Associate Director of Principal Gift Development

What We Can Achieve Together

The Associate Director of Principal Gift Development develops, implements, and manages effective multi-year strategies and plans for the qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of principal gift level prospects, including individual donors, but also from foundations and institutional prospects. With an emphasis on building a principal gift portfolio, the incumbent works across the Midwest division (IL, IN, WI, OH and MI) toward building TNC’s donor base and raising impactful gifts for TNC’s mission and campaign, focusing on wealth markets such as Chicago.

The incumbent would join a team that is dedicated to modeling and fostering a highly collaborative approach to principal gift fundraising from ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) prospects, and to creating, testing, innovating, and sharing strategies and tactics for Discovery.

The Associate Director understands and applies complex principles of developing donor strategies and builds strong relationships; they will build a portfolio from while also cultivating current donors toward increased giving. They will discover, cultivate and steward donors for outright, pledged and complex gifts. They will be responsible for direct asks to both global and local priorities to meet funding needs. They discuss assets proficiently and listen for opportunities for gifts of assets or other non-cash gifts, such as planned gifts and other complex vehicles.

They will incorporate blended gifts and gifts of assets in proposals to donors. They are capable of discussing the priorities of the Conservancy. They understand organizational budgets and are proficient in utilizing this knowledge to build proposal budgets. They have knowledge of charitable giving, particularly private foundations, operating foundations, and Donor Advised Funds. The Associate Director should have an entrepreneurial spirit and approach to pipeline development.

They have experience in and enthusiasm for principal gifts discovery work, creative approaches to prospect outreach and engagement, can listen for opportunities for non-cash gifts. They are capable of discussing the mission and values of the Conservancy and working collaboratively within a complex matrix organization. They will work across chapters and programs and align closely with the global principal gifts team.

They will staff chapter leadership as a moves manager as appropriate. They will manage assigned trustee relationships and/or volunteer engagement as appropriate. They will be required to adhere to TNC’s stated values. They will use the Conservancy’s donor database. This is a hybrid position that reports to the Chicago Field Office.

Responsible for qualifying at least ten (10) principal gift-level prospects in the first year. Responsible for building a warm PG portfolio of UHNWI in the first three years, with solicitations underway leading into, or before year three. While the position is initially focused on building a new portfolio, a principal gift fundraiser should expect to manage a portfolio of 30-50 prospects who have the capacity to give over $5,000,000 each.

Once the portfolio has matured, the incumbent will be responsible for a defined annual fundraising goal and moves/activity metrics respective to the portfolio and PG Department standards. In years one and two, the incumbent will be responsible for discovery-based metrics such as annual qualifications, quarterly outreach goals, and other discovery and performance metrics as assigned. Decisions may have program-wide impact, affect staff in non-program areas, and bind the organization financially or legally.

Direct or participate in negotiations for complex, high profile or sensitive agreements. Ensure compliance with TNC policies and procedures and external (donor/legal/IRS) requirements; be alert to ethical compliance issues. Financial responsibility for setting and meeting fundraising objectives, evaluating results, and developing corrective strategies. Implement and lead multiple collaborative and complex projects, directing work of staff, managing budget, setting deadlines, and ensuring…