NRDC is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to work with our Development team in our New York office.

Position Summary

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will manage a portfolio of donors and potential supporters who have the potential of giving five to six figure gifts. This position will specifically focus on identification and qualification, while building up a portfolio of existing, new, and lapsed donors in targeted geographies in the Northeast, which could include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. They will also manage the relationships they are able to cultivate and bring to solicitation.

The MGO will work with several staff across NRDC, including advocates, scientists and litigators, who work to fulfill NRDC’s mission, as well as our Membership, Planned Giving, Action Fund and E2 teams.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

• Identify and develop a pipeline of new major gift prospects, in close partnership with Research and other fundraising colleagues.
• Manage a major gifts portfolio of approximately 100-130 donors and prospects, with a giving capacity of $25,000 to $500,000+, with a specific focus on identification and qualification, while also managing the relationships they are able to cultivate and bring to solicitation, with average gift sizes at $25,000 - $100,000.
• Working closely with Director and Senior Director, implement strategies and timelines for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of gifts, prioritizing strategic in person and/or virtual donor engagement.
• Ensure that the portfolio is routinely updated regarding donor strategy, projections, contact reports, moves management, and documentation of other key milestones in the donor’s relationship with NRDC.
• Support NRDC’s leadership with respect to cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts, using their time and talents appropriately; ensure their effectiveness as representatives of NRDC.
• Deploy fundraising materials and regular communications that will resonate with donors.
• Work with the Donor Engagement, Planned Giving, and Membership teams to plan events in the region that maximize donor and prospect cultivation opportunities.
• Develop and maintain familiarity with programmatic needs, budgets, institutional priorities.
• Adeptly manage Salesforce and other processes such as tracking donor gift projections for your portfolio.
• Collaborate with NRDC’s Action Fund to deploy effective fundraising tactics to raise non-deductible 501c4 funding.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Minimum Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience.
• 4-7 years of relevant professional experience with at least two years of frontline fundraising experience.
• Experience with political or 501c4 fundraising a plus.
• Experience with advocacy or environmental groups a plus.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate in a regular, compelling manner with donors.
• Collaborative and inclusive approach to inter and intra departmental work.
• Professional demeanor when interfacing with NRDC donors and staff members.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or other CRM systems, and their application to performance management and fundraising metrics.
• Ability to travel approximately 30% annually, and, on an infrequent basis, work outside traditional office hours as needed.
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles