Director of Individual Giving

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) seeks a Director of
Individual Giving to join its fundraising leadership team.
Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this person manages the
daily operations of SELC’s major gifts and special events program.
The heart of this position is supervising a regional team of
development officers, coordinating with them and the development
operations team to build portfolios that encompass four- to
seven-figure donors and prospects, and guiding their approaches and
solicitations to broaden SELC’s funding from individuals and family
foundations with a special focus on $10,000+ gifts. The successful
candidate will have proven management skills, a deep connection to
SELC’s mission, at least ten years in a professional fundraising
program, and personal experience in developing prospect strategies;
working with high-net-worth individuals; mobilizing board members;
and identifying, engaging, and soliciting new prospects. 

It is an exciting time to join SELC’s development team, which is
currently going through a strategic refresh and expansion to
support the organization’s long-term goals. The Director of
Individual Giving, in collaboration with the Chief Development
Officer, will advance our multi-faceted fundraising and engagement
program with the goal of broadening and deepening our base of
annual funders. This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly
successful, nationally recognized organization that is effectively
addressing some of the most pressing and challenging environmental
issues throughout the South and the nation.
    

This is a full-time, exempt position with a preference for the
individual to work in our Charlottesville, VA headquarters office,
but we will consider other SELC
offices for any qualified applicants unable to relocate to
Charlottesville. SELC currently has a hybrid work model that offers
employees the flexibility to work at home up to two days a week.
This is a position with region-wide focus and responsibility that
requires some travel.  All employees must reside in our
region. SELC will provide relocation reimbursement for those
relocating for an SELC position.    

Primary Responsibilities:

• Support the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and the Executive
  Director (ED) in the accomplishment of organizational goals.
  Provide annual plan to CDO outlining the individual giving team’s
  strategy for contributing to these goals.
• Supervise the nine-person philanthropy team with responsibility
  for major gift fundraising, planned giving, and mid-level giving.
  Inspire, mentor, and motivate this group of professionals. This
  will include being responsible for and measured by their retention
  and success.
• In partnership with the CDO and leadership team, set goals,
  metrics, and strategies for team members.  Provide regular
  feedback and coaching to direct reports and others.
• Serve as the lead strategist for securing gifts of $2,500+ from
  individual donors. Create and realize a multi-faceted fundraising
  program that continues to broaden and deepen SELC’s base of
  individual support. Provide insight and recommendations to the CDO
  and ED on individual donor giving levels and related staffing
  structure of the philanthropy team.
• Travel across the region to engage in person with direct
  reports and the larger team.
• Work as a member of the development leadership team including
  the heads of the Operations team, and the newly forming Donor
  Relations, and Annual Giving teams to ensure that strategies and
  systems are well-coordinated and aligned.
• Manage a personal portfolio of approximately 60 donors.

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of
  education and experience.
• Minimum ten years of professional
  fundraising experience.
• Previous experience managing frontline
  fundraisers, preferably during a period of revenue growth
  or institutional expansion.    
• Strategic thinker. Demonstrated ability
  to think strategically, particularly in the context of
  donor/prospect actions. You have intellectual curiosity, and
  the ability to quickly grasp and thoughtfully articulate complex
  concepts.
• Strong communicator and writer. Excellent
  written and verbal communication skills. At ease with picking up
  the telephone and welcomes face-to-face contact.  
• Collaboration skills. You have a proven
  ability to work with a wide range of individual styles, both in the
  office with colleagues, and externally with donors and volunteer
  leaders.  
• Adaptability. Experience facilitating change
  and adjusting to changes in work processes and environments. Open
  to receiving new ideas and perspectives.
• Highly organized. Demonstrated success in
  setting priorities, coordinating multiple projects, handling
  details, and working effectively under pressure.  
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and
  inclusion. You have a genuine interest in and
  commitment to helping SELC create and foster a more diverse,
  inclusive, and equitable workplace. You engage in ongoing personal
  learning and are eager to contribute to our organizational efforts
  in this area
• Commitment to environmental, climate, and environmental
  justice issues. Familiarity and experience engaging
  donors about climate change and energy issues is a plus, or a
  willingness to quickly learn and develop knowledge on these
  issues.

About SELC: 

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s
most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South.
With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental
challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to
protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and
people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of
over 200, including more than 130 policy and legal experts, and is
headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, with offices in Asheville,
Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond,
and Washington, DC. 

At our core, we are place-based, rooted in our region, and
connected with the communities and clients we serve. We believe in
an equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the rich racial
and cultural diversity of our region and allows diverse
perspectives to come to the forefront. We approach our work with
the highest level of integrity, holding ourselves to high standards
with an emphasis on honesty, accountability, and thoughtfulness. We
value collaboration and camaraderie, realizing we are strongest
when we work together and knowing that everyone has a critical role
to play. We strive for impact through a strategic, bold, pragmatic,
and ambitious outlook that is dedicated to achieving powerful
results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We
hope you consider joining us. Learn more at https://www.southernenvironment.org/. 

Compensation & Benefits:  

SELC offers salaries competitive with other leading
environmental nonprofits nationally and provides an excellent
benefits package. The starting salary range for this position is
$150,000-$170,000, commensurate with experience. For more details
about our benefits package, please visit our Careers
page. 

SELC is a PSLF (Public Service Loan
Forgiveness) eligible employer.   

SELC will provide relocation reimbursement for those relocating
for an SELC position, up to a specific dollar amount and contingent
on the move being at least 50 miles from the current primary
address. 

To Apply:  

To apply, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below to be directed
to an online application where you may upload your application
materials. Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume. The
initial deadline for receipt of complete applications is April 12,
2024. However, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis
until the position is filled. Please state SELC office preferences
in your cover letter, if not Charlottesville.

APPLY
NOW

SELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering
an inclusive workplace environment. We are eager to welcome new
team members who share this commitment. We still have much progress
to make, but our goal is to create and maintain a staff that, at
every level, reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of the
communities where we work and the clients that we serve. Persons of
all backgrounds—including people of color, women, people with
disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ candidates—are strongly
encouraged to apply.