Director of Development, Working Dogs for Conservation

Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) is a global leader in
rescuing, training, and deploying specially trained search,
tracking, and discrimination dogs to make conservation happen all
around the world.

Position Description

WD4C is seeking an exceptional person to become its first
Director of Development.  The Director of Development will
work closely with the Executive Director to:

• Identify, prioritize, and pursue foundation and government
  grant funding.
• Cultivate and Manage Major Gifts and Planned Giving.
• Supervise WD4C’s Outreach and Development Coordinator in
  soliciting and securing small and online gifts.
• Oversee community outreach, communications, and events for the
  organization.
• Coordinate with WD4C’s Executive Director and its Director of
  Operations to plan, project, and manage WD4C’s annual budgets
  (Currently around $2.3M).
• Be part of a committed, enjoyable, skilled, vibrant, inclusive,
  and closely-knit team.

The successful candidate will be an experienced manager and
outside-the-box thinker ready to support WD4C’s individual giving
and government/foundation grants (ideally around 60% of WD4C’s
budget, with the remainder of the budget coming from
fee-for-service work). This position will have the opportunity to
build a fundraising program from the ground up, and work with an
exceptional team that:

• Has achieved enormous conservation impacts over WD4C’s nearly
  30-year history.
• Helped launch the conservation detection dog field in North
  America and established numerous firsts for non-invasive detection,
  discrimination, and wildlife law enforcement.
• Maintains the highest ethical standards for our dogs and the
  wildlife and wild places we help protect.
• Includes numerous charismatic, capable, and fun people and
  dogs.

WD4C offers a unique fundraising opportunity, with supporters
coming from wildlife, biodiversity, animal, animal welfare,
scientific, conservation and dog training realms.  This broad
appeal creates fundraising opportunities, but also necessitates
clear and careful communications at times.  The Director of
Development will initially oversee the Outreach and Development
Coordinator and share one Administrative Staff member, with the
opportunity to grow the team as needed and as justified by
successful fundraising.

Compensation

This is a full time, exempt, salaried position. The starting
salary will be $70-105K, depending on experience.  WD4C
provides a generous benefits package that includes health care, IRA
match, professional development stipend, up to 13 days per year of
paid holidays, 10 sick/personal days per year, up to 6 weeks/year
of paid vacation, and eligibility for a paid sabbatical after seven
years of service.

Responsibilities

Individual Giving

• Craft and carry out strategies for donor recruitment through
  multiple channels (email, social media, events, mail, and emerging
  technology).
• Stewardship of existing donors, increasing WD4C’s donor
  retention, converting one-time to recurring donors, and growing
  individuals’ and overall donations to support WD4C’s mission.
• Coordinate core fundraising activities (e.g. appeals, monthly
  donors, etc.).
• Coordinate our End of the Year Appeal and Annual Report
• Collaborate with WD4C staff and the Outreach and Development
  coordinator to seize timely fundraising opportunities tied to
  program milestones or media coverage.
• Collaborate closely with WD4C managers to understand the needs
  of different programs, and use this information to plan and execute
  fundraising goals, providing regular updates on progress towards
  achieving them.
• Supervise and manage WD4C’s donor database.

Foundations & Government

• Lead, assign, mentor, and supervise WD4C’s foundation and
  government proposals, and reporting.
• Identify new opportunities to support WD4C’s work.
• Represent WD4C professionally with Foundation partners and
  events.

Management

• Participate in senior management meetings.
• Participate in WD4C strategy, communications, and where
  relevant, project meetings.
• Develop and manage WD4C’s fundraising budget

Events

• Oversee and collaborate on event planning.
• Attend and participate in WD4C events.
• Supervise the follow up from events.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be:

• An excellent communicator, in writing, one-on-one, and as a
  public speaker.

• Demonstrated ability to build and run a development program for
  a non-profit organization, including cultivating and securing gifts
  from individual donors and developing strategic proposals.
  • Highly organized and conscientious.
  • Experience supervising staff, including developing work plans,
    providing feedback and managing performance.
  • Proven fundraising skills, including excellent writing/editing
    of proposals and reports, setting goals and objectives, and
    developing budgets and timelines.
  • Able to work independently and make decisions when others may
    not be available.
  • Willing to travel frequently (at least 1-week/quarter, but at
    times monthly) mostly within the US, but outside the country when
    necessary).
  • Ready to plan and lead a capital campaign within the next 3-5
    years.
  • Excited and able to work with diverse and talented staff and
    partners.
  • Interested in visiting field projects and telling their stories
    to donors, other partners, and the press.
  • There are no specific degree requirements for this
    position.

Please note that the above are ideal qualifications.
Research has demonstrated that BIPOC and women applicants may be
less likely to apply if they have doubts about one or more
qualifications. We expect that no single applicant is likely to
have all the qualifications listed, and we believe success is
possible with different skill sets and experience, so people of all
backgrounds, especially women and BIPOC, are encouraged to
apply! 

To apply
Please send a cover letter and CV to:  [email protected]
with “Director of Development” in the subject line. 
Applicants should feel free to omit pay history, names of schools,
and to use their initials rather than full names.  Any other
information that could indicate protected or underrepresented class
may be omitted without penalty. Please DO NOT request informational
interviews or reach out through other channels. Review of
applications will begin June 1st and the position will remain open
until filled.

WD4C is an equal opportunity
employer. Equal employment opportunity has been, and will continue
to be, a fundamental principle at Working Dogs for Conservation,
where employment is based upon personal capabilities and
qualifications without discrimination because of race, color,
national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, physical or mental
disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender or gender
identity, genetic information (including family medical history),
political or philosophical beliefs, economic circumstances,
geography, or any other protected characteristic as established by
law. This policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to
all policies and procedures relating to recruitment and hiring,
compensation, benefits, layoff, discharge, training, and all other
terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.