Corporate Philanthropy Director

Natural Resources Defense; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Competitive benefits

Nonprofit salary scale

Job summary

NRDC is seeking a Corporate Philanthropy Director to build and lead a global corporate philanthropy program across the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union. The role focuses on developing a portfolio of corporations and foundations to strengthen NRDC’s revenue and mission alignment.

The Director will report to the Managing Director, Institutional, Global, and Corporate Philanthropy, and will drive donor engagement, strategy, proposals, and reporting while traveling up to 30%

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years’ experience in corporate philanthropy and/or business development, corporate partnership and sponsorship.
• Proven track record of earning high six- and seven-figure gifts from corporations or corporate foundations.
• International experience is a plus.
• Knowledge of environmental issues and environmental funder landscape is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop, grow, and manage a complex portfolio of corporate foundations and corporate entities in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and globally, closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Lead strategic plan to build this revenue stream in the U.S. and overseas, with aligned guardrails and opportunities.
• Lead donor-specific, multi-year strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of grants.
• Serve as an advisor on corporate philanthropy fundraising strategies for NRDC and NRDC International.
• Manage donor deliverables, including proposals and reports, with writing and grants teams.
• Lead executive and board level engagement in fundraising activities with briefing and donor follow-up.
• Collaborate with Donor Engagement, Planned Giving, and Membership teams to plan events for cultivation.
• Create fundraising materials and communications for corporate donors.

Skills

Corporate philanthropy

Fundraising strategy

Grant management

Donor engagement

Effective communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Overview

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than3 million membersand online activists with theexpertiseof some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, and advance innovative, science-based, and enforceable solutions.

Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America’s foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Beijing, London, and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.).

Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health acrossAsia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org.

NRDC is seeking a Corporate Philanthropy Director to work with our Development team out of New York, Washington D.C. or San Francisco office.

Position Summary

The Corporate Philanthropy Director will build and lead a global corporate philanthropy program to grow its revenue in the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union. Through the development and management of a portfolio of corporations and corporate foundations, NRDC aims to strengthen its global presence and grow and diversify its revenue to advance its climate, public health, and nature goals. This role will be key to pioneering this work, ensuring it is aligned with our financial objectives, programmatic priorities, and values.

Reporting to the Managing Director, Institutional, Global, and Corporate Philanthropy, the Director is a key member of the Development department and is expected to serve as an experienced fundraiser and strategic resource for NRDC and NRDC International in the United States, United Kingdom, and globally.

The position you are applying forispart of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG /The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accomodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

• Develop, grow, and manage a complex portfolio of corporate foundations and corporate entities in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and globally. This includes leading funders through all stages of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, consistently closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Lead the development and implementation of a strategic plan to build this new revenue stream in the U.S. and overseas, including guardrails and opportunities that are aligned with our programmatic work, mission, and values.
• Lead the development and implementation of donor-specific, multi-year strategies and plans for the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of grants, including high-quality engagement opportunities such as in-person meetings, conferences, and events.
• Serve as an advisor on corporate philanthropy fundraising strategies for NRDC and NRDC International.
• Manage donor deliverables, including proposals and reports, ensuring quality and timely submission in collaboration with the writing and grants management teams.
• Lead executive and board level engagement in fundraising activities, including briefing, coordination, and donor related follow-up.
• Work with the Donor Engagement, Planned Giving, and Membership teams to plan events that maximize donor and prospect cultivation opportunities.
• Partner on the creation of fundraising materials and regular communications that will resonate with corporate donors.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred
• 10+ years’ experience in corporate philanthropy and/or business development, corporate partnership and sponsorship
• Proven track record of earning high six- and seven-figure gifts from corporations or corporate foundations and/or experience managing a significant philanthropic portfolio for a corporate foundation.
• International experience a plus
• Knowledge of environmental issues and environmental funder landscape a plus

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Established network of relationships in corporate philanthropic space
• Strategic writing and oral communication skills; ability to communicate and influence effectively across different cultural contexts
• Organizational skills; ability to prioritize and oversee multiple streams of work to meet overlapping deadlines
• Detail-oriented with high standards of excellence
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, approximately 30% annually
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission and values

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.Pursuant tothe San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries,excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $145,000 to $175,000.

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employeesare required tocome to the office 8 days per month.

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to helpcontainthe COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemptionin accordance withstate and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine.In accordance withstate or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.