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Director of Development, Sonoma Botanical Garden

Employer
Sonoma Botanical Garden
Location
California, United States
Salary
$70,000.00 - $90,000.00
Closing date
Oct 9, 2021

Sonoma Botanical Garden (SBG) is located on a beautiful 67-acre property in Northern California’s iconic Sonoma Valley wine country. Founded in 1987, SBG’s mission is to inspire an appreciation of the beauty and value of Asian and California native plants, and to encourage a commitment to conserve the ecosystems that sustain them. The Garden is working to enhance its non-profit mission to strengthen the Garden's connection to our community, and advance our environmental-education impact in an era of climate change. For more information about the Garden and its history, please visit www.sonomabg.org.

 

The Garden seeks a Director of Development to grow and diversify its fundraising programs.

The Director of Development provides vision, leadership and oversight to Sonoma Botanical Garden’s fundraising strategies and activities, enabling SBG to better financially support its unique living collections, programmatic priorities and long-term strategic objectives. The Director is responsible for envisioning, developing and ensuring the growth and stability of multifaceted contributed-income streams that include: major gifts; planned giving; membership; individual giving; foundation, corporate and government support; and special fundraising and donor-cultivation events. The Director may also ultimately help envision, develop and manage a future capital campaign.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this position plays an essential, active role in the overall administration of the Garden as a senior member of the executive team.

 


PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES


 Lead the effort to raise annual operating revenue from major donors; individual gifts; planned giving; membership; special events; and foundation, corporate and government grant sources. Enhance existing and/or establish new programs designed to secure both short- and long-range fundraising revenue with the goal of expanding and diversifying contributed income overall.

 Work effectively and productively with the Executive Director, Director of Finance & Administration and the Board and broader staff team in the cultivation and stewardship of major donors and prospects with leadership gift potential.

 Work closely with staff in administrative and programmatic areas institution-wide to help identify short- and long-range opportunities and needs to ensure they meet both SBG’s mission-oriented approach to fundraising and its goal of fiscally-sound management.

 Conduct ongoing evaluation of the Development program’s strengths, weaknesses, structure and staffing, which currently consists of one part-time membership associate, and develop and implement systematic short-term and long-range plans to increase annual support.

 Ensure comprehensive, timely and innovative stewardship of all gifts. Provide strategic and marketing oversight to all donor materials.

 Effectively manage and organize the department’s day-to-day fundraising operations and budgets, using database and financial management systems to analyze progress against plans, to monitor expenses and cost-per-dollar-raised and to ensure security of all donor records taking into consideration cost/benefit, risk, mission fulfillment, logistics, and earned income projections, as appropriate.

 Represent the Garden with the Board of Trustees, the community, business, and other professional contacts including serving as a spokesperson for the Garden.

 Foster an environment of cohesiveness and collaboration with colleagues across all Garden units.

 Serve as a collegial and participatory member of the organization’s executive team. Engage in strategic decision-making, short/long-term strategic planning, and development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies, and practices.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 5+ years of experience in increasingly responsible development positions with evidence of helping to build strong fundraising programs for either larger or comparably sized institutions. Familiarity with all areas of development, including capital campaigns, major and planned giving, direct mail, membership, foundation and corporate fundraising, event planning, prospect research and stewardship desired; with a proven track record in helping to build and grow a multi-faceted fundraising program.

 A background in nonprofit organizations, with a preference for museum, environmental or educational organization experience. Knowledge of the broader San Francisco Bay Area funding community a plus.

 A Bachelor’s Degree is required, advanced degree or equivalent level of relevant experience preferred.

 

SKILLS/ABILITIES REQUIRED

 An appreciation and passion for the mission and aspirations of SBG. The maturity, interpersonal skills and warmth to work effectively with the Executive Director, Trustees, senior colleagues, staff and donors, and to provide motivation at all levels throughout the organization.

 The energy, entrepreneurial drive, creativity, flexibility, results-orientation, and tolerance for ambiguity that is necessary to lead a complex organization to a significantly higher level of fundraising and programmatic success.

 A self-starter who proactively looks for solutions.

 A track record of success identifying, cultivating and helping to solicit individual, foundation and corporate donors.

 A track record of working effectively with Trustees—building strong relationships, inspiring them to action, providing detailed and effective support for fundraising activities and making the experience both satisfying and fun.

 Excellent communication skills—both oral and written—with a reputation for building and maintaining relationships with people at all levels of an organization, across a diverse range of educational and social backgrounds.

 Proven analytical and strategic skills, with experience creating strategic fundraising plans, and the detail orientation and follow-through to implement those plans and to achieve or exceed goals.

 Experience with database systems and strong fiscal knowledge and data-analysis capability.

 Ability to occasionally work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.

 

This is a full-time exempt position with benefits that include 100% employer-paid health and dental benefits.  Salary range: $70,000-$90,000, commensurate with experience.

Please note, due to the nature of the Garden’s work, which may include interaction with children, you should expect to undergo and be cleared of an employment background/criminal check if extended an offer for employment. You may also be asked to provide proof of educational degree(s), licenses, credentials, or vaccinations relevant to the position.


How to Apply:
Please send a résumé and cover letter indicating the title of the position desired to: hr@sonomabg.org


Sonoma Botanical Garden is an equal opportunity employer. We value the diversity of individuals and the ideas, perspectives, insights, and values they bring to the workplace.

 

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