceptional interpersonal skills in an environment where multiple stakeholders are involved in decision-making;

• Proficiency with Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, Asana, Salesforce required. Detail oriented and demonstrated ability to manage competing deadlines and respond to time-sensitive requests;

Desired SKILLS

• Proficiency in Egnyte;

• Demonstrated expertise in farming, food justice, and community wealth;

• Interest in helping to enhance an inclusive and equity-focused culture;

how to apply

Submit your resume and cover letter to careers@blackfarmerfund.com.