NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is seeking an experienced Major Gifts Officer (MGO) to join its Major Gifts Eastern Region Team in our New York or Washington D.C. office with a preference for New York.

This team consists of six seasoned fundraisers, including one Senior Regional Director, two Directors, and three Major Gifts Officers, supported by one Development Manager. Collectively, they manage NRDC’s most significant philanthropic market and generate over $40 million in contributed income annually.

Position Summary

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will manage a portfolio of donors and potential supporters who are capable of giving five to six figure gifts. This position will pursue existing, new, and lapsed donors and will lead the relationships they are able to cultivate and bring to solicitation.

The MGO will work with several staff across NRDC, including advocates, scientists and litigators, who work to fulfill NRDC’s mission, as well as our Membership, Planned Giving, Action Fund and E2 teams.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).   

• Manage a major gifts portfolio of approximately 100-130 donors and prospects, with a giving capacity of $25,000 to $500,000+, with a specific focus on identification and qualification, while also managing the relationships they are able to cultivate and bring to solicitation, with average gift sizes at $25,000 - $100,000.
• Identify and develop a pipeline of new major gift prospects, in close partnership with Research and other fundraising colleagues.
• Working closely with Director and Senior Director, implement strategies and timelines for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of gifts, including strategic in person and/or virtual donor engagement. 
• Ensure that the portfolio is routinely updated with regard to donor strategy, projections, contact reports, moves management, and documentation of other key milestones in the donor’s relationship with NRDC.
• Support NRDC’s leadership with respect to cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts, using their time and talents appropriately; ensure their effectiveness as representatives of NRDC.  
• Develop and deploy fundraising materials and regular communications that will resonate with donors.  
• Work with the Donor Engagement, Planned Giving, and Membership teams to plan events in the region that maximize donor and prospect cultivation opportunities.  
• Develop and maintain expert familiarity with programmatic needs, budgets, institutional priorities.  
• Adeptly manage Salesforce and other processes such as tracking donor gift projections for your portfolio. 
• Collaborate with NRDC’s Action Fund to deploy effective fundraising tactics to raise non-deductible 501c4 funding. 

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.