Principal Gift Officer

Principal Gift Officer

The Student Conservation Association is seeking a Principal Gifts Officer (PGO) with exceptional drive and insights to support the implementation of a sustainable individual giving program that helps SCA meet institutional objectives. Reporting to the VP-Philanthropy, the PGO will execute a major donor giving strategy that promotes our mission, financial sustainability, and growth.

About SCA

SCA conserves lands and transforms lives. Through hands-on service in the great outdoors, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) co-powers young leaders from all backgrounds to protect our nation’s irreplaceable natural and cultural treasures. As they make these vital contributions to our public lands, SCA members gain the skills and insights necessary to launch conservation careers. really, 70% of SCA alumni are currently working or studying in an environmental field. Yet no matter their vocation, these alums help forge a more resilient world through continued stewardship and leadership.

Independent research shows SCA experiences spur character development and help young adults prosper long term. Pre- and post-program studies show SCA participants feel they matter more, report greater self-confidence and esteem, improve their teamwork, and practice a higher level of civic engagement—all key skills that enhance one’s readiness for school, work, and life.

SCA prioritizes the values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and is working on a multi-pronged strategy to ensure these values are at the core of its programming and operations. Our definition of success requires SCA to broaden the reach of all its programs, with special emphasis on its Urban Green initiative, a decades-long effort to engage historically excluded and displaced people by helping to facilitate sustainable initiatives in the communities where they live, work, and play. Funded for the past five years by the JPB Foundation and other funders, this initiative is poised to reach more people in more communities in the decade ahead.

About the Position

The Principal Gifts Officer will play an integral role in helping SCA to grow a successful principal gifts program. The person in this role will be responsible for the discovery, development, and management of a personal portfolio of individuals who are capable of making gifts of $10,000 . The PGO will have the opportunity to deepen relationships with existing donors as well as conduct discovery work to identify and cultivate new prospects. This position will be remote with preference given to candidates who are located in the Washington, DC Metro Region. The annual salary range being offered for this role is $105,000 - $119,000.

Key Responsibilities:

Active Portfolio Management

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward prospects for planned and principal level gifts

• Identify prospective principal gift donors (to include planned gifts) and develop and successfully implement individualized engagement strategies with a focus on closing 5- and 6-figure gifts

• Completes between 100-140 significant face- to-face visits annually in order to cultivate relationships, gauge donor interest, qualify, and solicit support for general support, as well as programmatic priorities

• Collaborate with the philanthropy team to build the case for support and develop proposals to be utilized in written materials, presentations and conversations with individuals, groups, and private foundations

• Manage defined pipeline of new and retained donors through meaningful interactions and execution of appropriate relationship building steps to increase principal gift revenue

• Provide high degree of discretion and strong ability to represent SCA, engaging in meaningful dialogue with prospects and donors

Administration

• Actively develop and record donor plans, engagement opportunities, tasks and activities for all assigned donors and prospects

• The ability to drive the VP-Philanthropy’s engagement with prospective donors; staffing the VP and working in tandem with colleagues, across departments, to coordinate and execute discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects, especially there are multiple interests

• Ability to distill complex information and shape compelling gift opportunities

• Collaborate closely with the Program, Philanthropy, and Partnership departments to foster and shape compelling ideas that will attract transformational gifts in support of SCA’s Urban Green Program

Cultural

• The ideal candidate understands that equity is a lens through which SCA does its work and not a special initiative; will have fundamental knowledge of the relationship between historically biased policies, safety outside, and equitable access to nature, and can demonstrate a personal commitment to climate justice.

• Support and embody SCA’s Core Values: bold vision, respectful to the land, integrity, belonging and inclusion, and collaboration.

• Passion for the environment and youth development demonstrated through professional experience or volunteer service.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree or 10 years' experience in lieu of a degree.

• Minimum 7 years experience of progressive, front-line fundraising experience or equivalent experience in sales management, financial planning, or political fundraising, with a track record of maintaining relationships over time.

• Track record for closing principal gifts/accounts by articulating a business case for investment.

• Planned Giving experience preferred. Legal, accounting, or personal finance experience a plus.

• Ability to create and utilize donor prospecting and management tools, moves management, donor briefing documents, etc. Experience with Raiser’s Edge preferred.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate effectively with executive staff and board members and to build productive relationships with major gift prospects.

• Strong writing skills including proposal and report writing, as well as internal and external communications with attention to detail.

• Knowledge of industry standards, current trends, and best practices

• Up to 40% local, regional, and national travel as needed.

Conditions of Employment

Beginning on 1/18/22, all new SCA program participants are required to provide proof of up-to-date vaccination against COVID-19. Per CDC guidance, up to date vaccination now includes all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when indicated. For example, if someone has completed the primary series but is not yet indicated for a booster shot, they are considered up to date. Once a person is indicated for a booster (6 months after Pfizer or Moderna primary series, 2 months after J&J primary series), full and up-to-date vaccination includes the completed booster shot. Visit the following website for more information, including medical and religious exemptions: www.thesca.org/covid.

The Student Conservation Association, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

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