Development Executives are responsible for raising grant funds for their non-profit organization.
A development executive can occupy one of three different types of career fields: film and television, for-profit or non-profit business. Therefore, executive development positions are very varied in scope. In all of these fields, development executives must display a strong capacity for creative and innovative thinking to maximize an organization’s prospects. Development executives in all three fields are constantly working to improve their organization by expanding to new clients, exploring new creative opportunities, or developing a new market.
Development executives can focus on regions facing extreme poverty.
In the film and television industries, a development executive is responsible for finding and developing new creative materials for film productions. Development executives conduct creative research by reading treatments, scripts, and source materials, such as books or comics, to generate a set of working ideas for production. This research may also include searching the Internet or watching television to “discover” new talent or ideas that other companies have not yet picked up on. Once scripts or proposals are accepted, development executives work with creative teams to oversee reviews and create final drafts for production.
In for-profit organizations, a development executive or business development executive works to improve a company’s capacity. The ultimate goal of business development is to help a business generate more revenue, which is accomplished in a number of ways. Roles for business development executives include prospecting for new prospects to generate more business, developing organizational infrastructure to enable increased client load, and creating strategic plans for expansion into new markets and account types. This position relies on the cooperation of all departments, especially departments such as sales and finance, that directly affect a company’s bottom line. Business development executives also work closely with the marketing and customer service departments to ensure that creative and effective solutions are applied to each opportunity for economic advancement.
In nonprofits, development executives are responsible for overall fundraising efforts, including raising donations and managing individual donors. In some nonprofits, especially small community organizations, this may be a part-time or even volunteer position; In larger organizations, such as hospitals or educational institutions, a development executive may oversee a large department that includes designers, grant writers, public relations specialists, and event planners. Nonprofit development can include fundraising, cause marketing, direct mail campaigns, donation scouting, and social media management. It can also include marketing, public relations outreach, special events, and donor management.