Description

What we can achieve together:

The Virginia Director of Philanthropy (DOP) leads a comprehensive philanthropy program that secures significant financial resources from individuals, foundations, and corporations to support The Nature Conservancy’s priorities in Virginia and around the world. They must be a proven strategic leader, have successful major and principal gifts fundraising experience including designing and executing complex donor strategies. The DOP is responsible for all fundraising, which may include multi-year fundraising campaigns, planned giving, major and principal gift fundraising, donor prospecting and research, stewardship, and assisting in recruiting board members. The DOP recruits, develops, and inspires a staff of high-performing philanthropy professionals, works closely with the Virginia Board of Trustees and other volunteer leaders, and builds a culture of philanthropy throughout the Virginia Chapter, including advancing One Conservancy. This person may also successfully manage a small portfolio of high-level donors and prospects.

The DOP will build on the Virginia Chapter’s significant contributions to the Conservancy’s local and global priorities. To that end, the DOP must be motivated to learn and able to work in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders and partners including conservation experts, philanthropy staff, donors, and volunteers across a dispersed and complex organization to integrate philanthropy with sophisticated conservation and policy initiatives. The DOP is a member of the Virginia Chapter Leadership Team and plays a significant role in building the Chapter as a hub of conservation innovation and success.

Job Duties

We’re Looking for You:

The Director of Philanthropy is charged with:

• Management responsibility for an 8-person philanthropy team, which encompasses major and principal gift functions, planned giving, stewardship, giving from foundations and corporations, operational and support functions, and the responsibility to implement an ambitious strategic fundraising initiative working toward our current local and global outcomes.
• Leading Chapter philanthropy efforts to develop the capability to fundraise in excess of $8 million annually in outright gifts and pledges in support of The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia chapter as well as regional and global conservation priorities.
• Understanding the Chapter’s finances including Operations, Land and Endowment Funds, to fully engage the team’s potential for solicitations.
• Supporting writing efforts for compelling case statements and grants proposals.
• Working closely with the State Director, the Virginia Leadership Team, the Virginia Board Executive Committee, Nominations and Governance Committee and the Philanthropy/Marketing Committee to strengthen and engage the Board of Trustees in fundraising and recruiting and diversifying trustee recruitment.
• Serving on the Virginia Leadership Team and contributing to the overall strategy and direction of the Chapter. This includes working with the Leadership Team to develop a chapter-wide Culture of Philanthropy and achieving fundraising goals for which the DOP is accountable.
• Leading, inspiring, and motivating the Virginia Philanthropy Team to build long-term relationships and achieve team goals by:
• Establishing and achieving fundraising objectives, evaluating results, and developing effective strategies as needed.
• Recruiting, developing, and retaining high-performing philanthropy staff and nurturing effective team collaboration.
• Effectively communicating Chapter, Division and Global information with the team to ensure transparency and awareness.
• Actively fostering deep collaboration within the Chapter, with regional and global teams, with external partners as necessary, and with trustees and donors to achieve Conservancy goals.

To achieve these objectives, the DOP works with Virginia senior staff and philanthropy staff to develop and communicate a strategic plan and multi-year fundraising goals and is accountable to achieve these goals. The DOP encourages collaborative state and organization-wide philanthropy efforts and communicates a broad vision focused on highest return activities aimed at achieving long-range strategic priorities that advance the Conservancy’s global mission.

The DOP plays a leadership role in motivating and coordinating the multi-disciplinary Virginia staff and volunteer leaders in collaborative fundraising efforts, including major and principal gift donor strategy development, cultivation, and solicitation. The DOP understands and complies with all Conservancy gift-related policies and procedures and ensures ethical compliance in all aspects of the team’s work.

• Lead, supervise, inspire, and develop a team of operations and fundraising staff, including recruitment, retention, professional development, establishing clear directions, and setting annual “stretch” objectives.
• Work collaboratively with the State Director and Leadership Team to create a culture of philanthropy and trust.
• Design and direct complex and diversified projects, coordinating the work of other professionals, and ensuring program accountability.
• Develop and administer a departmental budget, evaluate results, and develop corrective strategies as needed.
• Direct or participate in negotiations for complex, high profile, or sensitive agreements.
• Ensure that programmatic commitments, TNC policies and procedures, and financial standards are met and managed for ethical compliance.
• Lead strategic initiatives through collaboration with senior-level stakeholders in order to enhance overall performance in accordance with short and long-term objectives.
• Maintain confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
• Make strategic decisions; decisions made may have program-wide impact and may bind the organization financially or legally.
• Minimize legal risk to the Conservancy and ensure legal compliance with applicable state and local regulations.
• Plan and lead new programs/initiatives that will ensure department and organization-wide goals are achieved.
• Responsibility and accountability for meeting strategic goals and objectives.
• 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.

Skills Required

The successful candidate will have a strong background as an executive leader who has motivated and inspired staff, worked collaboratively across a complex organization, and maintained strong professional relationships; who is a strategic thinker experienced at creating, implementing, and managing successful fundraising initiatives; and who is enthusiastic about using their skills to advance the mission and values of The Nature Conservancy.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree and 8 years related experience, including experience working at a senior level.
• Experience in conceiving, developing, and managing multiple projects and strategic goals.
• Experience in planning and delivering budgetary responsibilities.
• Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience working in a large, complex, not-for-profit environment.
• Experience, coursework, or other training in principles, practices, and procedures of relevant field.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Advanced understanding of best practices in non-profit management.
• Effectively communicates via presentations, conversations, and documents.
• Experience managing a geographically dispersed team.
• Expert knowledge of current and evolving trends in relevant discipline.
• Proficiency in synthesizing materials from multiple sources into a coherent and accurate summary.

Proficiency in working independently as well as jointly with colleagues on a team.

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday

Typically 9 – 5

Additional Info

To apply, search for Job ID 54298 at www.nature.org/careers, or click HERE.  Cover letters and resumes can be submitted separately using the upload buttons.  Applications will be reviewed in the order they’re received, and the position will remain open December 10, 2023.