Major Gifts Officer

Position Summary

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to work with our Development team in our New York office. The MGO will manage a portfolio of donors and potential supporters who have the potential of giving five to six figure gifts. This position will specifically focus on identification and qualification, while building up a portfolio of existing, new, and lapsed donors in targeted geographies in the Northeast, which could include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

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+, 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.
• Work closely with Director and Senior Director, implementing strategies and timelines for the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts, prioritizing strategic in person and/or virtual donor engagement.
• Ensure that the portfolio is routinely updated regarding 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.
• 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 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.

Qualifications

• Minimum Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience. 4-7 years of relevant professional experience with at least two years of frontline fundraising experience.
• Experience with political or 501c4 fundraising a plus. Experience with advocacy or environmental groups a plus.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate in a regular, compelling manner with donors.
• A collaborative and inclusive approach to inter and intra departmental work.
• A 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 30% annually, and, on an infrequent basis, work outside traditional office hours as needed.
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles.