Development Officer

About the Company: The Adirondack Council is based in Elizabethtown, NY (30 miles east of Lake Placid). Our mission is to ensure the ecological integrity and wild character of New York’s six-million-acre Adirondack Park for current and future generations. We envision an Adirondack Park with clean water and air, large wilderness areas, surrounded by working farms and forests, and vibrant local communities. To protect the Adirondacks, we use the best science, the law, and an understanding of political decision-making to educate, inform, and motivate the public and those who make public policy. We are committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. The work is meaningful and fast-paced, and our team is passionate, talented, and fun. We take pride in our commitment to each other and to protecting the Park.

About the Role: The Development Officer is a core member of the Development team, working to strengthen systems, processes, and relationships that will help achieve our annual and long-term financial goals. The position will coordinate and implement a wide range of fundraising and awareness initiatives including mailings, special events, targeted donor events, grant submissions, and analysis of fundraising efforts to ensure we’re meeting our objectives. Working alongside the Director of Development, the Development Officer will contribute ideas and strategies to engage our donors and cultivate lasting relationships. The role will support day-to-day development operations, Fund Development Committee, board meetings, and special events. Higher volumes of development activity can be expected during peak times of the year, particularly at the end of the calendar year and during the busy summer season.

Responsibilities:

• Utilize advanced donor database features for research, reporting, and preparation of donor lists as needed to support cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation goals for the Council.
• Coordinate and manage, in consultation with the Development Director, mid-level and major donor engagement through stewardship activities, mailings, acknowledgements, and emails.
• Plan, implement, and support special events including targeted donor events, Forever Wild Day, and other stewardship and fundraising events to bring the Council’s work on behalf of the Adirondacks to life.
• Engage Next Gen Council members, with input from leadership, in Council fundraising initiatives and special events, and support Next Gen members as ambassadors for the organization.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development and team to plan and execute large-scale fundraising appeals, including working closely with Board members on personalization lists and ensuring timely major gifts acknowledgements.
• Participate in the development and implementation of the annual fundraising strategy, identify new engagement opportunities, and provide recommendations for attracting and cultivating new prospects.
• Research, support, and prepare grant submissions with Director of Development, and monitor the annual grant calendar, including reporting deadlines.
• Serve as a resource for teammates to troubleshoot and improve processes and strategies that support annual fundraising goals.

Qualifications:

• Excellent communication skills including effective written, verbal, and listening skills. Experience crafting fundraising appeals, writing grant proposals to secure funding, and preparing donor relationship communications preferred.
• Demonstrated comfort and ability working with donor database (CRM), project management software and Office 365, including Excel. Experience with DonorPerfect, DonorSearch, a plus.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. A proven track record of meeting deadlines, balancing priorities and communicating project updates in a timely manner.
• Proven ability to plan, execute, and oversee projects, including events, from initiation to completion. Ability to think quickly, problem-solve, and adapt to changing situations in the moment.
• Collaborative team player with a talent for building strong, cohesive relationships and achieving shared goals.
• Knowledge of fundraising strategies, donor relations, and sponsorship acquisition; experience with moves management and donor prospecting a plus.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule and travel for occasional evening and weekend work.

Education and Experience:

• Five years of experience in nonprofit development work.
• Associates, Bachelors, Masters degrees in related nonprofit and/or environmental conservation related fundraising encouraged
• Experience with donor database systems, communicating with donors of all capacity ranges including high net worth individuals and maintaining confidentiality.
• Passion for clean water, clean air, and the wild places of the Adirondacks and for the people who give back to support the Park.
• A valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle as travel may be required

Pay range and compensation package: $60,500

Equal Opportunity Statement: The Adirondack Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants receive equal consideration without regard to age, race, color, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, handicap, or disability. Employees are selected based on their individual qualifications and ability to fulfill the job requirements. The same considerations apply to promotions, pay increases, and all other conditions of employment with the Adirondack Council.