What are the responsibilities and job description for the Development Officer position at West Place Animal Sanctuary?
West Place is recognized as a leading animal welfare organization in southern New England and we are poised to grow significantly in the near future. We are seeking a dynamic, experienced, and creative Development Officer to drive this organizational growth by building upon the existing foundation while also generating sustainable, net new funding.
Job Overview :
The Development Officer will play a key role in driving the growth and financial sustainability of West Place Animal Sanctuary by overseeing and executing our current strategies as well as creating new revenue streams / sources of funding. This individual will identify, cultivate, and solicit donors while also ensuring the smooth operation of fundraising efforts, campaigns, and annual appeals. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, a passion for the mission, and a proven track record with development and fundraising experience, preferably including major gift programs and foundation support. This position requires a blend of strategic thinking, creativity, and excellent communication skills to effectively engage with stakeholders and promote our mission, and to meet or surpass our yearly financial needs. The right candidate will be able to attain our basic funding needs of $700,000 in 2025 and understand that though the vehicles to achieve much of this funding are already in place, the budget needs will continue to scale up each year as we grow, and additional funding such as planned giving or endowments must also be sought for the sustainability of our organization. The selected candidate must have proven experience in all of the below abilities to be considered for this position.
This is not an administrative position - it requires donor stewardship and acquisition, fundraising, event management, and the marketing and media skills needed to promote said activities.
If your resume does not set forth that you have had experience raising at least a minimum of the above current goal, please also submit a cover letter with further information. Thank you.
Key Responsibilities :
Fundraising Strategy and Execution :
- Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies to meet financial goals. Develop a variety of fundraising initiatives, including campaigns, appeals, events, and digital fundraising activities.
- Identify and meet with high-net worth individuals and solicit major gifts.
- Plan and coordinate in-person and virtual fundraising events, ensuring successful execution from concept to completion.
- Generate new revenue through enhancing our existing programs.
- Identify new donors and approach new and existing donors, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government entities.
- Identify existing donors who possess the potential to increase their support
- Research potential funding opportunities and keep up to date on relevant industry trends.
Donor Cultivation and Stewardship :
Planned Giving :
Marketing :
Grant Writing and Proposal Development :
Database Management and Reporting :
Qualifications : Education :
Experience :
Skills :
Personal Attributes :
Please note that our organization plans to introduce health care coverage and a 401(k) in 2025, but requires the financial growth brought by the expertise and success of this position in order to be able to do so. There will be several months this year where these are not yet available to you.
Please also note that though this schedule may be Monday-Friday, many evenings and weekends may be required for networking, events, etc. You must be able to be flexible in your schedule to best suit the needs of our organization. If you do not have evening or weekend availability, we may not be the right fit for you. Thank you.
Salary : $60,000 - $68,000