POSITION TITLE: Senior Director of Development
REPORTS TO: Executive Director
CLASSIFICATION: Full-time, Exempt
ORGANIZATION MISSION and VISION:
Shared Interest mobilizes resources for Southern Africa’s economically disadvantaged communities to sustain themselves and build equitable nations.
Shared Interest envisions just and vibrant Southern African nations that eliminate disparities, uphold their people’s basic human rights and serve as models of economic justice.
POSITION SUMMARY: Shared Interest (SI) is looking for a full-time head of Development to join our team during an exciting time of organizational growth and development. The person in this role reports directly to the Executive Director and will lead the fundraising strategy, team and plan to sustain and grow the organization’s resources to achieve increased scale and social impact in Southern Africa.
The Senior Director of Development is responsible for developing a comprehensive strategic fundraising plan for both investor and donor capital from foundations, corporations, individuals and investors that are aligned with the organization’s growth goals and objectives. S/he will lead, mentor, and expand the development department, fostering an environment of collaboration, performance and continuous improvement. In addition, s/he will partner with the Executive Director and Board to develop a Capital Campaign to support the next multi-year
strategic planning process.
Please see the attached document for the full job description and qualifications.
Shared Interest was established in 1994 by Founder Donna Katzin along with other U.S. anti-apartheid activists and socially responsible investors who were committed to ending apartheid with an unwavering passion for human rights and economic justice. That year, after the country transferred political power to a democratic Nelson Mandela government, but left economic power concentrated in the same minority hands; Shared Interest was launched to provide U.S. investors with a catalytic vehicle to help reverse apartheid’s legacy of institutionalized race-based inequality.
The enduring vision that drives our organization – then and now – is to not make direct loans to our beneficiaries but to, instead, facilitate guarantees that catalyze South Africa’s own banks to lend to Black entrepreneurs, farmers and microfinance institutions, thereby creating sustainable solutions to address the region’s growing economic inequality and to achieve long-term growth and impact.
Now, 30 years later, we have supported more than 2 million people by unlocking some $131 million in lending. Building on our long track record of success in South Africa, Shared Interest has recently expanded to other Southern African countries, including Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
Shared Interest’s work is more critical now than ever before. The World Bank recently deemed South Africa the most unequal country in the world, with "race" playing a key role in a society in which 10% of the population owns more than 80% of the wealth. Shared. Interest is leveling the economic landscape for Black entrepreneurs and small and growing businesses by facilitating access to affordable financing and the technical resources that enable them to expand and scale their businesses.
