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Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) is a global leader in rescuing, training, and deploying specially trained search, tracking, and discrimination dogs to make conservation happen all around the world.

Position Description

WD4C is seeking an exceptional person to become its first Director of Development. The Director of Development will work closely with the Executive Director to:

1. Identify, prioritize, and pursue foundation and government grant funding.
2. Cultivate and Manage Major Gifts and Planned Giving.
3. Supervise WD4C’s Outreach and Development Coordinator in soliciting and securing small and online gifts.
4. Oversee community outreach, communications, and events for the organization.
5. Coordinate with WD4C’s Executive Director and its Director of Operations to plan, project, and manage WD4C’s annual budgets (Currently around $2.3M).
6. Be part of a committed, enjoyable, skilled, vibrant, inclusive, and closely-knit team.

The successful candidate will be an experienced manager and outside-the-box thinker ready to support WD4C’s individual giving and government/foundation grants (ideally around 60% of WD4C’s budget, with the remainder of the budget coming from fee-for-service work). This position will have the opportunity to build a fundraising program from the ground up, and work with an exceptional team that:

1. Has achieved enormous conservation impacts over WD4C’s nearly 30-year history.
2. Helped launch the conservation detection dog field in North America and established numerous firsts for non-invasive detection, discrimination, and wildlife law enforcement.
3. Maintains the highest ethical standards for our dogs and the wildlife and wild places we help protect.
4. Includes numerous charismatic, capable, and fun people and dogs.

WD4C offers a unique fundraising opportunity, with supporters coming from wildlife, biodiversity, animal, animal welfare, scientific, conservation and dog training realms. This broad appeal creates fundraising opportunities, but also necessitates clear and careful communications at times. The Director of Development will initially oversee the Outreach and Development Coordinator and share one Administrative Staff member, with the opportunity to grow the team as needed and as justified by successful fundraising.

Compensation

This is a full time, exempt, salaried position. The starting salary will be $70-105K, depending on experience. WD4C provides a generous benefits package that includes health care, IRA match, professional development stipend, up to 13 days per year of paid holidays, 10 sick/personal days per year, up to 6 weeks/year of paid vacation, and eligibility for a paid sabbatical after seven years of service.

Responsibilities

Individual Giving

1. Craft and carry out strategies for donor recruitment through multiple channels (email, social media, events, mail, and emerging technology).
2. Stewardship of existing donors, increasing WD4C’s donor retention, converting one-time to recurring donors, and growing individuals’ and overall donations to support WD4C’s mission.
3. Coordinate core fundraising activities (e.g. appeals, monthly donors, etc.).
4. Coordinate our End of the Year Appeal and Annual Report
5. Collaborate with WD4C staff and the Outreach and Development coordinator to seize timely fundraising opportunities tied to program milestones or media coverage.
6. Collaborate closely with WD4C managers to understand the needs of different programs, and use this information to plan and execute fundraising goals, providing regular updates on progress towards achieving them.
7. Supervise and manage WD4C’s donor database.

Foundations & Government

1. Lead, assign, mentor, and supervise WD4C’s foundation and government proposals, and reporting.
2. Identify new opportunities to support WD4C’s work.
3. Represent WD4C professionally with Foundation partners and events.

Management

1. Participate in senior management meetings.
2. Participate in WD4C strategy, communications, and where relevant, project meetings.
3. Develop and manage WD4C’s fundraising budget

Events

1. Oversee and collaborate on event planning.
2. Attend and participate in WD4C events.
3. Supervise the follow up from events.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be:

1. An excellent communicator, in writing, one-on-one, and as a public speaker.
2. Demonstrated ability to build and run a development program for a non-profit organization, including cultivating and securing gifts from individual donors and developing strategic proposals.
3. Highly organized and conscientious.
4. Experience supervising staff, including developing work plans, providing feedback and managing performance.
5. Proven fundraising skills, including excellent writing/editing of proposals and reports, setting goals and objectives, and developing budgets and timelines.
6. Able to work independently and make decisions when others may not be available.
7. Willing to travel frequently (at least 1-week/quarter, but at times monthly) mostly within the US, but outside the country when necessary).
8. Ready to plan and lead a capital campaign within the next 3-5 years.
9. Excited and able to work with diverse and talented staff and partners.
10. Interested in visiting field projects and telling their stories to donors, other partners, and the press.
11. There are no specific degree requirements for this position.

Please note that the above are ideal qualifications. Research has demonstrated that BIPOC and women applicants may be less likely to apply if they have doubts about one or more qualifications. We expect that no single applicant is likely to have all the qualifications listed, and we believe success is possible with different skill sets and experience, so people of all backgrounds, especially women and BIPOC, are encouraged to apply!

To apply

Please send a cover letter and CV to: Application@WD4C.org with “Director of Development” in the subject line. Applicants should feel free to omit pay history, names of schools, and to use their initials rather than full names. Any other information that could indicate protected or underrepresented class may be omitted without penalty. Please DO NOT request informational interviews or reach out through other channels. Review of applications will begin June 1st and the position will remain open until filled.

WD4C is an equal opportunity employer. Equal employment opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at Working Dogs for Conservation, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, genetic information (including family medical history), political or philosophical beliefs, economic circumstances, geography, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. This policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, layoff, discharge, training, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.