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1 Feb 2023

Full-Time Director of Development Operations & Campaign Manager

E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation – Posted by [email protected] Durham, North Carolina, United States

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Job Description

Director of Development Operations & Campaign Manager

E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation

The E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation seeks a seasoned development leader in support of general philanthropy operations and the organization’s Path to Half Campaign.

ABOUT THE E.O. WILSON BIODIVERSITY FOUNDATION

The E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s (EOWBF’s) mission is to reimagine how we care for our planet. We believe that by enhancing our public understanding of biodiversity, we can foster a culture of stewardship in which people are inspired to conserve and protect the natural world.

The Foundation is shaped by the inspiration and guidance of Edward O. Wilson, one of the leading scientists and thought leaders of our time. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author and widely renowned biologist, E.O. Wilson is recognized as a visionary environmentalist whose work speaks to the urgent need for broader research and deeper understanding of our biodiverse planet in order to protect key species and avoid unintended destruction of the ecosystems that sustain our lives.

ABOUT THE HALF-EARTH PROJECT, THE PATH TO HALF CAMPAIGN AND THE POSITION

E.O. Wilson’s book, Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life, is a call to protect half the land and sea in order to manage sufficient habitat to safeguard the bulk of biodiversity and ensure the enduring stability of our planet. The Half-Earth Project is a global initiative of the EOWBF that aims to inspire informed collective action to achieve Half-Earth and thereby leave no species behind. We care deeply about driving scientific ambition that transforms our understanding of the world and what we need to do to care for it, and believe we have a moral conviction to act to protect biodiversity as one of humanity’s transcendent goals.

The Half-Earth Project has already gained support from many of the world’s most innovative thinkers, from population, sustainability, and restoration specialists, conservation leaders, and economists to creative media producers and celebrity icons, including twelve-time Grammy winner Paul Simon, whose 2017 tour directly supported the Half-Earth Project, and Don Henley, co-founder of the iconic Eagles, who recently made a new major investment in the Half-Earth Project. Partnerships with Esri, Burt’s Bees, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and environmental philanthropists have brought the Half-Earth Project Map to life – identifying places where conservation activities have the best opportunity to protect the most species.

Half-Earth was a key inspiration for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Half-Earth Project’s science, policy and communications engagement made important contributions to its ratification. The opportunity and challenge represented in the agreement, or 30×30, combined with the recent passing of E.O. Wilson offer a unique temporal moment for the Foundation to take intentional steps as an organization to increase its impact. To this end, the Foundation launched a quiet leadership phase of its first capital campaign in the fall of 2022, the Path to Half Campaign.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The Director of Development Operations will serve as the close partner of the Vice President of Development in executing successfully on the campaign, with emphasis on campaign infrastructure and major gifts management. With the VP of Development, along with Board directors, Campaign Committee members, the CEO and other members of the Foundation’s core leadership team, this position will oversee the organization’s successful scaling up from a small fundraising entity to one whose resources and capacity are congruent with its aspiration. We are looking for an individual who thrives on being the central nervous system of a successful fundraising shop, who understands development systems and processes and is enthusiastic about ensuring they hum. We are looking for a naturally curious person who enjoys figuring out who donors and prospects really are—what moves and motivates them and how our organization can put its best foot forward around our best opportunities. This is a phenomenal chance to work in concert with a team of committed and diverse experts on one of the most important issues of our day and build the organizational prowess to help address it.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Lead completion of our database transition—we have been working to migrate from several platforms to a single platform under Blackbaud. We need help completing this migration and making the system work for us! This would be a top objective in the first year.

2. Serve as Campaign Committee liaison, attending meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, distributing and coordinating volunteer assignments, and assisting the Vice President of Development in providing support for Committee members.

3. Support the Vice President of Development, CEO and volunteer leadership on development of customized cultivation and solicitation strategies for donors and prospects and help ensure timely implementation.

4. Work closely with Vice President of Development and others to manage campaign timeline and promote timely decision-making and activity in alignment with the campaign timetable.

5. Monitor campaign progress on a consistent basis.

6. Help conceptualize and coordinate/manage a limited suite of donor events.

7. Work with Vice President of Development, Development Communications Specialist and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer to ensure regular campaign communications for volunteer leadership and donors.

8. Engage directly with/manage a short list of donors, as needed/desired.

9. Supervise Development Assistant and liaise closely with Business Manager, Development Communications Specialist, Campaign consultants and leadership team members.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

· Deep experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge software

· Demonstrated record of supporting major gifts fundraising processes and other development operations (e.g. coordinating major donor events)

· Prospect research skills and knowledge of philanthropy industry practices and products

· Capital campaign experience

· Leadership capability and capacity to supervise other staff (experience not required but capacity to develop in this area is important)

· Ability to communicate well verbally and in writing and interact professionally with philanthropists and volunteer leadership

EXPERIENCE:

· 5-10 years of progressive experience in a non-profit setting, with emphasis on internal development functions

· University degree preferable; highly experienced development operations professionals without a college degree may be considered

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

· Service ethos and desire to make a difference

· Integrity, a positive and energetic demeanor, and a joyful orientation toward doing good work together as part of a team

· Ability to travel on occasion

COMPENSATION

Compensation includes a base salary range of $90,000-$115,000 and a package of health and employee benefits.

How to Apply

  • To learn more about the role, download and view the full job description via this link.
  • Interested candidates should email a resume and cover letter by February 15 responding specifically to the experience and qualifications being sought to Stephanie Dawning, Business Manager, [email protected]. Refer to the Director of Development Operations in the subject line.

Job Categories: Conservation. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: conservation, development, fundraising, and major giving. Salaries: 100,000 and above.

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