Director of Development - HAPA

HAPA – ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
HAPA opened its doors in 2004 to local Hmong American children who were struggling to succeed in public schools, and to families who felt that their traditions, language, and values would support a culture of achievement. What modestly began as a K-5 school serving 200 students is today one of Milwaukee’s highest performing schools, serving over 1,800 K4-12 scholars. Data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction shows that despite 82 percent of students qualifying as economically disadvantaged, HAPA’s academic performance, when compared to all schools in Wisconsin, exceeds expectations. This access to better resources and early intervention efforts across systems enables child and family stability. Resources and early interventions can limit the time and intensity of families’ involvement in the child welfare system or divert them from the child welfare system entirely.

HAPA is a charter school in the Milwaukee Public School system recognized as one of the city’s highest performing schools. In 2021, HAPA celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed 99,000 square foot high school on its main campus at 4601 N. 84th Street in Milwaukee’s Lindsay Park neighborhood. The new high school can support up to 900 students with state-of-the-art classrooms, a gymnasium, resource centers and more, while also serving as a cultural center for the Hmong community.

The HAPA Scholar Experience
Scholars not only learn who they are, beginning with their cultural roots, they also learn how to succeed where they are in place and time. HAPA develops scholars beyond their time in the classroom through field experiences, afterschool programs, community partnerships that build on classroom learning, and family participation in weekend events. Furthermore, scholars develop positive attitudes toward themselves and others so that they can function in the community as peaceful citizens. HAPA’s motto in the community is “Come build peace with us.”

HAPA FOUNDATION PURPOSE
The purpose of the HAPA Foundation is to raise, manage, and distribute funds and other assets in partnership with HAPA, to support its mission and educational goals. The outcome of this collaboration will be high-quality educational initiatives designed to meet the needs of HAPA scholars and the larger community.


DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT - POSITION OVERVIEW
Beginning its 21st year of operation, HAPA seeks a Director of Development to support its next phase of growth and pursuit of excellence. HAPA’s thriving community needs a vibrant Culture of Philanthropy and effective fundraising to fulfill the organization’s mission. The Director will be responsible for developing a strategic plan for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors and managing HAPA’s communications in the philanthropic community.

The Director of Development will plan, coordinate, and execute all fundraising activities. This senior leadership role will lead the strategy, planning, and execution of all philanthropic activities and provide measurable objectives for success. The Director also will have the ability to successfully manage relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and have supervisory experience.

The Director of Development ensures that staff have the resources they need to effectively serve scholars; thus, fundraising is a critical component of the role. The candidate should possess a track record of transformational donor impact.

While working closely with the CEO and Foundation board of directors, the Director of Development ensures that the organization is continually well equipped to advance the mission of HAPA.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

FUNDRAISING STRATEGY
• In partnership with HAPA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), establish the Foundation’s overarching fundraising strategies to annually support work with scholars, raise capital funds for Phase II growth and identify scholarship opportunities for HAPA scholars and graduates, ensuring the alignment of fundraising to the Foundation’s overarching strategies and priorities.
• Develop and execute the HAPA Foundation strategic annual fundraising plan and capital campaign goals; create targeted goals, quantifiable outcomes, and timelines.
• Lead and support the implementation of an individual giving strategy including designing various appeal processes, managing donor tracking database including gift entry, and acknowledging gifts and stewarding donors.
• Effectively lead change initiatives while thoughtfully considering the impact of decisions and facilitating resolutions that prioritize HAPA’s mission and scholars.
• Engage HAPA and Foundation board members in donor cultivation and appreciation activities, including donor events.

DONOR DEVELOPMENT
• Lead efforts to secure financial support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government funding sources.
• Lead and manage grant process including researching new prospects, building a grants pipeline, writing and tracking proposals, and preparing grant reports.
• In partnership with the CEO, establish, manage, and cultivate relationships with potential donors and maintain ongoing stewardship.
• Create compelling fundraising appeals and other collateral materials to effectively market and communicate HAPA’s goals and achievements.
• Monitor all donor information; provide and present statistical and qualitative analysis to the CEO and Boards.
• Research funding sources and trends to help position HAPA for major fundraising changes and/or opportunities.
• Oversee marketing and communications efforts led by a Marketing and Communications Manager.

PERSONAL QUALITIES
The ideal candidate will be a mature, resourceful leader who can build relationships with potential funders and community partners, inspire, develop, organize and oversee marketing, communications and various fundraising events, and provide strategic leadership for fundraising for HAPA.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, forward-thinking leader with an entrepreneurial spirit. Also, an experienced fundraiser who has a passion for the HAPA mission, for the people it serves, along with an affinity for education and refugee populations in the City of Milwaukee.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Qualifications
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience, including leadership roles in development.
• Strong leader with vision, high energy and the ability to motivate, lead and inspire the team and donors. Exemplary relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organization, project management and time management skills with attention to detail and follow through.
• Experience and comfort in cultivating and sustaining relationships with key supporters and stakeholders, including the media, elected officials, donors, and prominent community leaders.
• Experience in strategic planning and execution of development, office management, and relevant technology.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a pertinent field preferred (e.g., strategic fundraising, nonprofit management).
• Lastly, and most importantly, the candidate must demonstrate and possess the highest integrity and champion the values, beliefs, and culture of HAPA.

Experience
• Proven track record of initiating, cultivating, and managing relationships with key constituencies.
• Proven track record of successful fundraising results.
• Established community knowledge of Wisconsin corporations, foundations, community-based organizations, and institutions of higher education.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build, cultivate, and leverage personal and professional networks and relationships, develop and deliver successful presentations, and collaborate and negotiate effectively.
• Supervisory experience and exceptional team and people management skills; deep commitment to and belief in developing others; ability to influence, inspire trust and motivate others positively to achieve objectives, both internally and externally.
• Tech savvy and detail oriented.
• Self-motivated, big picture thinker, highly organized, determined, dedicated, and disciplined individual.


COMPENSATION
Compensation includes a hiring range of $95,000 - $115,000 and a competitive benefits package. The position is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

HAPA has partnered with Spano Pratt Executive Search to identify their new Director of Development. For a confidential conversation and to learn more about this opportunity, contact Lindsey Kriete (lkriete@spanopratt.com) or Dave Gromacki (dgromacki@spanopratt.com).