Major Gifts Officer

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; Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is seeking an experienced Major Gifts Officer (MGO) to join its Major Gifts Eastern Region Team in our New York or Washington D.C. office with a preference for New York.

This team consists of six seasoned fundraisers, including one Senior Regional Director, two Directors, and three Major Gifts Officers, supported by one Development Manager. Collectively, they manage NRDC’s most significant philanthropic market and generate over $40 million in contributed income annually.

Position Summary

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will manage a portfolio of donors and potential supporters who are capable of giving five to six figure gifts. This position will pursue existing, new, and lapsed donors and will lead the relationships they are able to cultivate and bring to solicitation.

The MGO will work with several staff across NRDC, including advocates, scientists and litigators, who work to fulfill NRDC’s mission, as well as our Membership, Planned Giving, Action Fund and E2 teams.

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

• Manage a major gifts portfolio of approximately 100-130 donors and prospects, with a giving capacity of $25,000 to $500,000+, with a specific focus on identification and qualification, while also managing the relationships they are able to cultivate and bring to solicitation, with average gift sizes at $25,000 - $100,000.
• Identify and develop a pipeline of new major gift prospects, in close partnership with Research and other fundraising colleagues.
• Working closely with Director and Senior Director, implement strategies and timelines for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of gifts, including strategic in person and/or virtual donor engagement. 
• Ensure that the portfolio is routinely updated with regard to donor strategy, projections, contact reports, moves management, and documentation of other key milestones in the donor’s relationship with NRDC.
• Support NRDC’s leadership with respect to cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts, using their time and talents appropriately; ensure their effectiveness as representatives of NRDC.  
• Develop and deploy fundraising materials and regular communications that will resonate with donors.  
• Work with the Donor Engagement, Planned Giving, and Membership teams to plan events in the region that maximize donor and prospect cultivation opportunities.  
• Develop and maintain expert familiarity with programmatic needs, budgets, institutional priorities.  
• Adeptly manage Salesforce and other processes such as tracking donor gift projections for your portfolio. 
• Collaborate with NRDC’s Action Fund to deploy effective fundraising tactics to raise non-deductible 501c4 funding. 

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience.
• 4-7 years of relevant professional experience with at least two years in frontline fundraising experience.
• Experience with political or 501c4 fundraising a plus.
• Experience with advocacy or environmental groups a plus.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate in a regular, compelling manner with donors. 
• Collaborative and inclusive approach to inter and intra departmental work. 
• Professional demeanor when interfacing with NRDC donors and staff members. 
• Familiarity with Salesforce or other CRM systems, and their application to performance management and fundraising metrics.
• Ability to travel approximately 25% 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 $100,000 to $120,000.  

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.