Major Gifts Officer, East

We’re protecting and enhancing America’s National Park System for present and future generations.

National Parks Conversation Association (NPCA) is the nation’s oldest and largest national parks nonprofit, advocacy organization. NPCA has an exciting opportunity for a Major Gifts Officer, East to join our Development department.  

When you join NPCA, you will become part of a highly supportive community that believes in respect through understanding and is guided by our core values: Commitment, Inclusion, Integrity and Respect. Our core values embolden us to achieve excellence, unite us and fuel our commitment to become leaders fulfilling our shared mission of protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations.

Location: Washington, DC

Salary: $90k – 100k, based on location and commensurate with experience (Grade N)

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation and benefits including a four-day, 32-hour work week, paid sabbaticals for staff after seven years of service and more. Learn more about our benefits.

Position Overview:

Reporting to NPCA’s Director of Development – East, the Major Gifts Officer develops and executes a strategic fundraising plan to identify and target primarily individual donors to raise programmatic, operating, and campaign support. They are a self-starter leading all aspects of identification, qualification, cultivation, and stewardship for a growing portfolio of donors and prospects. Serve as the lead relationship manager for donors. Work in partnership with the Development Leadership, Director of Development – East, Executive Department, regional program staff and Board of Trustees in relationship management of major donors and prospects as needed. This position is responsible for working independently with high-net worth donors and prospects to secure gifts for NPCA’s national and region-based programs.

As a member of the national development department, they work closely with senior development professionals, executive and program staff, national and regional volunteers to increase support at the $10,000+ level focusing on six- and seven- figure prospects. They will be focused on building relationships through in-person cultivation and have significant autonomy to achieve ambitious fundraising goals.

Essential Functions:

Create and execute a strategic major gifts plan to grow and manage a major gifts portfolio at the $10,000+ level, focusing on six and seven figure gifts and generating seven figures+ annually (70%)

• Through prospect qualification and cultivation, continue building a major donor portfolio of 125-150 donors;
• Develop meaningful relationships with major donors and major donor prospects to ensure they feel special, valued, and connected to NPCA’s mission;
• Work with NPCA staff, Board of Trustees, former Board, and Regional Council members to develop and execute strategies, using moves management principles for ongoing cultivation and stewardship of major donors and prospects;
• Prepare briefing documents for members of the Executive Team, program staff, and members of the board to use in major gift cultivation and solicitation;
• Represent major donor interests and perspective inside NPCA and in national and regional publications;
• Serve as staff liaison to donors and board members in their fundraising efforts as needed.
• Write proposals and concept papers for major donor prospects describing funding opportunities for NPCA regional activities as well as national programs;
• Provide program reports and updates for major donors showing the impact of their contributions.
• Act as an NCPA representative and spokesperson and effectively network in various venues and in front of a wide range of audiences;
• Actively participate as a member of the major gifts team;
• Travel is expected 30% of the time to achieve a face-to-face visits goal.

Ensure success of regional special events in terms of donor engagement and increased support (10%)

• Develop and staff cultivation, solicitation, or stewardship events as appropriate, including NPS site tours, donor briefings with NPCA program staff, and house parties.

Perform major gifts administrative task to ensure strengthened relationships with major donors and prospects are documented and reflected in ongoing outreach (20%)

• Manage portfolio donor moves and interactions in Revolution Online donor database system;
• Provide logistical and communication support for meetings and appropriate follow-up by filing timely contact reports and appropriate correspondence;
• Participate in annual budgetary process to create an annual operating budget for the development function and manages activities within the allocated resources.

Minimum Qualifications, Competencies, Skills, Education, and Traits:

• 5 years of experience in a similar role.
• Strong personal commitment to national park system protection, with experience in conservation/environment or related field preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Demonstrated success in the Mid-Atlantic and/or Southeastern US regions with managing a major gift portfolio, working with high net-worth individuals, securing six-figure contributions and setting the stage for seven-figure gifts.
• Demonstrated success working with and engaging volunteers in philanthropy.
• Excellent writing and oral communications skills and ability to prepare funding proposals.
• Ability to work with a wide range and diversity of constituents and to travel 30% of the time throughout the territory.
• Enjoys calling and visiting donors and prospects in person and must be willing to work as part of the national development team.
• Ability to set priorities, coordinate multiple projects, handle details, and work effectively under pressure with minimum supervision.

Green 2.0 Pledge: Our organization is committing to conducting a pay equity analysis of staff compensation to look at differences in compensation in regard to race, ethnicity, and gender, to collect and analyze relevant data, and take corrective actions to remediate pay disparities.

Physical Effort and Dexterity:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is typically required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee may lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

NPCA is committed to diversity among its employees and hiring practices.  All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Physical Environment: Office or home office setting; significant travel, significant time driving, time in field in national parks and other public lands.

Employer’s Rights:  NPCA reserves the right to revise this position description at any time.  The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the NPCA and employee and is subject to change by the NPCA as the needs of the NPCA and requirements of the job change. The above is in no way an exhaustive list of the requirements for the position.

COVID-19: Please be aware that NPCA requires all employees who are required to work onsite, whether regularly or sporadically to be vaccinated for COVID-19. This position will require the successful candidate to show proof of vaccination. NPCA is an equal opportunity employer and will provide reasonable accommodation to those individuals who are unable to be vaccinated consistent with federal, state, and local law. *This does not apply to applicants residing in Montana, Tennessee, and Florida.