Director of Development

WeConservePA; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Wildlands Conservancy, a leading nonprofit land trust, seeks a Director of Development to lead annual giving, donor cultivation, and events. You will manage a portfolio of donors, supervise staff, and collaborate with the Chief Advancement Officer and Board to advance conservation and education initiatives.

The role emphasizes donor stewardship, strategic planning, and data-driven fundraising, with responsibility for development operations and volunteer programs, in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of nonprofit fundraising experience with donor acquisition, retention, and major gifts.
• Knowledge of fundraising planning, IRS guidelines, and AFP standards.
• Ability to build connections with diverse community stakeholders and maintain confidential information.
• Experience with donor databases and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Annual Fund strategy and campaigns to meet revenue and donor goals.
• Direct mail schedules, audience segmentation, and campaign fulfillment.
• Grow Evergreen Society and Conservancy Partners memberships and manage donor portfolio.
• Oversee donor stewardship, communications, events, and donor engagement.
• Develop strategies to convert supporters into long-term donors.
• Analyze campaign revenue, donor acquisition, retention, upgrades, and goals.
• Oversee Development operations and annual audit documentation.
• Manage Volunteer Program oversight and performances.

Skills

Donor acquisition

Donor retention

Major gifts

Communication skills

Strategic planning

Tools

Salesforce NPSP

Job description

For almost 53 years, Wildlands Conservancy has been the Lehigh River Watershed’s leading land trust. Our mission is to protect and restore critical areas and waterways and educate the community to create a legacy of a healthy, sustainable environment for future generations. As a part of a dynamic team, the Director of Development will play a key role in the nonprofit land trust’s community engagement strategy with emphasis on fundraising through operating support, events, and volunteerism. The Director is responsible for managing and growing a comprehensive and strategic annual giving program of approximately $1M. Working closely with Chief Advancement Officer, the Director of Development will develop and implement efficient and effective prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship strategies for all constituencies, manage a portfolio of donors, and oversee direct reports in the area of fundraising and cultivation events, and the organization’s volunteer program. The Director of Development will work with Wildlands Conservancy’s Board of Trustees, collaborate daily with all members of the Wildlands team, and report to the Chief Advancement Officer.

In this role you will:

• Annual Fund Strategy & Campaign Management: Lead the Annual Fund to achieve operating revenue and donor relationship goals through direct mail, special campaigns, events, donor acquisition, conversion, retention, and upgrades.
• Direct Mail & Special Initiatives: Develop annual direct mail schedules, audience segmentation, messaging, and fulfillment with Communications; oversee the Animal Ambassador Campaign, Circle of Sustainers, Giving Tuesday, and other targeted initiatives.
• Donor Cultivation & Giving Societies: Grow Evergreen Society and Conservancy Partners membership through acquisition, retention, upgrades, and engagement; manage an assigned donor portfolio with the President and Chief Advancement Officer.
• Donor Stewardship & Engagement: Lead a comprehensive stewardship program covering timely acknowledgments, donor benefits, targeted communications, events, and meaningful relationship-building activities.
• Lead Generation & Donor Conversion: Develop strategies to convert education participants, volunteers, event attendees, preserve visitors, and other supporters into long-term donors.
• Fundraising Strategy & Performance Reporting: Analyze campaign revenue, donor acquisition, conversion, retention, upgrades, and relationship goals; collaborate on major gifts, planned giving, endowment, grants, and capital campaign strategies.
• Development Operations & Audit Support: Oversee donor database policies and data quality controls and coordinate Development’s annual audit documentation with Finance and organizational leadership.
• Volunteer Program Oversight: Ensure the Volunteer Program supports organizational and Strategic Plan priorities, complies with policies, and offers meaningful volunteer experiences.

Management

• Team Leadership & Performance: Supervise the Stewardship & Volunteer Coordinator and Development Associate, establishing clear expectations, priorities, measures, and accountability for financial, engagement, data, and relationship outcomes.
• Stewardship, Volunteer & Event Operations: Oversee delivery of volunteer programming, stewardship activities, fundraising events, and donor engagement experiences through the Stewardship & Volunteer Coordinator.
• Salesforce & Development Administration: Oversee accurate gift entry, weekly batches, acknowledgments, constituent segmentation, lead generation, reporting, mailing support, data analysis, and records management through the Development Associate.
• Collaboration & Staff Development: Strengthen communication and accountability within Development and across Development & Communications; provide coaching, training, professional development, and resources for direct reports.

To be successful you will need:

• 8-10 years’ experience in nonprofit fundraising, with demonstrated success in any of the following: donor acquisition and retention, donor stewardship, and major gift solicitation.
• Proven knowledge of fundraising planning and reporting procedures, IRS guidelines and Association of
• Fundraising Professionals standards. Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Experience with donor acquisition strategies developing programs that make deeper connections to already existing non-donor constituencies and community-wide prospecting.
• Proven success with donor retention strategies that engage current donors in other activities of the organization and inspire increased giving, planned gifts, and major gifts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills both in one-on-one and group meeting settings. Strong experience in proposal writing and presentation.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a variety of community stakeholders from individuals, families, corporations, foundations, community groups, government, etc.
• Ability to work in a high-pace environment and ability to respond quickly and diplomatically to conflicting priorities.
• Experience with donor database software; Wildlands currently utilizes Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack.
  Ability to make data-driven decisions to improve outcomes and/or implement new ideas.
• Excellent budget management and cost analysis skills.
• Enthusiastic helper who is motivated to connect the community with conservation and environmental education projects through proven successes and confident to take on new challenges.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite of programs.

Our employees’ and board of directors’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics is what makes us unique. We welcome and invite people to be who they are.