Senior Major Gifts Officer

Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with Catalina Island Conservancy in the search for a Senior Major Gifts Officer.

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Senior Major Gifts Officer will play an integral role in fundraising activities that further the priority initiatives laid forth in the Catalina Island Conservancy’s strategic plan, Catalina Island Restoration Project, and the overall mission of the Catalina Island Conservancy. The Senior Major Gifts Officer will develop and implement strategies that secure financial support from a portfolio of donor prospects with the capacity and inclination to make major gifts of $100,000 and more, with increased emphasis and activity on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts of $250,000 to $1,000,000. The Senior Major Gifts Officer will have a dynamic and diverse portfolio of 100 to 125 individuals capable of contributing to the development department’s FY24 goal of $6M.

Founded in 1972, the Catalina Island Conservancy, one of California’s oldest and largest private land trusts, opens its wildlands for the public to enjoy in many ways. Just off the densely populated Southern California coast, Catalina Island is home to approximately 4,000 year-round residents and more than 60 endemic species of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. The Catalina Island Conservancy protects 88 percent of Catalina Island’s approximately 48,000 acres, including the region’s longest publicly accessible undeveloped coastline. The Conservancy is a research and conservation leader, protecting and restoring vulnerable habitats and species in its Mediterranean climate. Conservancy staff guide Island ecosystem recovery with the goal of generating a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem with no endangered forms of life. The Conservancy offers recreational experiences and educational programs for not only the 300,000 annual visitors who choose to spend time in the unique and special Conservancy “Wildlands Ecosystems” but also inspires nearly 1.4 million visitors to other parts of the Island. Recreation, educational engagement service opportunities, and partnerships connect the Island’s unique resources to people’s lives, inspiring environmental stewardship and action. The Catalina Island Conservancy believes in responsible recreation for the stewardship of natural resources. The Conservancy provides access to Catalina Island’s wildlands with nearly 165 miles of recreational roads and trails, and 62 miles of unspoiled beaches and coves for camping, biking, hiking, touring, and more.

All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Catalina Island Conservancy as well as the responsibilities and qualifications presented in the prospectus. A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least six years of experience in major gift fundraising, preferably in conservation, environment, higher education/academia, or the arts is preferred. A background in annual and planned giving is a plus. Catalina Island Conservancy will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. If you are excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to the Conservancy, but your experience does not exactly align with every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.