Major Gifts Officer - Northeast

WORKING AT NPF

In 1872, American did something unprecedented: it set aside more than one million acres of wilderness for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. For more than 100 years, citizen involvement and private philanthropy have helped to improve, preserve, and protect American's national parks. Since it was established by Congress in 1967, NPF has sustained this legacy of private philanthropy to ensure American's national parks thrive for future generations.

As the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation's mission is to protect and enhance our national parks while deepening people's connection to, and love for, them. NPF works in collaboration with the National Park Service, the park partner community, as well as generous philanthropists, dedicated corporate partners, and committed supporters in Congress to tackle the urgent and critical issues facing national parks today. At the National Park Foundation, we believe it will take all of us, working together, to ensure national parks endure for generations to come. Learn more about us at www.nationalparks.org

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Major Gifts Officer, Northeast, is part of an expanding regional team responsible for building a new portfolio of major gift prospects and generating significant individual gifts annually. This role will be a key member helping contribute to overall revenue of the individual giving channel, aligning with National Park Foundation (NPF) campaign goals focused on growing to a $200M/year organization.

The Major Gifts Officer will use a hybrid outreach approach (remote and in-person) for discovery and qualification of primarily annual fund donors with the capacity and affinity to make five, six, and seven figure gifts. As Relationship Manager, the Major Gift Officer will develop and manage up to 125 prospects with the goal of soliciting gifts of $25,000+ that will help advance the National Park Foundation (NPF) mission and strategic priorities.

The position, based in either the Boston metro-area or Washington, DC-area, will focus on a multi-state territory for discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors and family foundations.

The ideal candidate will be highly flexible and adaptive to a dynamic work environment, be located in Boston or DC metro areas, have familiarity with the philanthropic community in the surrounding multi-state region, work remotely, and travel frequently. Travel to NPF's headquarters in Washington D.C. required quarterly, and as requested.

Essential Functions/Duties/Tasks:

The Major Gifts Officer will be expected to undertake the following responsibilities and duties:

• Serve as a key member of the philanthropy team responsible for building a pipeline by meeting with, qualifying, and managing a high-value portfolio of donors and prospects with capacity to give primarily at the five-and-six figure level.

• Under the direction of Sr. Director, Individual Giving, establish annual fundraising and targets with clear deliverables and milestones for success, with an aspirational goal of $1M/annually.

• Manage a primarily discovery portfolio of up to 125 prospective donors with the goal of building a portfolio of 100 qualified prospects. Oversee and drive all aspects of the giving cycle with an emphasis on the qualification process, leading to solicitation.

• Develop short and long-term cultivation strategies for individuals, from qualification and cultivation through solicitation and stewardship via in-person meetings, events, and written communications.

• Develop key relationships and close gifts of $25,000 and above, identifying opportunities to deepen relationships and solicit blended gifts - which includes multi-year major gift commitments, outright annual gift, and planned gift conversations.

• Educate prospective individual donors on NPF's national mission, raising funds for both unrestricted and restricted support in alignment with organizational priorities. Stay current on NPF programmatic needs, budgets, and priorities.

• As Relationship Manager, monitor and drive all prospect contacts to ensure positive and purposeful prospect and donor relations. Write and deliver proposals and other donor-centric correspondence.

• Move donors in appropriate, timely, and strategic fashion toward solicitation and closure.

• Maintain timely visitation reports. Accurately record correspondence, meetings, donor strategies, and moves management activities in donor database.

• Work collaboratively and as a team with volunteer and staff leadership, including Sr. VP of Individual & Foundation Giving, Head of Philanthropy, and Office of the President, to cultivate and solicit prospective donors.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

The ideal candidate for the position of Major Gifts Officer will have:

• A proven track record: Demonstrated ability to successfully connect with annual fund donors and graduate them to higher levels of major giving and engagement. Comfort with the high volumes of cold calling and outreach required of a discovery portfolio.

• Donor collaboration: Ability to understand the interests of major gift donors while connecting them to NPF priorities and developing long-lasting relationships that maximize gifts to benefit the national parks.

• Expertise in Major Gift fundraising: Fundamental and industry-accepted standards for all aspects of the gift cycle involving prospects and donors.

• Excellent communication: Ability to interface effectively with the highest level of NPF donors and senior staff members, verbally, in writing, and through professional interpersonal skills.

• Ability to travel: Work well from home, and travel extensively throughout the assigned territory in the Northeastern region to meet with prospects and donors, and when required, Washington D.C. Some evenings, weekends and holiday work will be required.

• Self-Motivation: Ability to both thrive in a fast-paced, fluid, collaborative, team-oriented environment and to work independently effectively while sharing information openly.

• Passion for NPF's mission: Dedication to promoting NPF's core mission and priorities and connecting donor's philanthropic impact to advancing shared goals.

• Knowledge of Raiser's Edge NXT or similar donor database.

Preferred education and experience:

A bachelor's degree is required for this position and a minimum of five years in development with specific expertise in major gift fundraising. As the position is remote, working from your home office, the ideal candidate will be based in Boston MA or Washington DC, and have experience with the philanthropic landscape in the region. A master's or advanced degree is preferred.

Location: Boston, MA, or Washington, DC, Metro Areas

To Apply: For consideration, please include a resume and cover letter in your application.

NPF and DEI

The National Park Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes diversity in our organization. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit National Park Foundation (nationalparks.org).