Director of Philanthropy

Connecticut Zoological Society Inc; Washington; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Connecticut Zoological Society Inc in Bridgeport, CT, is seeking a Director of Philanthropy to lead a comprehensive fundraising program at Beardsley Zoo. You will build strategy, engage donors, and represent the Zoo externally to broaden contributed revenue.

You will partner with the CEO and Board, manage major gifts and campaigns, develop cases for support, and create systems to grow annual, planned, foundation, corporate, and event giving for long-term sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with the Zoo’s mission, priorities, operating needs, capital needs, conservation initiatives, education programs, animal care priorities, guest experience goals, and long-term sustainability.
• Serve as the organization’s lead development strategist, setting clear revenue goals, donor engagement priorities, timelines, performance metrics, and accountability standards.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, high-capacity donors, corporate partners, foundations, and other key philanthropic relationships.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward major gifts, sponsorships, grants, planned gifts, campaign commitments, and other significant philanthropic investments.
• Build and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for major donors and prospects.
• Develop a strong pipeline of new prospects through donor research, wealth screening, community engagement, Board referrals, existing donor relationships, corporate relationships, and strategic outreach.
• Expand current annual donors into higher giving levels through thoughtful donor segmentation, targeted engagement, and personalized solicitation strategies.
• Design and implement strategies to increase annual giving, major giving, planned giving, foundation support, corporate sponsorship, event revenue, membership revenue, and campaign participation.
• Create compelling cases for support, funding proposals, campaign materials, donor presentations, stewardship reports, impact updates, and other donor-facing communications.
• Establish clear activity metrics, including donor meetings, calls, proposals, solicitations, stewardship contacts, and revenue outcomes.
• Ensure timely and disciplined follow-up with donors, prospects, Board members, and community partners.
• Monitor fundraising performance and provide regular reports to the CEO, Board, and senior leadership on progress against goals.
• Create a culture of philanthropy across the organization by engaging leadership, staff, volunteers, and Board members in understanding and supporting development priorities.

Job description

Job Description

Title Director of Philanthropy

Classification Full Time / Exempt

Reports To Chief Executive Officer

Department Development

Location: Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610

Position Summary The Director of Philanthropy is responsible for building and executing a comprehensive fundraising and philanthropic revenue strategy that advances the Zoo’s mission, strengthens donor engagement, expands contributed revenue, and supports the organization’s long-term sustainability. This role requires a seasoned, results-driven development leader with a proven track record of securing significant philanthropic gifts, cultivating high-capacity donors, leading major gift strategies, developing institutional funding opportunities, and driving annual, planned, corporate, foundation, sponsorship, event, and campaign giving. The Director of Philanthropy serves as the organization’s lead fundraising strategist and a confident external representative of the Zoo. This position partners closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, senior leadership, donors, corporate partners, foundations, community leaders, and key stakeholders to grow philanthropic support and deepen relationships with individuals and institutions that are committed to the Zoo’s mission. The ideal candidate is a high-performing development professional who can move seamlessly between strategy and execution, build relationships with sophistication and authenticity, inspire donor confidence, develop compelling cases for support, and create the systems, discipline, and accountability necessary to grow contributed revenue.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Development Leadership & Fundraising Strategy

Develop and lead a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with the Zoo’s mission, strategic priorities, operating needs, capital needs, conservation initiatives, education programs, animal care priorities, guest experience goals, and long-term sustainability.

Serve as the organization’s lead development strategist, setting clear revenue goals, donor engagement priorities, timelines, performance metrics, and accountability standards.

Personally manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, high-capacity donors, corporate partners, foundations, and other key philanthropic relationships.

Identify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward major gifts, sponsorships, grants, planned gifts, campaign commitments, and other significant philanthropic investments.

Build and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for major donors and prospects.

Develop a strong pipeline of new prospects through donor research, wealth screening, community engagement, Board referrals, existing donor relationships, corporate relationships, and strategic outreach.

Expand current annual donors into higher giving levels through thoughtful donor segmentation, targeted engagement, and personalized solicitation strategies.

Design and implement strategies to increase annual giving, major giving, planned giving, foundation support, corporate sponsorship, event revenue, membership revenue, and campaign participation.

Create compelling cases for support, funding proposals, campaign materials, donor presentations, stewardship reports, impact updates, and other donor-facing communications.

Establish clear activity metrics, including donor meetings, calls, proposals, solicitations, stewardship contacts, and revenue outcomes.

Ensure timely and disciplined follow-up with donors, prospects, Board members, and community partners.

Monitor fundraising performance and provide regular reports to the CEO, Board, and senior leadership on progress against goals.

Create a culture of philanthropy across the organization by engaging leadership, staff, volunteers, and Board members in understanding and supporting development priorities.

Major Gifts, Campaigns & Institutional Giving

Lead or support capital campaign planning, feasibility work, donor readiness assessment, campaign strategy, campaign messaging, leadership gift cultivation, and campaign execution.

Develop and manage a robust major gifts program with clear donor tiers, engagement strategies, solicitation timelines, and stewardship standards.

Identify naming opportunities, sponsorship opportunities, restricted giving opportunities, and multi-year funding priorities.

Strengthen corporate giving and sponsorship programs by developing meaningful partnership packages aligned with business visibility, community engagement, and philanthropic impact.

Oversee grant strategy, including identification of foundation opportunities, proposal development, reporting requirements, stewardship, and grant compliance.

Advance planned giving opportunities by educating donors, identifying prospects, and developing appropriate messaging and engagement strategies.

Ensure fundraising strategies are donor-centered, mission-align