Major Gifts Officer

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, and ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges and advance innovative, science-based, and enforceable solutions.

About the role

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects who have the potential of giving five- to six-figure gifts. This position will focus on identification and qualification, building a portfolio of existing, new, and lapsed donors in Northern California and the greater San Francisco Bay area, while also managing the relationships they cultivate and bring to solicitation. The MGO will collaborate with staff across NRDC, including advocates, scientists, litigators, Membership, Planned Giving, Action Fund, and E2 teams.

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

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop a pipeline of new major gift prospects in close partnership with Research and other fundraising colleagues.
• Manage a major gifts portfolio of approximately 100-130 donors and prospects with a giving capacity of $25,000 to $500,000+, focusing on identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation, with average gift sizes of $25,000 - $100,000.
• Implement strategies and timelines for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts in collaboration with the Director and Senior Director, prioritizing strategic in-person and/or virtual donor engagement.
• Ensure the portfolio is routinely updated with donor strategy, projections, contact reports, moves management, and documentation of key milestones in the donor’s relationship with NRDC.
• Support NRDC’s leadership in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts, ensuring their effectiveness as representatives of NRDC.
• Deploy fundraising materials and regular communications tailored to resonate with donors.
• Work with the Donor Engagement, Planned Giving, and Membership teams to plan regional events that maximize donor and prospect cultivation opportunities.
• Develop and maintain familiarity with programmatic needs, budgets, and 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 for raising non-deductible 501c4 funding.

Requirements

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

Skills

• Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate compellingly with donors.
• Collaborative and inclusive approach to inter- and intra-departmental work.
• Professional demeanor when interfacing with NRDC donors and staff.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or other CRM systems and their application to performance management and fundraising metrics.
• Ability to travel up to 30% annually and work outside traditional office hours as needed.
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles.

Benefits

NRDC offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment.

Pay

Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with skills and experience. For this position, the salary range is $100,000 to $120,000.

Schedule

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are expected to work in-person at least 8 days per month, either by working from an NRDC office and/or conducting in-person donor meetings.

As a science-based organization, NRDC requires vaccination unless an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption applies in accordance with state and local law. New hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, with accommodations available as needed.