Director of Advancement

About the role

The Director of Advancement will establish and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy and plan to increase revenue to meet IIF’s strategic goals, including major donors, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, planned giving, events, and campaigns.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, ideally in conservation, animal-related, or environmental organizations.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership-level gifts in the conservation or environmental space ($5,000–$50,000+).
• Ability to manage a donor portfolio and build a fundraising program.
• Strong writing skills, including donor communications, proposals, and stewardship reports.
• Experience with donor management and CRM software.
• Experience writing grants and managing institutional funder relationships.
• Experience with strategic planning, partnership building, and external communications.
• Experience with US States Charitable Registration requirements.
• Ability to collaborate within a Board-led governance structure.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and comfortable working independently.
• Willingness to travel when needed.

Key Expectations

• Individual Giving
• Build and manage annual and major gift programs.
• Develop our portfolio of prospects and donors; conduct regular donor outreach meetings.
• Create individualized stewardship strategies and donor engagement plans.
• Lead seasonal appeals, digital campaigns, and targeted fundraising outreach.
• Foundation and Corporate Partnership
• Research and identify partnership opportunities aligned with IIF’s mission, including grants.
• Write and submit proposals and reports.
• Maintain relationships with grant program officers, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Work with IIF’s Grants Manager as needed
• Board Partnership
• Serve as the primary development liaison to the Board. Participate in regular zoom meetings with the Executive Committee.
• Prepare development reports and dashboards to present at biannual board meetings.
• Work with Board and staff on annual fundraising goals and strategic priorities.
• Support individual Board members in donor engagement, outreach, and stewardship.
• Communications & Donor Engagement
• Provide high level guidance to Communications staff in the production of newsletters, donor updates, impact stories, and social media.
• Work with the Communications staff to maintain consistent messaging and brand alignment.
• Develop compelling fundraising collateral, case statements, and donor presentations.
• Development Operations & Administration
• Work with the Board Treasurer to maintain donor records and ensure CRM accuracy; ensure gift acknowledgment and donor stewardship.
• Develop fundraising systems, calendars, and revenue projections.

Compensation

Initially, this contract will run for 12 months with biannual review, renewable for up to three years and possibly longer depending on project success; up to $80,000 annually, negotiable based on experience. Reimbursement will be provided for as needed travel expenses.

To Apply

Please upload a resume (maximum 3 pages), cover letter that includes at least two references with contact details, and two writing samples (donor letter, grant excerpt, or impact piece) as part of a single pdf file by clicking on the application button. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.