Executive Director role to Development Director role
Edit: I just sat down and cried, because everyone here has been so kind. Thank you. It's been so hard to hold everything together - sole fundraiser, HR, program manager, abuse "lightning rod" for board and elected officials - for my current org. And I think that because my head is down so far, I can't look past it. Thank you for your thoughts and kindness.
I've been working at a community nonprofit for over a decade - grew it from a .45FTE (me) out of a room above a tavern, to 4 FTE's in a nice 5 room office, and grew the budget 20x. Grew the programs also - launching a critically needed workforce development initiative, and a whole slew of other stuff.
But it's kinda killing me. Right after covid (70 hour work weeks), I went through a major health thing, which I thankfully got through. There's always some sort of drama - board members, clients, elected officials doing surprising things (have even been yelled at, at night by drunk ones).
Currently, we have a massive governance/conflict at the board level - involving a direct report - and I feel my health cratering again. And I'm working 65h weeks again and worrying all the time.
Another nonprofit has offered me a development role, but at a 20% pay cut (for 4 days a week). Am I being naive to believe I'm stepping into anything but chaos that will follow me into weekends? Will the "demotion" look like a failure on my resume?
I just don't know what to do - I don't make a massive amount of money, so a 20% is going to sting. But I have *got* to stop. I'm about 5y away from retirement, so that's worrisome. So is the expectation that I'll be able to fundraise three fairly massive projects in 3 years (the hope of the new org). What are your thoughts - thank you in advance!