Director of Development, Tennessee
The Nature Conservancy
Nashville, TN
Anticipated Start Date: 3/16/25
Description
The Director of Development (DoD) is responsible for directing all aspects of the Tennessee fundraising program that secures significant financial resources from foundations, corporations, and individuals to support urgent conservation goals. They establish the vision for areas of responsibility, identify key challenges, develop, and synthesize plans of action, and deliver targeted outcomes. The DoD leads a team of development professionals. They are responsible for recruiting, developing, and retaining high-performing development staff and nurturing effective collaboration with a geographically dispersed team. The DoD reports directly to the Tennessee State Director and serves on the Tennessee chapter’s leadership team.
The Director of Development proposes and develops long-range donor strategies and tactics to communicate a broad vision to others to advance the Conservancy’s goals. They work with programs to establish, monitor, and track measures, and lead indicators and activity-level benchmarks to achieve maximum success. They manage all major gifts functions, which may include planned giving, endowments, principal gifts, donor prospecting and research, donor engagement, and special multi-year fundraising campaigns. They work in collaboration with conservation experts, development staff around the world, high-level volunteers, and others across a dispersed and complex organization. They play an active role in strategic planning for all Tennessee programs.
They work closely with the State Director, the Tennessee Board Chair and Development Committee to strengthen and engage the Board of Trustees in fundraising. They are responsible for reporting on program activities to leadership, including the Tennessee Board of Trustees. The DoD will be responsible for a select group of prospects and donors. They may be responsible for volunteer engagement and managing selected trustee relationships. They will travel frequently and on short notice, work long hours and occasional weekends. Their work environment may involve infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain. The DoD will be based in the Nashville, TN metro area and work in a hybrid work environment out of our Brentwood, TN office. The salary range for this role will be $130,00 to $150,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU
The Director of Development for The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee will lead the development team to achieve a fundraising goal of at least $3.5M in annual philanthropic contributions from Tennessee-managed donor portfolios through an innovative flexible funding, outcomes-based fundraising approach.
They will develop the resources and tools needed to articulate a clear and compelling case for support to The Nature Conservancy’s mission and drive fundraising success for TNC’s Global Campaign. As part of this capital campaign, the DoD will lead the planning and execution of Tennessee’s 50th Anniversary Campaign in preparation for the chapter’s milestone anniversary in 2028. The DoD will engage new, diverse donors and significantly increase the donor pipeline with a focus on cultivating major donors.
Responsibilities
The DoD will ensure current and former trustees are fully engaged and contributing to the Tennessee program’s success, including cultivating trustee candidates. They will obtain 75% board participation in the Nature Conservancy’s Legacy Club and work closely with trustee legacy ambassador. They will partner and engage at the Southern Division-level to create enabling conditions for outcomes-level solicitations. Are you passionate about helping people and nature?
Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that people and nature can thrive together. We’re looking for someone who can lead, retain, and develop a passionate team of fundraisers and operations staff, and be a key leader within the Chapter. The Conservancy is a global conservation leader and one of the top fundraising charities in the United States. If you have experience supervising a team, closing principal & major gifts, and working cross-functionally in a complex non-profit environment, the Nature Conservancy may be the place for you.
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree and 7 years related experience.
Experience asking for and closing major and principal gifts.
Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with new and existing fundraising constituents such as major donors, foundations, and corporations.
Experience in planning and delivering budgetary responsibilities.
Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team.
Experience, coursework, or other training in principles, practices, and procedures of charitable giving, particularly in the areas of capital campaigns, major gifts and planned giving.
Salary Range and Employee Benefits
$130,000 - 150,000
How to Apply for this Job
About the Organization
The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.
Founded at its grassroots in the United States in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and more than 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 79 countries and territories across six continents.
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