Description

Columbia Land Trust is seeking an Advancement Director to join its team!

Columbia Land Trust is dedicated to conserving and caring for the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Columbia River region through sound science and strong relationships. In its first 31 years, Columbia Land Trust has permanently conserved more than 50,000 acres, an area equivalent to nine of Portland’s Forest Parks, and has restored thousands of acres for the benefit of both wildlife and local communities. Today, the Land Trust is nationally recognized as a leader in conservation.

Columbia Land Trust is embarking on the second phase of our 25-year plan to conserve the lower Columbia’s last, best places by blending rigorous science and meaningful collaboration with culturally diverse stakeholders. Our Conservation Agenda outlines objectives for protecting and restoring wildlife habitat and natural resources across five varied regions, from the wetlands and old-growth forests of the Coast to the sagebrush-steppe of the High Desert and everywhere in between. Core to the Conservation Agenda is a commitment to supporting a more inclusive and equitable conservation movement, arriving at common ground conservation solutions. Together, we are protecting a future that is thriving, prosperous, and wild.

We have amazing opportunities before us; the successful applicant to this position will have the opportunity to influence the nature of the Northwest for generations to come and to work with an experienced and skilled 7-person management team (comprised of the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, General Counsel, and Directors of Conservation, Stewardship, Forest Conservation and Advancement), with an average of more than 16 years working for Columbia Land Trust.   

Columbia Land Trust is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building a diverse workforce. We currently have 19% of staff representing racially diverse backgrounds and hope this position can continue to add to that growth. We are committed to equity as a core organizational value. We encourage Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and people from groups who are underrepresented in conservation spaces to apply for this opportunity.

SUMMARY

The Advancement Director is a highly visible, key leadership position within Columbia Land Trust who will be responsible for envisioning and overseeing all fundraising and communications activities on behalf of the organization. The position provides a critical interface between the Conservation, Advancement and Administrative teams, the Executive Director, and the Board of Directors.  The Advancement director will lead a passionate and diverse Team to support the implementation of our ambitious conservation strategy. We offer a competitive salary and a generous PTO and benefits package. We also invest in the professional development of our staff and encourage a growth mindset.  We are seeking an Advancement Director who will:

• Provide the vision for how to grow our operational, capital, and planned gifts to achieve our Conservation Agenda;
• Ensure the execution of strategies to bring the vision to reality;
• Oversee the Advancement Team (which includes Fundraising and Communications) by leading program managers and supporting their teams for cohesive action, organizational success, and personal job satisfaction; and
• Secure major gifts in support of the Conservation Agenda.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary

• Provide clear vision, supervisory leadership, and strategic direction for all aspects of Columbia Land Trust’s Advancement program, including development, marketing and communications, and donor relations
• Participate in revision of the Conservation Agenda and ensure that strategic benchmarks are met
• Oversee development of special purpose, multi-year fundraising campaigns
• Hire and lead Advancement program managers to achieve organizational and individual development goals
• Ensure that departments, staff and board are supported in issues related to fund development
• Uphold and advance our equity commitments
• Serve as the Trust's chief development officer. Personally cultivate, solicit, provide stewardship for, and monitor a portfolio of individual donors for significant annual, capital and estate giving
• Lead group and individual tours of Columbia Land Trust properties

Supporting Activities and Knowledge

• Develop knowledge on local and national issues to serve as an effective Land Trust spokesperson
• Engage with culturally diverse staff, donors and members of the public in a manner that is welcoming and inclusive
• Communicate effectively using presentation, persuasion, and negotiation skills with employees and organization stakeholders
• Research and support best practices in all aspects of staff and board fundraising
• Ensure that systems are in place for effective donor research and lead generation processes; sophisticated database systems for tracking prospects, pledges, gifts, and grants; gift processing capabilities; donor acknowledgement and recognition programs; and correspondence records
• Make use of computer databases to record and track donor information
• Work collaboratively with a spirit of cooperation with the Advancement staff and Management Team
• Work with the Executive Director and Governance chair to assess current and anticipated needs related to board composition, identify and cultivate potential candidates

QUALIFICATIONS

Columbia Land Trust expects applicants will have skills and experience relevant to the work listed above, or with similar work. However, applicants are not expected to have experience in all of these tasks in order to apply for the position. Columbia Land Trust is prepared to support the training necessary to ensure qualified candidates have the skills to safely and effectively accomplish the work. To thrive in this job, the qualified candidate will have the qualifications listed below.

• A background in development or organizational fundraising activities equivalent to 7 years, through either related experience or education/training. Applicants are encouraged to describe pertinent personal and professional experience
• The ability to attract and develop significant relationships on behalf of the organization and to work collaboratively in a team-based environment
• The ability to craft multi-year comprehensive fundraising and communications strategies or plans and to motivate and inspire people at all levels
• The ability to develop systems to track and adjust work plans and budgets as needed
• Intercultural competency, ability to interact with and compel a diverse array of individuals with diplomacy and respect, ability to lead diverse teams, commitment to equity and inclusion.  
• An interest in or curiosity about the nature of the Northwest and a desire to learn new skills and gain knowledge related to conservation
• Proficient written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, members of the public, and project partners in a variety of circumstances
• The ability to develop materials to support fundraising appeals to prospective major donors, including asking for gifts
• Competency with common computer programs, including Microsoft Word and Excel
• An ability to work productively with people from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through personal learning, implementing work practices that support equity and inclusion, and willingness to support the Land Trust’s equity commitments.