Job Title: Assistant Director of Development (Legacy & Major Gifts)

Department: Development

Reports to: Director of Development

Supervises: Two Philanthropy Advisors and a Development Coordinator 

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt (salaried), 1.0 FTE

Salary range: $75,000 - 90,000

Benefits Include:

• Medical insurance: 100% payment of premiums for medical and dental insurance, for employees only
• Competitive leave benefits include two (2) weeks of paid vacation during a staff member’s first year of employment, accrual of eight (8) hours of paid sick time per month, eight (8) recognized paid holidays as well as 40 hours of flexible holiday time per year, and family leave.
• 401(k) 3% match plus annual fixed amount contribution
• Ability to attend free or subsidized courses at Portland Audubon
• Substantial discount at our Nature Store, including optics
• Opportunity to work in one of the most beautiful forests in Oregon

About Portland Audubon

Portland Audubon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland. 

Portland Audubon believes that inspiring all people to love and protect nature is best achieved when we embrace diversity as a value and practice. In the same way, an ecosystem needs many types of plants and wildlife, an organization thrives when it includes a diversity of people and perspectives. We recognize widespread inequities that create gaps between our present reality and our aspirations. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, reflecting the diversity of our community in our board, staff, volunteers, and members, ensuring our internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advance our diversity goals.

The Development Department works to connect supporters with their individual giving priorities through interpersonal communications, written appeals, and events. We work to provide the critical resources that fund Portland Audubon's conservation, education, wildlife rehabilitation, and land stewardship work. We are expanding our development team to grow the organization’s capacity to address critical conservation throughout the state, advance environmental justice work, grow our equity-focused environmental education programs, and complete our Wildlife Care Center. 

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Development is a newly established position that will foster new and existing relations with funders. They will play a critical role in building this new position and a more formalized and structured legacy and major donor-giving program. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience securing major gifts, managing a team of philanthropy advisors (gift officers), and building a team to successfully reach ambitious goals that will ensure the organization is successful in the Wildlife Care Center capital campaign and increasing operational revenue and donations. We treat donors as partners, which means that we are transparent and occasionally have difficult conversations.

They are responsible for implementing and maintaining development strategy across several programs, projects, and campaigns, focusing on securing leadership gifts with an established portfolio of donors and ensuring the team is supported in achieving their goals. This position will have target revenue goals to be mutually established annually to meet the organizational funding needs. This position will also establish target revenues for their philanthropy advisors as well. The Assistant Director of Development will provide critical support and staffing for the Executive Director, Director of Development, your team of Philanthropy Advisors, and for the Board of Directors and its Membership & Development Committee. 

Essential Duties

• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of Philanthropy Advisors (major gifts officers). Ensure alignment to goals and KPIs, standards of practice, team culture, and learning and development.
• Develop, plan, and implement a comprehensive prospect strategy to achieve successful cultivation, engagement, and solicitations, including but not limited to moving prospects from one giving level to the next. Create and oversee a highly functioning legacy and major gifts ($5k ) program to ensure consistent growth of our legacy members and major gift revenue.
• Secure leadership-level contributions of $50,000 or more in support of Portland Audubon. The Assistant Director of Development (Planned and Major Gifts) will inherit a portfolio of major gifts donors, be charged with consistently adding prospects to their portfolio, and support the Director of Development and CEO on their major gifts strategy.
• Identify, create, and implement cultivation/volunteer opportunities, visits, and tours – as needed – to increase involvement for current and prospective donors.
• Work with the Events Specialist to create small-scale engagement and event opportunities to educate, inspire, and uplift major gifts donors and prospects.
• Build relationships through email, phone, Zoom, and face-to-face meetings.
• In partnership with the Director of Development, oversee budget development and monitoring for any and all major gifts fundraising activities and produce internal and external reports regarding projected and achieved goals.
• Develop the necessary systems, processes, and tools to better communicate the role of major gifts fundraising across Portland Audubon and ensure an integrated fundraising strategy.
• Ensure information relating to fundraising strategies and activities, as well as other appropriate information related to donors/potential donors, are entered into the organization’s Constituent Relationship Management system.
• As necessary or requested, attend senior-level internal meetings to discuss and implement an organizational strategy regarding major gift work.
• Commit to promoting and supporting an environment of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Apply an equity lens to the entire development department.

