Donor Relations Director

This position provides a unique opportunity for an experienced
development professional to join a successful fundraising team in a
senior supervisory role while advancing the Center for Biological
Diversity’s mission to protect imperiled wildlife and wild
places.

 

The donor relations director oversees the expansion and
stewardship of the Center’s Leadership Circle (donors who
individually contribute $1,000 or more annually) who provide as
much as 80% of individual donor giving from a base of 4% of all
members. The donor relations director will cultivate a portfolio of
mid-level and major donors and prospects and provide project
management oversight for year-round donor stewardship plans for
Leadership Circle members. The donor relations director will
supervise and serve as the project manager for multichannel
fundraising campaigns – leading their team to successfully raise
funds largely through email as well as direct mail campaigns,
phone, Zoom and some face-to-face outreach.

 

The donor relations director supervises staff members who are
responsible for implementing high-quality, timely donor stewardship
for the Center’s sophisticated Leadership Circle members; ensuring
accurate account administration; producing fundraising campaign
materials; and conducting year-round stewardship and cultivation
efforts such as a quarterly report, special reports and live
biodiversity briefing via Zoom. This position manages and oversees
the execution of a robust calendar of communications including
regular in-depth stewardship reports and the production of
in-person and virtual events. The donor relations director also
oversees the stewardship program for members and prospects of the
Owls Club, which is the Center’s legacy giving circle.

 

This position can also expect to directly engage in and oversee
daily administrative activities such as maintaining up-to-date
individual donor records, obtaining and analyzing donor and
campaign information from the database, preparing fundraising
reports and researching individual donors. The donor relations
director will work closely with the chief development officer and
will report to the deputy development director. This position will
also communicate with members of the conservation program staff,
communications, finance and IT team as needed.

 

Main Duties:

• Oversee the execution of multiple fundraising campaigns,
  appeals, and provide year-round stewardship of Leadership Circle
  members to ensure fundraising goals are met and exceeded.
• Manage, motivate, inspire donor relations staff to ensure
  timely, high quality, effective donor communications, stewardship
  and fundraising activities.
• Collaborate with the chief development officer and deputy
  development director on strategy by researching and identifying new
  prospects to increase the major donor pipeline at every level.
• Cultivate a portfolio of Leadership Circle donors in high
  four-, five- and six-figure levels. Support donor relations staff
  to successfully manage their own portfolios.
• Develop stewardship plans and implement high level written and
  verbal communication to steward current and prospective donors
  about Center program work in their area/s of interest with reports,
  calls, updates, visits and actions.
• Draft letters, emails, proposals, reports, etc., for the
  Leadership Circle, Owls Club, individual and family funders.
• Work with Senior development staff including development
  operations director to determine criteria, analyze data to create
  custom segments for targeted campaigns, review data and make
  recommendations demonstrating high attention to detail.
• Ensure that donors receive timely and high-quality
  acknowledgement letters.
• Plan, coordinate and oversee implementation of special
  events.
• Support planned giving efforts via customized campaigns, Owls
  Club communications, and administration, collaborating with chief
  development officer and legacy giving staff as required.
• Move nimbly to implement rapid communications in response to
  breaking news, or in response to requests for proposals or other
  information.
• Stay on top of trends in both the environmental movement as
  well as in best practices for donor stewardship.
• Assist with other projects as assigned.

 

Essential Qualifications and Skills:

• At least seven years of proven fundraising experience.
• 2-3 years experience with donor stewardship, research and moves
  management and adhering to best practices in nonprofit donor
  acknowledgments and IRA tax guidelines.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Extensive experience with donor relationship management
  databases or similar.
• Excellent supervisory skills and experience managing a staff of
  2-3 people, as well as demonstrated leadership and interpersonal
  skills.
• A proven ability to work both independently and as part of a
  team.
• Analytical with an exceptional ability to pay attention to
  detail, great organizational skills, and high-level accuracy in
  completing complex tasks.
• Strong abilities working with data in Microsoft Excel.
• A highly motivated and self-confident character, as well as a
  strong drive to move projects forward quickly and follow through
  with staff regarding their completion.
• The ability to learn and complete tasks quickly.
• Strong project management skills including the ability to
  organize time, manage diverse activities and personal interactions,
  and meet short-term and long-term deadlines.
• High energy level and excellent interpersonal skills and a
  proven ability to work both independently and as part of a
  team.

 

Benefits:

• Fully paid medical premiums for staff, and greatly discounted
  for families.
• Fully paid dental and vision premiums for staff and their
  families.
• Generous employer contribution to HSA and HRA’s.
• Center paid premiums for Short Term and Long Term Disability
  provided for all staff.
• Center paid premiums for Basic Life Insurance for all
  staff.
• Discounted premiums for pet discount program.
• 403(b) plan with employer match and increasing employer paid
  contributions.
• Generous time off policies, including 13 paid holidays per
  year, 5 “personal” days per year and 10 paid sick days awarded each
  year.
• Vacation accrual starts at 15 days annually, but it may be
  higher commensurate with experience.
• Center Paid Time Off for parental leave, personal leave,
  caretaker leave and even pet caretaker leave.
• After 5 years of service, all employees receive a 12-week paid
  sabbatical.
• Relaxed work atmosphere and dress code.

 

Salary Range: $85,000 – $105,000

 

Application Process:

Please apply online by completing our application and submitting
a cover letter, resume and reference list. 

 

The Center for Biological Diversity deeply values, and is
committed to sustaining and promoting, both biological and cultural
diversity. We welcome, embrace and respect diversity of people,
identities and cultures. We are committed to fostering an
organizational culture of diversity and inclusion. The Center
believes staff and board diversity is critical to saving life on
Earth.

 

We are an equal opportunity employer.