Donor Stewardship Manager

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

NRDC is seeking a Donor Stewardship Manager to work with the Donor Relations team in one of our U.S. based office locations with a preference for someone in New York or Washington D.C.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Director, Donor Stewardship, the Donor Stewardship Manager will assist in supporting a comprehensive recognition and stewardship program designed to enhance and strengthen NRDC’s relationships with its principal, major, planned giving, membership, and foundation donors. In conjunction with the Donor Stewardship and Donor Relations teams and colleagues across the organization, the Manager will help develop and put into place streamlined processes and procedures, assist with endowment and fund management, and help move forward customized, impactful stewardship plans that ensure our top donors receive regular engagement opportunities and high-level touch points, including compelling reports and cultivation materials and exclusive access to NRDC leadership through virtual and in-person meetings and events. The Manager will work alongside the Associate Director to identify and resolve inefficiencies and implement best practices. The Manager will also serve as Development’s primary liaison to the President’s office.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035). 

Responsibilities

Donor Stewardship

• In partnership with the Associate Director, Donor Stewardship, implement a donor stewardship plan that uniquely engages and cultivates NRDC’s Membership and Planned Giving donors.
• Implement systems to anticipate, schedule, track, and evaluate stewardship and recognition activities/projects, as well as assist with establishing policies and procedures to ensure that stewardship plans, reports, and activities are delivered on time and within budget.
• Draft and proofread written stewardship materials, including matching gift and endowment reports, stewardship correspondence templates, and correspondence with high-level donors and senior leadership.
• In partnership with the Donor Relations team, support bespoke, high-level donor engagement touchpoints, including fellowship lunches and custom stewardship and recognition products.

Operations

• In partnership with the Associate Director, Donor Stewardship and the Finance team, assist with the implementation and execution of a comprehensive fund management process.
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures for existing and new endowed gifts, ensuring gift agreements are organized, tracked, and properly executed, and that best practices are implemented.

President’s Office

• Serve as the Development liaison to the President’s Office, spearheading the coordination of all Development-generated meeting and event requests, communications, donor correspondence, and briefing materials.
• Collaborate with the President’s Office to document internal processes for all Development-related requests.
• Collaborate with Donor Communications to manage the President’s Development email account and coordinate communications between donors, fundraisers, and the President’s Office.
• In collaboration with key team members in Development and the President's Office, lead the coordination of the president's annual donor travel and events calendar.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 2-4 years of previous work experience, including a minimum of one year of full-time experience in a development or similar position (donor relations, development operations, planned giving, or membership/annual fund experience a plus).
• Experience with project management, including project management software such as Asana, preferred.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Knowledge of best practices and programs related to donor relations/stewardship; budget policies and procedures, and endowment fund management.
• Ability to generate creative solutions for stewarding donors to advance NRDC’s efforts to maintain and strengthen high-quality individual relationships with donors.
• Excellent writing skills, strong customer service orientation, and ability to communicate effectively with diverse groups and build collaborative relationships with colleagues throughout the organization.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, work independently, and produce high-quality work products under tight deadlines within a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel required. Additional experience in relational databases, such as Salesforce, is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with basic financial principles and nonprofit endowment management preferred
• Strong commitment to environmental advocacy.
• Ability to travel to NRDC U.S. based offices, approximately less than 20% annually
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $75,000 to $85,000.  

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month. 

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. 

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. 

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422. 

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.