Vice President of Development

Location: Washington, D.C. Headquarters
Department: Development
Supervisor: Executive Vice President

Position Description

The Vice President of Development is responsible for providing strategic direction and management for the Development department, overseeing major gifts initiatives/campaigns, and setting and meeting annual restricted and unrestricted revenue goals for Defenders of Wildlife (501 c3) and where appropriate, its sister organization, the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (501 c4). The Vice President oversees gift planning; foundation, corporate, and major donor giving; Board of Directors’ support; capital gifts; and special events. S/he also develops and oversees a program of outreach activities (travel, day trips, and regional events) and relationships with prospects, donors, and foundation officials. S/he leads the personal recruitment, cultivation, solicitation, and upgrading of key individual, corporate, and foundation funders.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees performance and effectiveness of the Development department and Development staff
• Develops and implements annual fundraising plan and budget in consultation with the President, Board Development Committee, and Senior management team.  Oversees the preparation and implementation by direct reports of work plans, calendar/timelines, and efforts to meet annual revenue goals.
• Develops funding strategies in support of Defenders of Wildlife’s strategic plan..
• Oversees the launch and implementation of major gifts initiatives, campaigns and/or similar organization wide fundraising initiatives.
• Oversees the preparation and implementation of cultivation and solicitation strategies for individual, foundation, and corporate donors. Cultivates and solicits gifts independently with the President, Executive Vice President, senior program staff, and members of the Board or alone, as prospect circumstances require. Reviews and approves solicitations, proposals, and other communications prepared for donors to ensure quality and accuracy.Personally responsible for the cultivation and solicitation of a portfolio of donors.
• Develops and oversees outreach activities to donors and members including the Yellowstone workshop, invitation-only trips, dinners, and receptions
• Establishes benchmarks and evaluates progress against past-year performance and budget goals on a quarterly basis. Through regular contact with the Finance division, monitors contributions by source against projections and provides the President and Executive Vice President trend analysis and recommendations for any necessary action
• Works with President, Board Chair, and Development Committee Chair to engage Board members in the financial development of the organization. Organizes and manages the annual Board giving campaign. Recommends potential Board members. Develops National Council  as auxiliary group to the Board. Oversees quarterly reports to the Board.
• With Director of Gift Planning, oversees the marketing and administration of the gift planning program
• With the Vice President for Communications, oversees Annual Report and other donor materials production. With the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration/CFO, ensures compliance with charitable state agency requests for annual updated organizational information.
• As part of the senior management team of the organization, participates in senior strategy team meetings and helps develop overall organizational planning with strategic guidance based on funding potential
• Works with the Director of Foundations, senior management, and program staff to raise restricted funds for priority programs. Work with program and Finance staff to ensure that grants are properly allocated and spent.
• Develop short- and long-range operating objectives, organizational structure, and staffing requirements
• Develop and recommend departmental budget
• Ensure optimum performance of group function. Recommend and implement techniques to improve productivity, increase efficiencies, cut costs and maintain state-of-the-art practices.
• Recommend, review and approve employment actions, including interviewing, hiring, promotions and raises, in conjunction with Human Resources. Partner with Human Resources in the handling of disciplinary issues.
• Ensure communication of duties and responsibilities to direct reports and monitor performance. Provide regular coaching and counseling. Identify training needs. Prepare and deliver salary and performance reviews; review and approve performance and salary appraisals as necessary.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (B.A./B.S.) or equivalent in related discipline
• Experience:
  • 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in development fund-raising, especially with the personal solicitation of large gifts for operational or capital campaigns. 5+ years of relevant management/supervisory experience. Experiencein the conservation, environmental, or political field helpful.
  • An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.
• Other:
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills and strong interpersonal skills
  • Proven management ability with increasing levels of responsibility.
  • Verifiable track record of success, especially in the upgrading of donors using both offline and online approaches
• Physical Demands:
  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer and communicate with others while doing so.
• Work Environment:
  • General office working conditions, the noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
• Comments:
  • The position requires occasional domestic travel.

All employees are required to satisfactorily perform the essential duties and responsibilities of their positions. The essential duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

How To Apply

Interested applicants please reference Vice President of Development in your subject line and submit a letter of interest, along with your resume and salary history (must be included to be considered) to us via e-mail at: HR@defenders.org

It is the policy of Defenders of Wildlife to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, in all personnel actions.