Development Director

https://www.mcfaddennaturecenter.org/careers

Reports to: Executive Director  Works with: Executive Director, Chairman of the McFadden Foundation Board of Directors, and Administrative Specialist Employment Status: Full Time (40 hours/week) 

This job is onsite in Donalsonville, GA. 

​Organization Overview 

In 1999, Pat McFadden established the Lokchasassa Wilderness Project, a 1,260-acre Seminole County Garden of Eden to protect the native plants and wildlife. This Project was renamed after his death in 2008 and is now known as the McFadden Nature Center. The property now will be protected for perpetuity. The nature center is tentatively planned to be open by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

​Mission 

To share and care for the land, air, water, and animals entrusted to us through meaningful environmental education,  balanced conservation, and preservation, for the benefit of our community now and future generations. 

​Vision 

Our vision is to share a responsibility to conserve and preserve our natural places and enhance appreciation and love for  the land, water, and air that we share; to spark curiosity and joyfully share the quiet peace that comes from time and  close attention to nature and our own human spirit; to link actions to hearts; to be a place to grow…for nature, for  people, for community, for ideas, and for hope.  

​Values 

• Stewardship – Pass it on. Considering what comes next in conservation and preservation that envisions a  sustainable future for generations to come.
• Educate – To cultivate curiosity and create opportunities for study, observation, research, awareness, and  lifelong learning.
• Tranquility – Encouraging quietness, peace, and harmony for enjoyment and health.
• Respect – For the bigger picture that includes but is not limited to, land, water, air, farming, plants, animals,  birds, reptiles, insects, and artifacts.
• Community – Sharing responsibility through connections and partnerships for our watershed and land, whether  it’s in our backyards or farmlands, prairies, or forests.
• Passion – Excellence and enthusiasm in all we do, to the best of our ability. Asking ourselves – what is the next  best thing?

​Occupational Summary 

Works closely with the Executive Director to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising capital campaign and  forthcoming annual operations fund-raising campaign for the McFadden Nature Center programs and upkeep. This  includes donor research, solicitation and cultivation, public and private grant procurement, and planning and organizing  special events for cultivating donors. 

​Primary Duties and Responsibilities 

• Creating engaging interactions with the organization’s donors and prospects
• Writing and developing fundraising materials in collaboration with leadership
• Cultivate a database of donor and member records, able to learn how to use a donor database software if you  do not already know
• Conduct surveys and seek feedback leading to the capital fundraising campaign, donor initiatives, and annual  fundraising events
• Plan and direct marketing and social media with regard to the capital campaign, in collaboration with leadership  as needed
• Conduct grant research, write grants, follow up on final grant reports

​Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required 

• Excellent writing, research, speech, and communication skills
• Must be comfortable speaking to large groups and small groups alike
• Ability to articulate the mission of the McFadden Nature Center with passion and enthusiasm Excellent computer skills, knowledge of Office products, Zoom software, Google platform, and donor database  software
• Must have good time management skills, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, and able to  meet deadlines
• A self-starter able to work independently as well as being a team member
• Able to learn about the programs and mission of McFadden Nature Center and connect these to the education community, which includes public school teachers, private school teachers, and homeschool families  Ability to communicate with fellow team members and leadership promptly and clearly through emails, phone  calls, and texts

Educational/Experience Requirements 

• BA/BS required
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, development, and grant writing  strongly preferred, as well as knowledge of donor relations and public relations
• Familiarity with capital campaign related fundraising techniques preferred

​Characteristics 

• Flexible with a growing organization that will experience change rapidly
• Patience working with a small team as we all stretch to get the work done
• Teachable and willing to learn new ways of doing things, but also willing to share knowledge with the team Honesty and loyalty, to a team that is seeking to create an organization and educational experiences for our  community and region for the long term
• Follow through, able to see a task through to its completion
• Optimistic and enthusiastic about the project and its future

Time Commitments: 

• Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. With 8 to 10 weekends a year and occasional evenings. Willingness to alter hours to meet the needs of the job

Physical Demands: 

• Able to lift, bend, stoop, kneel, and move
• Able to climb ramps or stairs, reach above and below shoulder level
• Able to lift 25 pounds
• Able to sit and use a computer (keyboarding), have visual acuity using computer screens, answer phones, and  use a copier
• Able to walk and spend time in an outdoor natural environment, like a nature trail

​Benefits:

• Earned Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Medical Insurance
• Accidental Death Insurance

​Salary 

• Salary Range $40,000 to $50,000 depending on experience