Chief Development Officer
Prison Entrepreneurship Program The Prison Entrepreneurship Program is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, working to stimulate positive life transformation for executives and inmates, uniting them through entrepreneurial passion, education and mentoring. The Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) is a pioneering nonprofit organization, seeking to improve the lives and the recidivism rate of the 2.3 million Americans currently in prison by redirecting their energy and creativity towards legitimate business enterprises. They accomplish this mission by linking top business and academic talent with program participants through an MBA-level curriculum, mentor relationships and straight-up entrepreneurial passion. With a recidivism rate of less than 10%, PEP s in-prison success translates into societal re-entry triumph. When reformed felons are given the opportunity, appropriate training and a shot of hope, life transformation isn t only possible, it s actual and it s happening in PEP classrooms every day. Watch this 3-minute video to find out more! Based in Houston, Texas, with an office in Dallas and current operations inside two Texas prisons, PEP equips inmates with the necessary tools to transform their lives and become successful citizens and business owners. Graduates of PEP s in-prison program earn a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the Baylor University Hankamer School of Business, which has one of the Top 5 entrepreneurship programs in the country. Since its inception in May 2004, PEP has recruited thousands of senior level executives to serve as volunteers/business plan competition judges, and over 800 business school students from more than 40 MBA programs across the country to serve as weekly advisors for the inmates business plans. PEP has graduated more than 1,000 inmates who have started over 165 businesses, and maintained a 100% employment rate within 90 days of release. An independent study by Baylor University determined that PEP s results are unsurpassed by any prison program in Texas, and that every dollar donated to PEP generates at least a 340% ROI in measurable impact financial on the broader community turning tax consumers into tax payers. Out of over 1000 graduates, ex-offenders who have participated in PEP s programs have: 7% recidivism rate after 3 years (national average: 50%) 100% employment rate within 3 months of release; 25 day average from prison to paycheck $13 per hour average starting wage Nearly 100% employed after 12 months (national average: 50% unemployment rate among ex-offenders) 165 business launched by PEP graduates
Overview Chief Development Officer Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) is seeking an energetic, articulate and experienced Chief Development Officer (CDO) to work closely with the Chief Executive Officer to expand and promote the remarkable impact of the PEP program on individual lives, on families and with entire communities. Since 2004, PEP has produced the nation's leading results in the prison rehabilitation industry by dramatically reducing return-to-prison rates while considerably increasing employment rates and business ownership among ex-offenders. In 2013, the previously mentioned study by Baylor University confirmed: Benchmarking: In terms of prevention of recidivism, PEP outperformed all nine of the other major prison rehabilitation services in Texas. On average, PEP delivered a 60% improvement over other models. Control Group Validation: The study compared 94 PEP graduates to a control group of over 50 inmates who had been selected for PEP but who did not participate in PEP s programs (i.e. they paroled before class began). The recidivism rate of the control group was almost identical to the state average, and nearly 3-4 times that of PEP s graduates. Return on Investment: Every dollar donated to PEP yields a 340% ROI due to avoided incarceration, increased child support payments and reduced reliance on government assistance. This executive will work with the CEO to execute on the vision for the organization, focusing his/her efforts on developing and executing strategic fundraising and volunteer engagement plans. The CDO will be a key partner in the planned expansion of PEP into 3-5 additional Texas prisons and metro areas over the next 5 years, and will also be expected to participate in the ongoing conversation around PEP s sustainability initiative, utilizing tools including Kiva and Peoplefund to provide funding for the entrepreneurs projects. The CDO will expand and lead a team of volunteer engagement leaders, media and communications resources, grant writers, development reps, and relationship managers for Strategic Business Partners and key Executive Mentors. PEP s next CDO will follow the efforts of a very successful predecessor, who has laid the foundation for achievement of even greater sustainability and growth. In the last 3 years, donor contributions have grown from approximately $1.6M in 2012 to an estimated $2.2M in 2014, with a budget of $2.75M in 2015 (of which about $800K has already been pledged). This role will report directly to the CEO, Bert Smith. Mr. Smith officially joined PEP as CEO in May 2010, and has been actively involved with PEP since 2005. He has served in a number of volunteer roles, including executive judge, Business Plan Advisor, teacher, mentor, donor and Chairman of the Houston Advisory Board. In the 1980s Bert served as Director, General Counsel, and Head of Corporate Development for a family owned engineering company that built and operated independent power plants. After the sale of that company, Bert founded and led a group that developed proprietary alternative fuel and energy generation technologies. Prior to joining PEP as CEO, Bert was an early stage investor and CEO for a DVD kiosk rental business. Bert serves on the Board of Directors for a family foundation, is a past President of the Executives Association of Houston, is a member of St. Martin s Episcopal Church and has served as an active board member and volunteer with a number of other nonprofit organizations. He holds an AB in Economics from Princeton University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. He is married and has three adult children. The CDO position is based in the Houston, TX headquarters of PEP.
