Development Director

Position Summary

LandPaths seeks an individual with a passion for building a diverse, healthy and whole community connected with the land. The ideal candidate is driven, energetic and creative, excels in an active work environment, committed to equity in access to nature, and loves people and the outdoors. The Development Director is a senior leadership role responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, management and expertise in all areas of fundraising and understands how to successfully build fundraising initiatives aligned with LandPaths’ mission. The ideal candidate will bring a keen awareness of current and changing fundraising trends and best practices.

The Development Director will lead, with a small team, in goal setting and planning, implementation, and evaluation of all campaigns, events, and other fundraising efforts. The Development Director is responsible for building high touch individual and corporate donor engagement and recognition strategies. They will interact regularly with major donors, and sustain strong relationships and partnerships based around shared vision and values. Additionally, the Development Director is responsible for channeling the talents of staff and volunteers to increase active and effective participation in fundraising.

Position Duties

Leadership

• Develop and lead the implementation of annual and multi-year fundraising vision and strategy (foundation, government, corporate and individual)
• Lead targeted campaigns including Year-End Appeal, Camps Campaign, Harvest Festival
• Oversee planning and delivery of fundraising events
• Build, steward, and sustain high-touch relationships with donors, funders and partners
• Develop donor cultivation and engagement opportunities, including site visits and small gatherings
• Oversee contract grant writer in development of grant proposals; ensure integrity and timeliness of grant reporting
• Develop digital and print fundraising materials, including donor letters, website and social media, working in partnership with the Communications Manager
• Hold a key role in organizational leadership through active participation on the staff Executive and Leadership teams
• Guide, facilitate, and support engagement of the Board FUNdraising Committee
• Channel the talents and resources of staff and volunteers to increase effective participation in fundraising
• Represent LandPaths with partners, participants and volunteers
• Become knowledgeable and conversant in all aspects of LandPaths’ mission, strategic plan, preserves and community programs

Administration

• Hire, manage, and support a high performing team; ensure team is prepared to contribute at their highest level; hold all team members accountable, and ensure they have the knowledge, skills, ability and resources needed to succeed
• Develop, manage and assess budgets
• Develop, manage and monitor work plans; determine the most effective use of staff time and resources to meet fundraising goals
• Produce meaningful, accurate and timely reports and analysis
• Promote an internal culture that understands the value of maintaining the integrity of the database
• Support tracking and reporting of programmatic outputs and outcomes, grant deliverables, and narrative stories to highlight organizational and programmatic impact and accomplishments

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

A successful candidate will likely have significant experience with fundraising, including the following qualifications:  

• At least 10 years of development leadership within a non-profit organization
• At least 5 years’ experience as a manager, mentor and leader of professional staff
• A genuine passion for connecting people to land and for equity in access to nature
• Track record of dramatically increasing revenue in a nonprofit organization
• Success in supporting, motivating and working with Board members
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, database management, social media
• Experience planning and implementing intimate and larger outdoor events
• Detail-oriented, well organized
• Strong project management skills
• Polished communication skills: articulate with a proven ability to write effectively and speak persuasively
• Bi-lingual and/or have significant cross-cultural experience or understanding desired

ATTRIBUTES

A successful candidate will embrace LandPaths’ values and culture, including the following:

• Shares LandPaths’ values, inclusive of our commitment to fairness and equity
• Thrives in a creative, problem- solving atmosphere of shared leadership and a desire to have a positive impact
• Enjoys learning and supporting the work of others
• Works best in busy work environment, managing multiple variables with divergent goals
• Possesses high integrity and strong commitment to program and organizational goals
• Demonstrates confidence in area of expertise, and flexible, able to engage with new ideas and approaches
• Enjoys and contribute to a positive work environment
• Patient with process and impatient for progress
• Willingness to engage with and work to address issues of power, privilege as well diversity, inclusion and accessibility