Location

Remote or hybrid, depending on location, US Pacific coast

Duration

This is a 2-year fixed-term position with full benefits and the possibility of extension. 1/18/27 anticipated start date.

Application Instructions

Please include a cover letter with your application.

Overall Function

EDF’s high value mid-level donor program, the Catalyst Circle, focuses on donors giving between $5,000 and $25,000 annually and is part of our broader $46M membership program. The Officer will focus on the proactive cultivation and stewardship of a portfolio of donors and prospects in the western U.S. and will take the lead on developing the potential for increased support from these individuals.

The Officer’s efforts will supplement and leverage a comprehensive, pre-existing program of mail- and email-based stewardship and solicitation and events. The position will identify and qualify high-potential donors and prospects for direct one-to-one engagement, surface opportunities for greater support from these individuals, actively cultivate greater giving, and steward the full set of donors assigned to them. The Officer will engage in direct gift conversations and occasional solicitations with a small subset of the most promising donors and prospects. The vast majority of the program’s solicitations are delivered via mail-based appeals developed in partnership with our membership team. The position reports to the Associate Vice President, Catalyst Circle and must be based in the western part of the United States.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively manage a portfolio of donors and prospects with a primary focus on the cultivation and stewardship of individuals in the western U.S. region. Qualify and prioritize a subset of the portfolio for direct one-to-one engagement.
• Develop and conduct tailored one-to-one communications leveraging existing materials including progress reports, event invitations, and program briefings and developing bespoke materials as needed to draw donors into closer engagement and alignment with EDF.
• Seek and conduct face-to-face and virtual meetings with the highest potential donors in the portfolio, setting and achieving key learning and relationship advancement objectives. Leverage insights gained to move the individuals along a continuum toward greater giving.
• Assist the Associate Vice President in setting annual contact and revenue goals for the portfolio. Maintain a consistently high-level of cultivation and stewardship outreach activity and meetings.
• Develop and maintain fluency in EDF’s diverse programmatic work and an ability to clearly articulate EDF’s goals, the mechanisms for achieving them, and current progress in a compelling case for support.
• Produce and mail tailored gift acknowledgements and receipts for donations from assigned portfolio donors in partnership with the Catalyst Circle Stewardship Coordinator.
• Maintain donor data for the portfolio in accordance with practices established in partnership with the Catalyst Circle Stewardship and Operations Manager and peers across the Development function, maintaining confidentiality as required.
• Collaborate with peers on the Planned Giving team to identify and develop planned giving opportunities and ensure a donor-centric experience for donors who are jointly managed across our two teams.
• Participate in advancing EDF organizational effectiveness and culture goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Participate in department-wide initiatives, projects, meetings, retreats, and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 6 years relevant professional experience including a minimum of three years of experience working with donors in a non-profit setting.
• Superior interpersonal communication skills and a high level of comfort, discretion and success in seeking and conducting donor meetings; excellent writing and public speaking skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and in collaboration within a team and across departments and organizational functions to help achieve shared success.
• Ability to assimilate multiple and often complex sources of programmatic information and craft compelling cases for support.
• An entrepreneurial mindset with demonstrated initiative and a proactive approach to surfacing and acting on opportunities.
• Experience and proficiency working with fundraising databases to track and manage donor relationships.
• Commitment to Environmental Defense Fund’s mission and values.
• Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Willingness and ability to travel for donor meetings and events within the assigned region.