Responsibilities The Chief Development Officer will hold the following management responsibilities: Volunteer Engagement Develop, implement and manage successful strategies (such as individual and group presentations to business, university, alumni and church groups) for recruiting volunteers who can effectively serve participants while incarcerated and post-release Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of volunteer recruiting efforts and results Ensure timely expressions of thanks and activities to encourage continued support Media and Communications Develop marketing collateral describing PEP and the many volunteer and giving opportunities available Develop template presentations for use by Development Team and other PEP Staff, when appropriate Maintain the PEP website, related microsites, blog and Facebook page Capture, record and / or write high impact stories of the men and developments of PEP Prepare annually a Communications Calendar, scheduling all planned external communications, and manage them throughout the year Serve as the primary media contact and one of two primary spokespersons, along with the CEO Manage all required processes for obtaining third party consents to publication by PEP Manage any photographers, designers, printers and other contractors required Fundraising Develop and nurture relationships with both current and potential major donors Create, implement and manage short and long-term fundraising strategies, including those pertaining to giving by individuals, foundations, and corporations and those pertaining to special events With the CEO, identify and, where appropriate, develop strategic alliances to cultivate nontraditional funding sources to support the organization Cultivate and harvest additional foundation and corporate grant funding opportunities Prepare and timely submit all required and appropriate written grant proposals to foundation and corporate donors Prepare the annual development budget and targets for securing philanthropic support Identify and research prospective donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations Manage and oversee all development efforts to meet all of PEP s yearly operating budget goals, including the selection, training and mentoring of the Development Team. Ensure effective tracking of multi-channel development efforts and results, providing timely reporting to the CEO Ensure timely expressions of thanks and reporting to donors to encourage continued support and to meet donor requirements Business and Church Relations Develop and implement an effective strategy for engaging communities of faith, so that their members may be strengthened and PEP may be blessed by their support
Create and sustain partnerships with Strategic Business Partners and Executive Mentors to support and fund PEP s efforts Requirements Demonstrated success in nonprofit fundraising in full time or volunteer capacity, including a track record of sustained growth in donor pipeline and achievement of annual and multi-year funding goals and campaign objectives Extensive knowledge of fundraising strategies, practices and documentation Experience in recruiting and coordinating volunteers Experience in media relations and in cause marketing or similar endeavors Strong track record of developing relationships with people of influence and affluence, especially successful entrepreneurs and business leader Proven success in cultivating relationships with foundations that resulted in financial support Track record of delivering excellent results as a well-regarded leader of a successful team Excellent written communication skills with meticulous attention to detail, as well as strong verbal communications skills, with a professional demeanor and the ability to interact successfully with a wide range of individuals Ability to articulate effectively, intelligently, credibly and passionately the story of PEP Strong working knowledge of budgeting/accounting Familiarity with databases/contact management systems and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications Strong execution and follow up skills Ability to work in a fast-paced, high pressure entrepreneurial environment Ability to manage a multitude of tasks in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment Creative and energetic problem solver with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn Intelligent listener and good interpersonal communicator Exceptionally high level of honesty and integrity Friendly, flexible, confident and assertive, with a mature personality and a sense of humor Foundation or nonprofit management leadership experience is strongly preferred Bachelor s degree required - majors in business, marketing/communication preferred, but concentration in related studies will be considered MBA or other graduate degree preferred Ability to travel regularly throughout the Texas region, as well as to area PEP program sites For more information, or to apply for this position, please contact Greg Barnes, President Laura Weaver, Senior Search Consultant Kathy Trobee, Director of Client Services (214) 468-9055 kathy.trobee@halftimetalent.com