Position: VP of Development and SCI Foundation

Class: Salaried; Full-time

Department: Development and Conservation

Location: San Antonio, TX; travel up to 50% of the time

Remote Work: Remote applicants may be considered for this position if their background, experience, and qualifications closely align with the needs of the role.

Summary

The Vice President of Foundation provides strategic leadership and oversight for Safari Club International Foundation's (SCIF) fundraising/development, conservation, and education functions. This position is responsible for leading and developing the organization's fundraising strategy, managing and growing major donor relationships, overseeing conservation and education programs, and ensuring these areas work together to advance SCIF's mission and organizational priorities.

The Vice President will directly supervise the Major Gifts Managers and the Director of Conservation and Education Programs and will personally manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects. This position is expected to cultivate and solicit significant gifts, develop relationships with individuals, foundations, corporations, government officials, and other key stakeholders, and play a leading role in comprehensive fundraising initiatives.

The Vice President serves as a member of the senior leadership team and works closely with the CEO of SCI and other organizational leaders on strategic planning, organizational priorities, budgeting, external relationships, and mission advancement. The position represents SCIF to donors, partners, government officials, conservation organizations, and other stakeholders and requires a high level of professionalism, diplomacy, and discretion.

The incumbent must demonstrate a strong understanding of and commitment to hunting as an essential part of biologically sound and ethically responsible wildlife management and conservation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the Development/Fundraising, Conservation, and Education functions, establishing priorities, goals, and strategies that advance SCIF's mission and organizational objectives.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies to increase philanthropic support, expand the donor pipeline, strengthen existing relationships, and support SCIF's current and future financial needs.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, cultivating relationships, developing solicitation strategies, making direct gift solicitations, and providing ongoing stewardship.
• Lead major gift and comprehensive fundraising efforts, working with the Executive Director, senior leadership, Board members, and development staff to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-level donors and prospects.
• Supervise and develop the Major Gifts Managers, establishing clear expectations, fundraising goals, portfolio strategies, and accountability while providing coaching and support to strengthen their effectiveness.
• Oversee conservation and education programs through the Director of Conservation and Education Programs, ensuring programs are aligned with SCIF's mission, strategic priorities, and available resources.
• Support and advance SCIF's conservation and education priorities, including external partnerships, scientific and policy initiatives, international relationships, conferences, educational programming, and related organizational activities.
• Build and maintain high-level relationships with major donors, business leaders, government officials, foreign diplomats, conservation professionals, foundations, corporations, and other strategic partners.
• Develop compelling fundraising materials and strategies that effectively communicate SCIF's conservation, education, and mission priorities to donors and prospective supporters.
• Participate in organizational strategic planning and senior leadership activities, providing leadership and perspective on fundraising, conservation, education, external relations, and organizational priorities.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets for areas of responsibility, ensuring expenditures remain within approved budgets and align with organizational priorities and policies.
• Represent SCIF at meetings, conferences, conventions, donor events, and other external functions, including significant travel as necessary to cultivate relationships, advance fundraising, and support conservation and education objectives.
• Monitor and evaluate departmental and individual performance, establish clear goals and expectations, support employee development, and foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing culture.
• Work collaboratively across SCI and SCIF to identify opportunities to leverage organizational relationships, programs, communications, events, and other resources to advance fundraising and mission objectives.
• Manage, coach, and develop direct reports; participate in hiring, onboarding, performance management, employee development, and disciplinary processes in partnership with Human Resources.
• Establish clear departmental goals, priorities, deadlines, and performance expectations and monitor progress toward those objectives.
• Conduct regular team meetings and maintain open communication regarding organizational priorities, departmental activities, challenges, and opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for professional development and training and support succession planning to ensure continuity of critical organizational capabilities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned. Attends industry meetings and events as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, nonprofit management, communications, marketing, public administration, conservation, education, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in fundraising/development, nonprofit management, conservation, education, or a related field, with demonstrated success in major gift fundraising.
• Proven experience personally cultivating and soliciting major gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, or other significant funding sources.
• Demonstrated experience managing, mentoring, and developing fundraising professionals and/or multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong strategic thinking and organizational skills, with the ability to balance long-term strategy with hands-on execution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop persuasive proposals, presentations, donor communications, and other fundraising materials.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills, including the ability to establish accountability while developing and motivating staff.
• Ability to work effectively across departments and organizations and build collaboration around shared goals.

Any equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience that fulfills the requirements of the position may be considered.

Benefits

Please go to our careers page to view our Benefit Summary: https://safariclub.org/careers/