Director of Development and External Affairs

The Tobin Project

Cambridge, Massachusetts

OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION

The Tobin Project was established a little more than three years ago with the aim of influencing the intellectual climate and, ultimately, public policy. It was named for Nobel Laureate James Tobin. Professor Tobin once observed that the “most important decisions a scholar makes are what problems to work on.” Our work is centered around influencing those decisions – so that academic research can better address many of the core policy challenges facing the nation.

We feel privileged to be working with almost two hundred leading scholars in a wide range of disciplines from over forty universities across the country. Our work on inequality, national security, and the economic role of government touches many of the topics that will be central to policy debates in the coming years.

MOVING TO THE NEXT STAGE

We have secured substantial financial backing from foundations and individual philanthropists and have achieved key early successes. The Tobin Project seeks to build on these accomplishments, expanding our efforts at generating momentum behind core research areas and building the alliances and relationships necessary to disseminate the results – within the academy, the policy community, and the public at large
 

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

The Tobin Project seeks to reinvigorate scholarly engagement with the most pressing policy challenges facing the country today. Securing investment in “big ideas” and helping to communicate them to supporters and to the broader public will thus be key elements of the project’s success. The Tobin Project seeks a Director of Development and External Affairs with experience generating support for idea-driven organizations and a talent for conveying the value of scholars and scholarship in public life.

The Director of Development and External Affairs will create and execute a sophisticated development strategy that captures the potential for thinking within the academy – both fundamental ideas and specific policy proposals – to influence public policy. S/he will have the following key responsibilities:

• Cultivating a core group of individual supporters and foundations with the patience and commitment to support the project’s potentially transformative efforts over the long term. Securing funding for an annual budget of approximately $2 million;

• Sharing the ideas of Tobin scholars with current and potential supporters, recognizing that this is not only essential to achieving the Tobin Project’s own development goals, but that the donor community is a key audience for new ideas from scholars;

• Communicating to individual donors and foundations the importance of fundamental, transformative ideas in the academy as they conceive of and pursue their own philanthropic goals;

• Using expertise and familiarity with the funding community to help generate support for Tobin scholars in addition to what the project can provide directly; and

• Exploring other revenue opportunities for the Tobin Project outside of the current funding model.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will demonstrate first and foremost a personal commitment to the Tobin Project’s mission. S/he will minimally hold a bachelor’s degree and have at least three years experience leading a development program in the academic, policy, or non-profit sectors. S/he will have:

• A demonstrable record of success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding significant gifts from major donors and foundations;

• A working knowledge of the current financial landscape of the policy, academic, and funding communities;

• Superior oral communications skills and the personal charisma and wisdom to be a compelling ambassador to sophisticated audiences;

• Proven relationship building skills and the capacity to call on philanthropists and foundation leaders;

• Outstanding writing talent and experience;

• Familiarity with academic research and public policy issues and the capacity to convey the significance and relevance of scholarship to policy questions;

• Entrepreneurial vision;

• The ability to work independently and, at the same time, to integrate others’ ideas;

• Exceptional attention to detail; and

• Creativity and integrity.

TO APPLY:

More information about The Tobin Project can be found on their website at: http://www.tobinproject.org/.

Applications and nominations should be sent to Mitchell Weiss at
tobin-dder@nonprofitprofessionals.com.

Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications should include a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume or CV, and where you learned of the position. Applications should also include a writing sample.

In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name and the desired position as the only content in the subject line of your e-mail.

 

The Tobin Project is an equal opportunity employer.