Strategic & Administrative Responsibilities

• Working with the Director of Development, establish annual and monthly revenue for major gifts and legacy goals; reporting to the Director of Development and Executive Director on major gift program performance.
• Alongside a team of Philanthropy Advisors, design and execute major donor fundraising campaigns to increase engagement and multi-year annual support.
• Supports senior leadership in preparing prospect communications, research, collateral, and funding proposals.
• Constructs, oversees, and executes the vision for the Major Giving program alongside the Director of Development and Assistant Director of Development for the Annual Fund.
• Mentors and provides major gifts training for Philanthropy Advisors and for staff outside of the development department.

Qualifications

Ability to perform essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to the safety or health of employees or others. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.

• At least 5 years of experience in related fields or similar experience.
• Experience cultivating and closing five- and six-figure major gifts, developing donor strategies, and effectively cultivating and stewarding major donors.
• Ability to work with and communicate with a wide range of internal constituents, including Board Members, senior management, program staff, finance, and volunteers.
• Outstanding written and verbal skills to persuasively convey the mission of Portland Audubon to diverse constituencies.
• A strong understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, particularly in outdoor spaces. 
• A passion for local conservation, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation.
• Ability to function in a fast-paced, high volume, multifaceted, results-oriented work environment.
• Must have the flexibility to frequently travel (mostly in the metro area) and work some evenings and weekends. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be proficient in research and relevant analysis, including navigation of databases and online resources.
• Strong working knowledge of the broad philanthropic landscape, prospect research methodology, best practices, and evolving trends in philanthropy is highly preferred.
• Ability to analyze issues, identify priorities, manage projects, and make decisions expeditiously.
• Ability to lead a dynamic team for optimal results.Working knowledge of CRM software (Portland Audubon uses Raiser’s Edge NXT0.
• Strong ability to convey a variety of complex projects succinctly in written and verbal communications. Proficient in communicating about environmental justice and creating equitable outdoor spaces.
• Exceptional relationship building, interpersonal, verbal/written communication, and organizational skills.
• Detail-oriented and deadline-driven.

Working Conditions

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. The work environment characteristics described here represent those employee encounters while performing the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.

• The Assistant Director of Development position has a hybrid remote and on-site schedule. They must be flexible in their time around the hybrid model and the demanding schedules of program team members. 
• Collaborate with various individuals who have developed their own strong voices in describing their programs and complex environmental practices. 
• Primary responsibilities are working on a computer, typing, and looking at screens for many hours.
• Must be comfortable with shared desk space.

Cultural Competencies:

Portland Audubon is committed to maintaining an anti-racist organizational culture. We are committed to training all staff on cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We see staff with a high degree of cultural competency or lived experience working with communities of color, people who are disabled, LGBTQIA individuals, and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds as vital for all positions in our organization. We seek staff with comfort and curiosity in engaging in conversations around issues of identity, belonging, and systemic oppression. 

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.

Application

Portland Audubon does not discriminate based on race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, or mental or physical handicap. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Portland Audubon is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, reflecting the diversity of our community in its board, staff, volunteers, and members; ensuring its internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advancing its diversity goals; and empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment. All Portland Audubon employees are expected to serve diverse audiences and help advance our diversity strategies. More background on our diversity efforts can be found at http://audubonportland.org/about.

How to Apply

APPLY ONLINE at portlandaudubon.bamboohr.com/jobs/

To submit via US Postal Service:

Please send your resume, cover letter and this application to:

Human Resources

Portland Audubon

REF: Assistant Director of Development (Legacy & Major Gifts)

5151 NW Cornell Road

Portland, OR 97210 

Application Deadline: on Oct 10 at midnight or until filled.

Diversity Statement:

Portland Audubon believes that inspiring all people to love and protect nature is best achieved when we embrace diversity as a value and practice. In the same way, an ecosystem needs many types of plants and wildlife, an organization thrives when it includes a diversity of people and perspectives. We recognize widespread inequities and create gaps between our present reality and our aspirations. Audubon is committed to:

• Reflecting the diversity of the community in our board, staff, volunteers, and members.
• Ensuring our internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advance our diversity goals.
• Empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment.

Portland Audubon is nearing the end of a five-year strategic plan. A core priority moving forward is to infuse equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID) into all of the organization's goals and work. This position will play an important role in achieving the organization’s EID goals through engagement with staff, board members, donors, volunteers and the public. We recognize that to serve diverse communities, we must also have diversity represented in our staff.