Associate Director of Development

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Associate Director of Development works closely with development teams in Virginia and Maryland/DC to plan, implement, and coordinate effective multi-year strategies and plans for individual major gift prospects and suspects. This position is based in TNC’s Arlington office and requires in-office work a minimum of three days per week.

The Associate Director of Development is responsible for expanding TNC’s major-gifts pipeline in the Northern Virginia market, with a significant focus on identifying, engaging, and qualifying prospective donors in support of all of TNC’s conservation priorities – both local and global. Working closely with development colleagues, prospect development staff, conservation leaders, trustees, volunteers, and other partners, they will develop and implement strategies to build relationships with individuals who have the interest, capacity, and potential to support TNC at the major-gift level.

The ADoD will conduct a high volume of discovery outreach and meetings; assess philanthropic interests, giving capacity, readiness, and connections to TNC; and determine appropriate next steps for cultivation, solicitation, referral or disqualification. As prospects are qualified, they will manage a developing portfolio and create individualized engagement and solicitation strategies aligned with local and global priorities. They will maintain timely and accurate records in the Conservancy’s donor database, coordinate internal partners, develop proposals and other donor materials as needed, and represent TNC persuasively in the Northern Virginia philanthropic community.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead major-gifts discovery and qualification in Northern Virginia, managing a pool of discovery prospects and building a portfolio of qualified donors.
• Collaborate with the DC-MD team to develop a coordinated market strategy, and partner with prospect development staff to identify and prioritize prospects.
• Conduct proactive outreach and meetings to assess prospects’ interest, capacity, and alignment with TNC; document qualification decisions and next steps in the donor database.
• Engage trustees, volunteers, donors, and staff to open doors, build TNC’s visibility, and strengthen its philanthropic network in Northern Virginia.
• Move qualified prospects into cultivation and solicitation or coordinate their handoff to another fundraiser.
• Act independently and in the supervisor’s stead as needed, exercising sound judgment on decisions that may have program-wide, financial, or legal impact.
• Handle confidential information sensitively and ensure compliance with TNC policies and external donor, legal, and IRS requirements.
• Persuasively represent TNC’s mission and participate in complex, high-profile, or sensitive negotiations as needed.
• Travel regularly throughout Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C., region, including occasional evenings, weekends, long hours, and short-notice travel.
• Work environment involves infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion or strain.
• Once the portfolio is developed, manage 60 – 100 donors with the capacity to give $100,000 or more. Responsible for 60 – 100 visits and 180 – 300 moves annually. Annual fundraising goal of $1,000,000 or more, along with a goal for bequest notifications.

• Bachelor’s degree and 6 years related experience or an equivalent combination.
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents.
• Experience in asking for and closing gifts of $50,000 or more.
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects and donors.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams, preferably in a large non-profit.
• Experience working…