Associate Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations

USA The Nature Conservancy; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nature Conservancy seeks an Associate Director of Development (ADoD) to lead corporate and foundation fundraising in California and beyond. You will manage a 60–120 donor portfolio, cultivate and solicit major gifts, and coordinate with conservation staff, leadership, and finance to drive multi-year donor strategies and outcomes.

You will pair relationship-building with strategic proposals, reports, and senior leadership engagement to meet ambitious goals and advance conservation priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5 years related fundraising experience.
• Experience in asking for and closing gifts of $25,000 or more.
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects and donors.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and fundraising principles.

Responsibilities

• Act independently and in supervisor's stead as needed, exercising independent judgment.
• Manage a portfolio of 60–120 donors with capacity to give over $100,000.
• Lead CFR pipeline coordination and achievement of annual fundraising goals.
• Engage senior leadership, craft proposals, reports, and updates, and coordinate site visits.
• Travel periodically and work long or flexible hours as needed.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Relationship building

Cross-functional collaboration

Proposal writing

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

What We Can Achieve Together: The Associate Director of Development (ADoD)

Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR), reporting to the Director of CFR, manages a portfolio of corporate and foundation prospects and donors, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding institutions with the potential to make a major gift in support of TNC's conservation priorities. To do this, they will work collaborative with colleagues across the organization, including other fundraisers, conservation staff and leadership, and finance partners to develop and implement effective multi-year donor strategies that include all the tools in a TNC fundraiser's toolbox, notably engagement with senior organizational leadership, written proposals, reports and other updates, site visits, and personalized visits. The ADoD also leads the coordination of the CFR team's pipeline process, identifying and qualifying potential institutional supporters.

Responsibilities and Scope

• Act independently and in supervisor's stead as needed, exercise independent judgment to identify and solve problems.
• Decisions may have program-wide impact and may bind the organization financially or legally.
• Demonstrate sensitivity in handling confidential information.
• Ensure compliance with TNC policies and procedures and external (donor/legal/IRS) requirements.
• Financial responsibility includes working within a budget and meeting fundraising objectives.
• Manage assigned projects, coordinating the work of peers and setting deadlines.
• May manage or participate in complex or sensitive negotiations.
• Persuasively convey the mission of TNC to varied groups who are important to the organization's overall prosperity.
• Travel periodically, with ability to work long and flexible hours as needed.
• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.
• Manage a portfolio of 60 - 120 donors with the capacity to give over $100,000.
• Responsible for 60 - 120 donor visits per year and 100 - 480 moves annually.
• Annual fundraising goal of $1,000,000 - $2,000,000, along with goals for $100,000 solicitations.

We’re Looking for You

Are you a talented fundraiser looking to apply your skills for the good of the planet? Do you enjoy helping foundations and corporations find a way to achieve their goals by introducing them to impactful conservation work? The California Development team is part of a larger team of development professionals who are leading and influencing how The Nature Conservancy raises funds in support of our ambitious global conservation goals.

What You’ll Bring

Bachelor’s degree and 5 years related experience or an equivalent combination. Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents. Experience in asking for and closing gifts of $25,000 or more. Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects and donors. Experience working with cross-functional teams. Experience, coursework, or other training in fundraising principles and practices.

Desired Qualifications

• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Ability to determine an individual's interests, capacity, and potential for helping the Conservancy meet its goals, and act appropriately to tie those interests with the Conservancy's work.
• Ability to educate and inform prospective and existing donors about appropriate giving vehicles.
• Ability to implement and manage fundraising plans, including individualized cultivation, solicitation, and recognition plans.
• Knowledge of current trends in the charitable giving in the areas of capital campaigns, major gifts or planned giving.
• Demonstrated experience using listening, diplomacy, and tact to build strong relationships and motivate donors and volunteers.
• Proven ability to negotiate high profile or sensitive agreements.
• Working knowledge of the basics of charitable gift planning.

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC's Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers". To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

Salary Information

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $XXX,XXX - XXX,XXX or hourly rate. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate's actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment. This position may be based in any country where TNC has an established entity, taking into consideration legal restrictions, such as non-national ratios and immigration processing times. For U.S. based applicants only, the starting pay range for this position is generally within the range of $XXX,XXX - XXX,XXX or hourly rate for annual base salary and is based on location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. For all other applicants, pay ranges will be in local currency, the pay range will be based on the local labor market, and not tied to the above pay range. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment and used to determine your actual pay range. Additionally, for all applicants, actual pay will fall within a range based on a variety of factors including, for example, the candidate's qualifications, specific skills, and experience.

Who We Are

The Nature Conservancy's mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it's career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there's many reasons to love life inside TNC. One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant's unique experience.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law. The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

We are committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process.

What We Bring

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world! TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of the health and well-being of the people we employ. Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role.

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and over 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 79 countries and territories: 37 by direct conservation impact and 42 through partners. To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Our vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives.

We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• health care benefits
• flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match
• parental leave
• accrued paid time off
• life insurance
• disability coverage
• employee assistance program
• other life and work well-being benefits