Director of Development, South Carolina

USA The Nature Conservancy; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 118,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care benefits

401(k) plan with employer match

Parental leave

Paid time off

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Employee assistance program

Job summary

The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina is seeking a Director of Development to lead and grow the SC donor portfolio and multi-year campaigns. You will build a high-performing team, engage trustees and volunteers, and align SC priorities with the global One Future: Together campaign.

You’ll manage budgets, donor engagement, and reporting while ensuring compliance with policies and ethical fundraising practices. This is a leadership role with frequent travel and long hours as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 7 years related experience.
• Experience asking for and closing major gifts.
• Demonstrated success with planning, organizing and running campaigns with significant target achievement.
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents such as major donors, foundations and corporations.
• Experience in planning and delivering budgetary responsibilities.
• Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Lead South Carolina’s fundraising strategy, including executing multi-year campaigns to meet and exceed fundraising goals.
• Grow the donor pipeline, identifying new donors, and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and principal gift donors, foundations, corporations, and key partners.
• Lead, manage, develop, and retain a high-performing development team.
• Partner with the State Director, Board Chair, trustees, and campaign volunteers to strengthen fundraising engagement.
• Develop and administer budget and fundraising objectives, evaluate results and develop corrective strategies as needed.
• Manage major gift functions, including planned giving, endowments, principal gifts, donor prospecting, research, donor engagement, and multi-year campaigns.

Skills

Major gifts

Donor relations

Campaign management

Team leadership

Budget oversight

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

What We Can Achieve Together

The Director of Development (DoD) is accountable for the team raising $4.5M annually and leading the South Carolina development team toward broader targets from South Carolina-managed donor portfolios. This role grows the donor pipeline, cultivates principal and major donors, and connects South Carolina priorities to TNC's global campaign, One Future: Together, We Find a Way. The DoD builds a high-performing, inclusive team; engages trustees and campaign volunteers; and strengthens donor strategy, portfolio management, reporting, and accountability.

Responsibilities & Scope

• Lead South Carolina’s fundraising strategy, including executing multi-year campaigns to meet and exceed fundraising goals.
• Grow the donor pipeline, identifying new donors, and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and principal gift donors, foundations, corporations, and key partners.
• Lead, manage, develop, and retain a high-performing development team.
• Partner with the State Director, Board Chair, trustees, and campaign volunteers to strengthen fundraising engagement.
• Develop and administer budget and fundraising objectives, evaluate results and develop corrective strategies as needed.
• Manage major gift functions, including planned giving, endowments, principal gifts, donor prospecting, research, donor engagement, and multi-year campaigns.
• Report development program activities to leadership and the South Carolina Board of Trustees.
• Maintain 100% Board participation in TNC's Legacy Club and work with Trustee Legacy Ambassadors towards the goal.
• Ensure fundraising activities comply with TNC policies, financial standards, legal requirements, and ethical practices.
• Maintain confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
• May direct or participate in negotiations for complex, high profile or sensitive agreements.
• May travel frequently and on short notice, work long hours and weekends.
• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.

We’re Looking for You

Want to make a difference every day? Join The Nature Conservancy's South Carolina team and help create lasting impact for people and nature. We are looking for a fundraising or business development professional who is passionate about conservation and building meaningful partnerships. As a global conservation leader and one of the nation's top fundraising charities, The Nature Conservancy brings strategy and action together to address some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Since 1974, The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina has worked with partners to protect the state’s lands, waters, wildlife, and communities—from the Southern Blue Ridge to the coast. Our work advances land protection, conservation science, living shorelines, prescribed fire, sustainable fisheries, and policy solutions that connect people and nature.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree and 7 years related experience.
• Experience asking for and closing major gifts.
• Demonstrated success with planning, organizing and running campaigns with significant target achievement.
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents such as major donors, foundations and corporations.
• Experience in planning and delivering budgetary responsibilities.
• Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience, coursework, or other training in principles, practices, and procedures of charitable giving, particularly in the areas of capital campaigns, major gifts and planned giving.

Desired Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and experience communication and with and presenting to, a wide variety of audiences.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Expert knowledge of current and evolving trends in major gifts giving and solicitation.
• Knowledge of advanced gift planning concepts.
• Experience leading, managing and developing a high performing team to accomplish organizational goals.
• Proficiency in synthesizing materials from multiple sources into a coherent and accurate summary for executive audiences.
• Understanding of best practices in non-profit management.
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.

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 $118,000- $128,800. 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.

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. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor. 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.

What We Bring

• 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, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

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. Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings! TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [e-mail] with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.