LOCATION: Washington, DC (preferred)

Overview

The Land Trust Alliance is the voice of the land trust community. As the national leader in policy, standards and education, we work passionately to support land trusts across America so they can save more land and better serve their communities.

Our natural places and working lands are a lifeline to clean air, water, food and good health. These lands also bring us together, inspire us and provide opportunities to recreate and recharge. The land trust community is a crucial component in this equation. With important places under continual threat, land trusts need access to the best tools, information and policy advocates. Armed with a diverse network and valuable resources, the Alliance is the land trust community’s source for the knowledge and capabilities they need to reach their goals. From tax and funding policies on Capitol Hill to innovative ideas, partnerships and initiatives, we ensure our land trust members can always be heard and achieve more. 

With eager new leadership, an engaged Board of Directors and an exciting new strategic plan set to launch, the Alliance is seeking to elevate land conservation as a priority nationwide. We envision land trusts leading a reenergized, more relevant conservation movement, joining with partners that have not traditionally identified as conservation organizations, including from the for-profit sector, around our nation’s shared interest of protecting special places.

Summary Description

The Director of Individual and Major Gifts is a leadership position within the Land Trust Alliance and its Development department who will oversee all fundraising strategies and activities with individuals and family foundations during a pivotal time for philanthropic growth at the organization. The Director of Individual and Major Gifts must be a dynamic and seasoned fundraiser and skilled manager who is eager to provide vision and leadership for, and execute strategies to achieve, a major campaign with significant individual giving, major ($25k+) gifts and planned giving growth. The Director will work closely with the Vice President of Development and CEO to set individual giving and campaign goals and strategies and will liaise closely with the Board of Directors, executive management team, communications department, external partners and volunteers, external consultants and directors and managers across the organization to achieve ambitious annual, campaign and multi-year fundraising targets. The Director will manage a growing Individual Giving and Major Gifts team, currently at three staff, that will provide acquisition, cultivation and stewardship programming for major gifts, donor circles, annual fund, planned giving and campaign strategies. The Director will serve as a “player/coach” who teaches and inspires their team and others in individual giving strategies and activities, while maintaining their own portfolio of Major Donors and prospects. The director must be an effective spokesperson and will serve as a leading strategist, solicitor and external ambassador for the Alliance and its mission, values, programs and philanthropic messages to multiple audiences.

Specific Responsibilities

Team Leader and Manager (50%)

• Provide leadership and vision and set strategies for all aspects of individual giving, including major gifts and planned giving, at the Land Trust Alliance.
• Oversee the individual giving goals, strategies and activities at the Alliance, including major gifts, donor circles, annual fund and acquisition, planned gifts and other opportunities for giving.
• Generate, on an annual basis, $5-$7 million in organizational revenues through all individual giving and planned gift activities, with expected growth to $7-$10 million in the coming years.
• With the Vice President and CEO, inform and support the strategy, design and management of a major campaign based on the Alliance’s new strategic plan. Effectuate campaign strategies and activities to achieve significant increases in major gifts and individual giving support over the next five years, both in dollar totals and as a percentage of total organizational revenues.
• Provide leadership and guidance to individual giving and major gifts staff in both the DC office and potentially in remote locations in order to maximize productivity, set performance standards, evaluate performance, and implement professional development activities for ongoing mentorship.
• Help develop a culture of philanthropy at the Alliance and build enthusiasm, confidence, and skills in all individual giving staff and others across the organization and community to fundraise effectively in individual giving, major gifts and planned giving. Foster an inclusive culture that welcomes diverse perspectives across the team.
• Oversee management of individual giving and major gift circles such as the Legacy Society, Emeritus Board Group and others as created.
• Oversee management of the donor/prospect pipeline and its cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities for individuals and family foundations, such as personal touch points, appeals, events and other engagements.
• Serve as a key advisor to the CEO, VP of Development, Board of Directors and others for individual and major gift strategies and activities.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team to enhance cross-functional opportunities for individual giving and relationship management.
• Represent the Alliance in donor and prospect meetings, events, solicitations as well as by speaking at meetings, conferences, events and other engagements within and beyond the land trust community to advance the philanthropic goals of the Alliance.
• Set portfolio composition and sizing standards for the Individual Giving and Major Gifts team, ensuring portfolios are right-sized and prioritized based on donor capacity and stage in the moves management process.
• Establish and monitor team-wide moves management goals (visits, meaningful contacts, solicitations), holding regular portfolio review meetings with staff to track progress against individual and team fundraising targets.
• Oversee prospect assignment and portfolio rebalancing across the team as new prospects are qualified and staff capacity shifts.
• Ensure consistent use of Salesforce for portfolio tracking, moves documentation, and reporting across the Individual Giving and Major Gifts team.

Portfolio and Fundraising (50%)

• Personally manage a select portfolio of existing and prospective Major Donors, as well as volunteers necessary to the success of philanthropy at the Land Trust Alliance.
• Conduct qualification and discovery meetings with new prospects to determine capacity, interest, and readiness for major and principal giving, continually building and refining a robust personal portfolio.
• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for portfolio donors that lead to significant and transformative gifts in support of the Alliance’s mission.
• Maintain an active cadence of donor contact and visits consistent with moves management best practices, ensuring donors progress steadily through the qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship pipeline.
• Partner with the Vice President of Development, CEO, Board, and program staff to identify and secure complex, non-cash and planned gifts from portfolio donors.
• Use Salesforce to maintain accurate, up-to-date portfolio records, track donor moves and progress and inform ongoing portfolio strategy.

Qualifications

• A minimum of seven years’ experience as a successful development professional working with non-governmental, 501(c)(3) organizations, including a minimum of five years’ experience leading major gifts and individual giving strategies and staffing.
• Demonstrated experience setting strategies for individual giving programs with a proven track record in overseeing successful strategies for major gifts, donor circles, annual fund and planned giving.
• Experience executing nationwide fundraising strategies strongly preferred.
• Experience and success with comprehensive campaigns and planned gift strategies.
• Demonstrated skill and confidence in making direct, face-to-face asks for major gift support.
• Demonstrated, successful experience personally soliciting and closing major gifts of $100,000 or more from individuals.
• Demonstrated success as a manager in building a team to achieve fundraising goals. Considerable experience motivating, developing, and retaining a professional staff for a growing organization.
• Ability to think broadly on engaging new audiences for support and working with team members to create channels for involvement of potential donors and volunteers.
• Familiarity with land trusts and the land trust community a strong plus. A passion and deep commitment to land conservation and the mission of the Alliance.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent writing, editing, and speaking skills. Ability to create an inspirational and persuasive case for the Alliance.
• Strong people skills and the ability to build cooperative relationships internally and externally, including with donors, board members and colleagues from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
• Experience with Microsoft suite and Salesforce essential.
• Adherence to discretion in working with sensitive donor and financial information.
• Residence in greater Washington, DC, region preferred. Location in a major airport hub required. Position requires travel to perform the duties of the job (approximately one trip per month) and to work a flexible schedule including occasional long days and weekends.

Compensation

The budgeted salary range for this position is $150,000-$170,000, commensurate with skills, years of experience, physical location, and unique background and qualifications of the candidate.

The Land Trust Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, vision, and other health coverage; life and disability insurance; paid vacation, personal, sick, and holiday leave; and 403(b) retirement benefits.

The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America.  The Land Trust Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status or veteran status.