Major Gifts Officer/Director of Partnership Development

POSITION SUMMARY
This position's location is classified as either Remote, or as a Boise, ID position. The Major Gifts Officer/Director of Partnership Development (MGO) manages and solicits a portfolio of major donors including primarily individuals, but also corporations and government entities. The MGO develops a pipeline, manages the stewardship and solicitation and expands the revenue base for The Peregrine Fund overall. The MGO is led by the VP for Partnerships and is expected to work closely with a small development team, and to assist in all other fundraising activities including Planned Giving, Proposal Development Support, exploration of creative conservation finance mechanisms and others.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The MGO will identify, evaluate, cultivate and solicit major gift donors for restricted, annual, special project funding, planned gifts or other revenue needs of The Peregrine Fund (TPF). This position is responsible for development and execution of cultivation plans for major gift prospects. Cultivation plans include creating opportunities to engage donors and prospects with conservation program leaders or TPF Executive Leadership, as appropriate. The MGO will identify additional opportunities and mechanisms for Conservation Finance and prioritize the most likely sources with greatest organizational need.

RESPONSIBILITES AND SCOPE
• Achieve annual revenue goals for areas of responsibilities.
• Develop a robust pipeline for realization of steady revenue growth with focus on major donors.
• Prepare and execute solicitation proposals.
• Identify and qualify new major gift prospects.
• Help establish fundraising goals for major gifts and other conservation finance mechanisms to ensure close coordination of annual and other major longer term giving efforts.
• Travel regularly alone, or with Executive leadership staff, program leaders or other staff to develop relationships with and raise money from major donors and other prospects, both philanthropic and financial.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date tracking of all major gift prospects and provide input on other conservation finance fundraising areas.
• Attend and assist with development-related events as needed. Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• A minimum of 3 years MGO (or comparable position) experience with mid-sized or larger organization.
• Experience, coursework, or other training in: 1) Current trends in charitable giving in the areas of Capital Campaigns, Major Gifts, and Planned Giving; 2) Conservation Finance mechanisms.
• Demonstrated ability in soliciting and closing major gifts of $25,000 or more.
• Demonstrated success in building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents including individuals, foundations, corporations, and other sources of conservation finance such as development agencies and banks.
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects and donors.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Very skilled in word processing, database management, and spreadsheet software.
• Passion for the conservation of nature.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Demonstrated proficiency in any of the Minimum Qualifications.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in field(s) of philanthropy, conservation finance, economics, and/or ecology, environmental, or conservation practices strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of birds and particularly birds of prey, or passion for conservation of nature in general.

WORKING CONDITIONS
• Frequent travel.
• Work long and flexible hours as needed including potential opportunities to travel internationally.
• Work environment involves infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain while traveling.

ONBOARDING
This senior position must quickly gain an intimate knowledge of the organization to identify how and where s/he can best assist our conservation finance needs. S/he will participate as a team member in twice monthly (virtual) Development Team meetings to gain team support and provide input. The first 1-2 months should be spent gaining first-hand experience with, and becoming inspired by, our field conservation projects, interpretive center operations, captive propagation work, science center (GRIN), and the staff whom s/he will be working with and serving.

Based upon this onboarding/initial exposure to the organization, s/he will write a 5-year plan of action with a detailed account of year-one actions and goals by the end of the 3rd month. This plan will be reviewed and approved by the VP for Partnerships and President/CEO, and will be used to Benchmark progress at 12 month intervals thereafter.