Senior Gift Officer

RPMGlobal; Jersey City (NJ); Remote; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Gift Officer to enhance its mission of global conservation. This exciting remote position offers the chance to build a meaningful funding network, engaging with senior leadership and high-net-worth individuals. The role involves direct relationship management, strategic fundraising efforts, and the opportunity for global travel. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in fundraising, excellent communication skills, and a passion for environmental conservation. Join a dedicated team making a significant impact on nature and humanity, while enjoying the flexibility of remote work.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in major gifts fundraising with a proven track record.
• Ability to cultivate and secure significant gifts of $100K+.

Responsibilities

• Raise $1.5 million in 18 months and grow portfolio to $2-3 million annually.
• Develop strategies for donor engagement and cultivation.

Skills

Fundraising Skills

Relationship Management

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Networking Skills

Multicultural Competence

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Fundraising Software

Job description

Senior Gift Officer

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

POSITION SUMMARY - This will be a remote work position based in a major metropolitan area, ideally Boston, New York, or New Jersey. Conservation International (CI) is seeking a Senior Gift Officer to play a pivotal role in advancing its unique mission and vision with a particular emphasis on the Northeastern United States (ideally Boston, New York, and New Jersey). This is an exciting role with direct relationship management and engagement with senior leadership at CI. This position affords the candidate an opportunity to grow a meaningful funding network and connect with business leaders and philanthropists dedicated to global conservation.

The Senior Gift Officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding new prospects and individual donors with Major Giving potential ($100,000+ annually). They are responsible for achieving specific multi-figure short-term and long-term fundraising goals and growing the portfolio to meet yearly and multi-year revenue targets. This position will be based in a major metropolitan region or wealth center in the Northeastern United States (Boston, New York, New Jersey) and will hold a portfolio appropriate to the location that will also include several global donors. This role will afford the candidate opportunities for global travel.

This position works closely with development leadership staff, program leads, and organizational leadership throughout CI to collaborate on fundraising opportunities and strategies. They represent CI externally and continually build strong relationships with prospects. They develop and execute cultivation strategies for prospective high-net-worth donors. Some strategies include direct solicitation, coordinating solicitations with senior leaders, and ongoing cultivation meetings that will lead to large gifts to support operating and restricted program needs. This position will also prepare detailed progress reports of all fundraising activities. This position works closely with the Donor Experience and Communications team and fellow Development staff to plan and execute several strategic events, including pre-and post-event donor solicitation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Revenue Generation (Solicitation)

• Raise at least $1,500,000 in the initial 18 months and grow the portfolio to $2-3 million annually in the first three years.
• Build and manage a portfolio of up to 125 major gift donors (a mix of current donors and prospects) to contribute to overall organization fundraising. Complete at least 15 gift solicitations of at least $50,000 in the first 18 months.
• Maintain up-to-date revenue projections toward annual revenue goals in collaboration with Development Leadership.

Portfolio Management (Cultivation /Stewardship)

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for donors and prospects to raise awareness of CI’s mission and broaden CI’s funding base, increasing portfolio productivity to meet annual and multi-year revenue goals.
• Engage donors through in-person or virtual visits (at least 100 per year), collaboration with CI program staff, mailings, emails, etc. to advance solicitation efforts.
• In collaboration with the Donor Experience & Communications team, organize small cultivation and revenue-generating events as part of the overall fundraising strategy to support existing and new donor engagement and flexible funding goals keeping true to CI’s goals for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Steward existing donors via written reports and in-person briefings as appropriate.
• Maintain up-to-date records of moves management activity in Raiser’s Edge and provide monthly and ad-hoc progress reports to Development Leadership.
• Activate networks and work with the CI prospect research team to identify high-net-worth individuals to identify new prospects for CI.

Relationship Management

• Work closely with senior Development staff and CI leadership to steward, cultivate, and recruit Leadership Council members in the region.
• Partner with CI program staff to foster relationships with donors.
• As needed, work with partner organizations in the local community as part of donor relationship building.

Perform related duties as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• 50% local and regional travel is required (depending on the candidate's location).
• Ability to work irregular and extended work hours, including evenings and weekends.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree
• 10 or more years of related work experience in directly soliciting major gifts.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully cultivating and securing significant gifts of $100K or more from assigned prospects.
• Experience working with volunteer leadership in identifying and cultivating major gifts prospects.
• A motivated self-starter that can work independently and has impeccable professional integrity and confidence.
• This position requires the ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.
• Success in this position is also dependent on the person having a deep interest in the environment and being committed to teamwork and individual achievement, professional in demeanor, flexible, organized, and forward-thinking.
• Professionalism, knowledge of best practices, and discretion.
• Exceptional writing and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a dynamic environment.
• Proficient in fundraising software and systems.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility-committed employer. We are proud to have a diverse, global workforce where employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, position requirements, business needs, market conditions, merit, and other legitimate nondiscriminatory factors.