Position: Director, Individual Giving
Organization: Rare Conservation
Location: Arlington, VA
Rare is a $17 million fast-growing, international conservation organization that runs state-of-the-art communication and outreach projects which empower local communities with the tools to solve their own conservation challenges. The Director of Individual Giving is responsible for creating and implementing a strategic development plan to significantly increase major gift revenue from individuals living primarily in the United States. Directors carry an initial annualized goal of approximately $1M, which may increase appropriately over time. Directors build relationships with new donors and cultivate relationships with existing Rare donors through in-person meetings, site visits, increasing levels of program engagement and both written and verbal communications.
A dynamic ambassador of the organization, the Director should be capable of inspiring support from a variety of constituent groups ranging from dedicated conservationists to venture philanthropists. This role reports to the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Growth and work closely with the CEO as well as Rare’s senior management and program staff. He or she will also interact with board members. This is a full-time, exempt position located in Arlington, VA.
Responsibilities:
- Work closely with the Senior Vice President, Strategy and Growth, the CEO, and other team members to implement strategies to meet aggressive annual and long-term fundraising goals
- Develop a strategic plan to significantly increase Rare’s portfolio of individual donors through active prospect research and effectively cultivate and manage a portfolio of approximately 75-100 individual donors and prospects, focusing primarily on gifts in the $10,000 to $100,000+ range
- Communicate effectively with donors through extensive face-to-face solicitation and stewardship meetings, as well as ongoing and strategic written and e-communication strategies; plan and support execution of targeted donor events across the year
- Manage and support Board members, Rare program staff, and the leadership team to effectively engage in individual donor cultivation and solicitation activities
- Effectively manage and track donor cultivation activities in Salesforce database and provide regular progress reports to SVP and the leadership team
- Ensure that every major donor has a clear strategy and timeline for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
- Provide weekly and monthly revenue forecasts, reports, and analysis to senior management
- Use research to ensure strategic effectiveness and growth in new prospects for Rare
- Provide appropriate support materials to CEOs/leaders going on visits, including talking points, appropriate solicitation materials, background, strategy, and follow-up proposals
- Demonstrated ability to implement best practices in fundraising, engage participation from all levels, and generate immense excitement for Rare’s work, both internally and externally
- Five to seven years of fundraising experience, particularly with individual donors
- Demonstrated success in nonprofit development and fundraising, with a specific focus on a portfolio of major gifts in excess of $10,000
- Strong sense of fundraising ethics and respect for confidentiality of donor information
- Outstanding interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, with the maturity, integrity, and experience to gain the trust and confidence of Rare’s donors, leadership, staff, colleagues, and partners
- Results-orientation, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously within budget and deadlines
- Strong computer skills are required; knowledge of Salesforce database is preferred
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Willingness to participate in national travel as needed to support fundraising goals; occasional international travel is required
- Familiarity with global conservation issues, opportunities and donors is a plus
- Spanish language skills is a plus
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
The salary for this position is commensurate with experience and expertise. In addition to fully covered health insurance, a retirement savings plan and 3+ weeks of vacation/holiday leave time, Rare employees receive an annual training budget for continuous learning and growth, a bonus plan that ties to individual and organizational performance, and a flexible work environment. And to make sure no one gets cabin fever, there is an all-staff global retreat that brings every staff member together to support Rare’s work around the world.
To Apply:
Rare has engaged Koya Consulting to help in this hire. Please send a compelling cover letter and resume to Molly Brennan at executivesearch@koyaconsulting.com.
Rare is an equal opportunity employer and diverse candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
About Rare:
Rare’s innovative social marketing strategies fuel projects located in more than 50 countries around the world. Named to Fast Company magazine’s list of “Top Social Capitalists” for the last four years in a row, Rare is committed to bringing a spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity to solving one of this century’s great challenges – changing human behavior to make conservation possible. All Rare projects are managed by local partners; its focus is on building community support for conservation and developing local communications capacity among the world’s leading local environmental organizations. Rare has trained 150 local conservation leaders implementing dynamic change processes in 50 countries. Many of these “campaign managers” work for the largest and the smallest conservation organizations globally, including The Nature Conservancy, WWF, and Conservation International.