Application Guide
How to Apply for Development Director
at Speak Up for the Poor
🏢 About Speak Up for the Poor
Speak Up for the Poor is a dynamic non-profit with a laser focus on empowering girls in poverty through education and preventing child marriages, specifically in Bangladesh where they serve over 2,500 girls across 44 communities. What makes them unique is their grassroots, direct-impact approach in slums and villages, offering a tangible connection between fundraising efforts and life-changing outcomes. Someone might want to work here to directly contribute to measurable social change in a fast-growing organization with a clear mission.
About This Role
This Development Director role is central to scaling Speak Up's impact by managing all fundraising with a specific $1 million annual goal, implementing PR/social media strategies, and overseeing the Sponsorship Program. It's impactful because every dollar raised directly funds education and prevents child marriages for girls in Bangladesh, making this a revenue-generating position that fuels the organization's core mission. You'll lead a team to communicate this vision globally.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with reviewing fundraising metrics and donor outreach, then leading a virtual team meeting with remote staff/volunteers to align on sponsorship program updates. You could spend midday drafting a grant proposal for a girls' education foundation, followed by crafting social media content featuring a success story from Bangladesh to engage global donors. The day often ends with strategizing PR pitches or analyzing campaign performance against the $1 million annual goal.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Speak Up for the Poor Is Looking For
- Has 5+ years in non-profit fundraising development with a proven track record of raising at least $1 million annually, ideally for international or women/girls-focused causes
- Is a strategic leader experienced in managing hybrid teams (staff and volunteers, some remote), capable of motivating others around fundraising goals
- Possesses strong grant-writing and reporting skills specifically for foundations supporting girls' education and anti-child marriage initiatives
- Is an effective public speaker and social media engager who can authentically convey Speak Up's Bangladesh-based work to diverse global audiences
📝 Tips for Applying to Speak Up for the Poor
Quantify your fundraising achievements prominently—specifically highlight any $1M+ annual campaigns you've led, breaking down sources (grants, individual donors, events)
Tailor your resume to show experience with international development or girls' empowerment causes, even if volunteer-based, to demonstrate mission alignment
Include specific examples of social media campaigns you've run for non-profits, especially those that increased donor engagement or sponsorship sign-ups
Mention any experience with remote team management, as Speak Up likely has volunteers or staff in Bangladesh or other locations
Research and reference Speak Up's current Sponsorship Program in your application, suggesting one actionable idea to enhance its fundraising potential
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Open with a personal connection to Speak Up's mission of empowering girls in poverty, specifically referencing their work in Bangladesh slums/villages", "Detail your $1M+ fundraising track record with concrete examples (e.g., 'I led a campaign that raised $1.2M in 2023 through grant-writing and donor outreach')", "Explain how you'd leverage social media and PR to amplify stories from their Girls Empowerment Program to a global audience", 'Describe your leadership approach for managing a hybrid team to achieve ambitious fundraising goals in a fast-growing non-profit']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Deep-dive into Speak Up's Girls Empowerment Program specifics—how many girls are educated vs. prevented from child marriage annually, and what are the costs per girl?
- → Analyze their current social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and Sponsorship Program web pages to identify strengths and gaps in storytelling
- → Research non-profits with similar models (e.g., Room to Read, Girls Not Brides) to understand competitive fundraising landscapes for girls' empowerment
- → Look into U.S.-based foundations that fund international girls' education (e.g., Malala Fund, UNICEF partnerships) to suggest potential grant targets
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with generic non-profit fundraising experience without highlighting specific $1M+ achievements or girls' empowerment cause alignment
- Proposing social media strategies that don't center the voices and stories of the Bangladeshi girls in the program
- Failing to acknowledge the cross-cultural aspects of fundraising for an international program or the challenges of remote team management
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Speak Up for the Poor!