Donor Relations Director, Seattle WA
Julie Gonzales-Corbin
Position Summary: The Donor Relations Director is an integral part of the overall financial health of WEC/WCV. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and energetic fundraiser who wants to protect Washington’s environment by growing a healthy major gifts program.
This position leads and implements the work to secure support from individual donors giving gifts at the four, five, and six figure levels so that we can achieve our mission. This person forges relationships and develops and implements strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors and prospects. The ideal candidate is comfortable working with donors, understands “moves management,” can deliver on ambitious goals, and is able to make a compelling case for investing in politics and policy to create a sustainable future of all Washingtonians.
This position reports to the Development Director and works closely with other members of a six-person development team and interacts with the CEO, Presidents of WEC and WCV and other senior staff, as well as the Board of Directors. This is a full time position based in Seattle, WA.
About Us:
Washington Environmental Council (WEC) drives positive change to solve our state's most pressing environmental challenges. For over 50 years, we have been a respected leader for environmental protection in the state, securing laws and policies that safeguard the health of our families and our environment. Our current program areas are: Acting for Climate and Preventing Fossil Fuel Expansion, Protecting and Restoring Puget Sound, and Sustaining our Evergreen Forests. We collaborate with partners and work with impacted communities to galvanize support and effectively advocate change with key decision makers and leaders.
Washington Conservation Voters (WCV) is the statewide political voice for the environment. We work to elect environmentally responsible candidates to state and local offices. Working with allies in the community, we advocate strong environmental policies and hold our elected officials accountable. Through our political work, we are strengthening laws that safeguard the health of our communities, the beauty of our state, and our economic future.
By effectively combining the policy expertise of WEC with the political expertise of WCV, we have reshaped how we make environmental progress in Washington State. While the organizations are independent, we work very closely together on appropriate projects. Combined, we have a staff of 30-plus and work in a
LEED-certified building in downtown Seattle with a view of Elliott Bay. We offer competitive salaries, good benefits, and the opportunity to make a difference.
We are committed to a diverse, socially just, and welcoming work environment and people of color, people with varying abilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are especially encouraged to apply. We seek to apply a racial justice lens to all of our work.
Position Responsibilities:
The Donor Relations Director leads the efforts to secure funding from individual donors giving $1,000 or more to fund our 501c3 and 501c4 activities, as well as our Political Action Fund. Our major donors give over $1.5M on an annual basis. We seek to grow this by another $1.5M by deepening relationships with our donors and through our partnership with the League of Conservation Voters. Additionally, this position will supervise the work of the Major Gifts Manager -- a position to be filled later this year. We envision the Major Gifts Manager will focus on qualifying and soliciting mid-range donors.
Primary responsibilities include:
Lead overall major donor work and implement a “moves management” system of donor cultivation, stewardship and support
· Increase organizational knowledge and use of a systematic approach to major donor engagement and support.
· Develop systems, tools, and materials that support moves management at the executive, board, and program director level.
Identify and manage a portfolio of qualified prospects and donors
· Develop and manage a portfolio of approximately 100 major donors and a larger portfolio of donor prospects with a focus on donors and prospects who have capacity to give $5,000+ per year and/or make a planned gift.
· Identify, qualify and cultivate, solicit, and steward individual supporters, facilitating deeper and lasting relationships between the donor and WEC/WCV through 1:1 meetings, calls, letters and engagement activities.
· Serve as a writer and editor of materials for major donors.
· Maintain and ensure quality, accuracy and confidentiality of donor data in Salesforce.
Engage organizational leadership
· Work closely with Development Director to support the CEO and directly support Presidents and other staff as needed to help set strategy and manage their portfolios as needed.
· Integrate the board into major donor gift strategy as needed and provide sufficient support.
Support other development activities and organizational goals
· Assist development team with other fundraising support, including donor engagement in events.
· Engage in WEC & WCV’s racial equity and environmental justice work, including participating in one of our Racial Equity Teams.
· Contribute to organizational excellence by seeking and implementing innovative new tools, processes, and solutions to move our work forward.
Required Skills, Experience and Abilities: We are seeking a results oriented person motivated to raise money for political action and policy change who is a natural and genuine relationship builder. The ideal candidate has:
· A track-record of securing significant gifts from individual donors.
· Strong experience stewarding donors and knowledge of portfolio management tools/systems.
· Experience qualifying donors and creating individual financial goals along with personal contact and ask plans.
· Demonstrated experience in managing people (executive staff, board and others), processes and deadlines to achieve fundraising goals.
· Exceptional interpersonal skills that result in relationships with donors and increased giving.
· Strong writing skills that convey mission, values, and goals in ways compelling to our donors.
· Well-organized, detailed-oriented and capable of handling confidential information with utmost discretion.
· Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, deal with ambiguity and the ability to reset priorities quickly if needed.
· Can-do spirit and the ability to work independently, but also as part of a team.
· Self-motivated, disciplined and is able to think strategically.
· Experience with Salesforce or other CRM/databases.
· Ability to work occasional non-standard hours including evening and weekend events.
· Passionate about protecting the environment.
Desired Skills, Experience and Abilities:
· Policy or political fundraising experience a real plus.
· Staff management and oversight.
· College degree.
Compensation and Benefits: This is a full time, exempt position with a salary range of $65,000 to $85,000 depending on experience. We also offer a generous benefits package including: employer-paid medical, dental and vision insurance; a 401k plan and organizational match of up to 3% of your annual salary; a flexible spending account; paid vacation and sick leave and ten paid holidays per year; an unlimited ORCA transit pass; and if you work for seven consecutive years, you are eligible for a two-month paid sabbatical.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and a resume online here. No phone calls or mailed applications please.
Washington Environmental Council is an equal opportunity employer committed to dismantling structural racism and creating a welcoming work environment. WEC does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, gender, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.
People of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities are encouraged to apply