The Massachusetts Director of Development (DOD) is a fundraising leader who leads a team of seasoned, collaborative professionals to raise financial support for local, regional, and international conservation priorities. They are entrepreneurial and motivated to expand our donor base in order to help us reach our full potential in the Boston market and beyond. The DOD must be results oriented and able work collaboratively with colleagues, donors, and volunteers across a dispersed and complex global organization. Across these roles, the DOD works to integrate development with conservation and policy initiatives. To that end, a key role for the DOD is to bring donor perspective to organizational decisions and ensure integration of conservation priorities within the Development Program. The DOD is responsible for the program’s portfolio of donors and, leading by example, will be accountable for managing approximately 10 significant donor relationships aimed at securing seven and eight-figure gifts.

The DOD also shares leadership responsibility for building and engaging the Board of Trustees and, with the State Director, staffs the Development Committee of the Board. They are responsible for building a culture of philanthropy within the chapter and encourages all staff and volunteers to see themselves in fundraising roles. The Director of Development reports to the State Director and serves as an active member of Massachusetts Chapter’s senior leadership team.

Fundraising Leadership

• Conceive, develop, lead, and manage annual and long-term fundraising plans and strategies in support of Chapter and organizational conservation and operating goals. Accountable for a team fundraising goal of approx. $8 million/year ($5.5 million operating plus global and capital expenses).
• Communicate, internally and externally, a broad vision for fundraising and local, regional and international conservation success.
• Work collaboratively with fundraising teams within the Northeast and beyond to maximize fundraising potential of shared donors.
• Develop and oversee the networking list for the State Director, other senior staff and Board leadership to bring thought leaders and other influential people into stronger relationship with the Chapter.
• Manages all major gifts functions, which may include planned giving, principal gifts, donor prospecting and research, and special multi-year fundraising campaigns; and leverages centralized fundraising resources at the Conservancy including membership and annual giving efforts for Massachusetts residents.

Chapter Leadership

• Actively serve as a member of the Chapter’s senior management team, working collaboratively with leadership to develop and implement Chapter-wide vision and direction.
• Bring the voice of the trustee and donor to Chapter leadership discussions and decisions and ensure fundraising strategies and staff are consistently represented.
• Maintain strong relationship with conservation and finance leadership in the Chapter to ensure collaborative understanding of sources and uses of funding and to honor donors.

Management & Mentoring

• Lead a team of fundraising professionals and unite that team around a common vision for success and concrete plan of action. Motivate, set objectives, coach and recognize direct reports.
• Assist fundraisers with donor strategy development and implementation. Clear roadblocks so that they may better perform.
• Work collaboratively with other fundraising teams within the Northeast to maximize fundraising potential of shared donors.

Board Leadership

• Co-manage the Board of Trustees. Oversee Board meetings, retreats and events for maximum engagement, efficiency and productivity.
• Act as lead strategist for growth in the Chapter’s network of business and philanthropic relationships; staff the Trustee Relations Committee of the Board and consult on the strategic recruitment of new Trustees.

Fundraising

• Strategically manage a portfolio of up to 10 significant donors and prospective donors aimed at securing 7- figure gifts over time; orchestrate the work of staff and lay leadership to maximize these key relationships for the long term.

General

• Maintains confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
• Develops and administers budget and fundraising objectives, evaluates results and develops corrective strategies as needed.
• Ensure that programmatic commitments, TNC policies and procedures, financial standards, and legal requirements are met and managed for ethical compliance.
• Direct or participate in negotiations for complex, high profile or sensitive agreements.
• Understand and comply with all Conservancy gift-related policies and procedures and ensure ethical compliance, as defined by the Association for Fundraising Professionals.
• Travel frequently and on short notice, work long hours and weekends.
• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements minor physical exertion and/or strain.