Development Officer, Foundations

Job Description

The Development Officer-Foundations is responsible for the development and management of a portfolio of current and potential donors – primarily foundations. This includes working with programmatic staff to build the fundraising strategy and the case for support while building and leveraging key relationships and contacts within and outside of the organization’s network. The Development Officer - Foundations will be a key contributor to the development team and will be essential to the achievement of the organization’s fundraising goals.

• Fundraising & Engagement Advance foundation relationships that result in large philanthropic contributions for RMI through strategic engagement, in person and virtual visits, email correspondence, and telephone conversations with prospects and donors.
• Identify, qualify, solicit and steward a portfolio of approximately 40 new and prospective foundation accounts with capacity to make gifts (5 to 6 figure) for a total pipeline of up to $2,000,000.
• Provide high-quality experience for donors and potential donors through education and engagement on RMI's clean energy program portfolio, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts.
• Act as a fundraising partner alongside Development Directors and Senior Managers in support of managing major, complex accounts.
• Gather data, assess prospects, and develop strategies designed to realize the current and lifetime giving potential of prospects and their networks.
• Prepare meeting briefings, strategic planning for meeting goals and roles, and prepare communications and materials, designing meeting content, and coordinate activities with program and finance colleagues.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned.

• Work collaboratively with program teams to gain a comprehensive understanding of RMI work and build strong working relationships with program leaders.
• Create compelling proposals, prepare timely reports, and share cultivation materials for new areas of partnership in stewardship of existing donors.
• Gain and maintain a comprehensive understanding of RMI's program portfolios, providing valuable insights and feedback on program strategy, and build strong working relationships with program leaders.
• Translate highly technical information into accessible written and verbal communication to highlight the unique value of investment in RMI, and encourage corporations and sustainability leaders to support and engage with key RMI programs and initiatives.

• Gather research and data, identify and assess prospects, and develop engagement and cultivation strategies designed to realize the current and future philanthropic giving and new business development.
• Use Salesforce database to document real-time relationship management processes and provide accurate relationship status and financial projections for portfolio and effective opportunity move management.
• Work collaboratively with operational teams, such as Legal, Accounting, and Finance to successfully manage corporate relationships.
• Collaborate with various Development verticals to leverage new and existing donor relationships and advance fundraising opportunities.
• Serve as an active member of the Development and Strategic Engagement teams; support the implementation of the teams’ short- and long-term objectives; attend staff meetings, serve on special task forces, participate in relevant-program meetings, and understand and contribute to RMI’s Development and Strategic Engagement strategies and overall mission.

• Bachelor’s Degree, Master's degree in related field preferred
• 5+ years work experience in nonprofit development, with a track record of contributing to the successful solicitation of philanthropic grants and gifts.
• 5+ years work experience managing foundation, institutional, or other complex external relationships.
• Track record of successfully cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding significant corporate, philanthropic, sponsorship, grant, or partnership commitments.
• Experience managing proposal, grant, or partnership development processes involving…