Associate Director of Development for Corporate and Foundation Relations, Virginia

Associate Director of Development for Corporate and Foundation Relations, Virginia 

Who We Are:

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor.  

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Associate Director of Development for Corporate and Foundation Relations (Associate Director) develops, implements, and manages effective multi-year strategies and plans for the cultivation and solicitation of gift prospects, including corporate, foundation, institutional, and/or related individual donors.

The Associate Director understands and applies complex principles of developing donor strategies and builds strong relationships with a portfolio of new and current corporate and foundation donors and prospects. They have knowledge of charitable giving, particularly corporate foundations, private foundations, community foundations, and Donor Advised Funds. They work across chapters and programs. They will be responsible for direct asks for global and Virginia Business Unit priorities to meet funding needs.  In addition to building philanthropic support, they engage companies and foundations to deliver conservation impact through thought partnership, in-kind contributions, marketing engagements, and other collaborations. They are capable of discussing the priorities of the Conservancy and have a deep understanding of Virginia’s conservation priorities and funding needs. They understand organizational budgets and are proficient utilizing this knowledge to build detailed proposals and accompanying project budgets. They will utilize excellent writing skills to create institutional proposals, donor agreements, and stewardship reports. They will recommend and manage corporate and foundation donor recognition plans. The Associate Director will utilize leadership and conservation staff and be a liaison for the Philanthropy team for understanding funding needs of conservation initiatives. They will utilize foundation databases, corporate sources, news sources to identify new corporate and foundation prospects for Conservancy priorities. They will navigate TNC’s systems to ensure legal, financial, and reputational compliance for all institutional engagements. They will be required to use the Conservancy’s donor database to record strategies and interactions with prospects.  In-state travel (mostly by car) up to 40% especially during the first year.  Occasional out-of-state and regional travel required.

This role is ideally based in the D.C./Northern Virginia area or Richmond, VA; however, Charlottesville, Blacksburg, or Hampton Roads may be considered.

We’re Looking for You:

Are you looking for work you can believe in? At TNC we strive to embody a philosophy of Work that You Can Believe in where you can feel like you are making a difference every day. We’re looking for someone with strong experience in leading a diverse, multi-disciplinary team and donors.

The ideal candidate should have exceptional communication and collaboration skills and experience with fundraising practices, building and managing relationships, and evolving trends in charitable giving. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing mission of conservation by directing and shaping the work of our team!

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree and 7 years related experience. 
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with constituents such as major donors and corporations. 
• Experience in asking for and closing six- and seven-figure gifts. 
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects and donors. 
• Experience working with fundraising principles and practices. 
• Experience, coursework, or other training in current and evolving trends in charitable giving, particularly in the areas of capital campaigns, major gifts and planned giving.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Ability to design and implement fundraising strategies, including cultivation, solicitation and recognition strategies.
• Ability to determine a prospect’s interests, capacity and potential for helping the Conservancy meet its goals, and act appropriately to tie those interests with the Conservancy’s work.
• Demonstrated experience using listening, diplomacy, and tact to build strong relationships and motivate donors and volunteers.
• Proven ability to negotiate complex, high profile or sensitive agreements.

What We Bring:

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world! 

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan including employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers. 

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $120,000 – $160,000 annually. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

How to Apply:

To apply for job ID JR, submit a required cover letter and resume online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ or apply directly HERE. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org

This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.