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; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C. 

NRDC is seeking an Associate Director, Major Gifts Operations, to work with the Major Gifts team at any of our U.S. based offices.

Position Summary

NRDC is seeking a skilled Associate Director of Major Gifts Operations to lead the operational unit of the Major Gifts team, executing effective project management methodologies, ensuring robust systems and data integrity, and facilitating day-to-day operations of the Major Gifts team consisting of over 20 team members. As a member of the Major Gifts Core Leadership Team, this individual will work closely with the National Director of Major Gifts, the Senior Regional Directors for the Eastern and Western Regions, and the Director of Development, NRDC Action Fund, to provide operational leadership in moves management, data integrity, project management, donor engagement activities, and internal and external communications. They will serve as the primary liaison to the Human Resources Department, and project manage recruitment and onboarding of team members. In addition, they will serve as the team’s primary point of contact for NRDC executive support staff, including the offices of the President, Executive Director, and Chief Program Officer, to ensure that leadership is fully prepared to engage with major donors and prospects. In collaboration with NRDC’s Donor Systems, Donor Research and Portfolio Management teams, they will ensure that operational systems and technology, including dashboards and analytic tools, are streamlined and support strategic fundraising and staff management of the Major Gifts department.  

Major Gift team operations

• Oversee the design and implementation of team meetings, programmatic learning sessions, trainings, workshops, and retreats. 
• Project Manages the major gifts operational team’s support of State Lobbying Trips and our annual Green Leaders for Change conference. 
• Spearheads the design and execution of donor events led by the Major Gifts team. 
• Responsible for intra and inter departmental communications, as well as occasional external communications.  
• Serves as approver and signatory for major gifts departmental vendor contracts and expense payments. 
• Manage and mentor the operations team. 

Moves Management

• Collaborate with the Portfolio Management and Donor System teams to implement and hone NRDC’s moves management tools and systems to support the advancement of long-term strategies. 
• Ensures the proper operationalization of moves management data tracking and capture on the Major Gifts team. 
• Present regular reporting and metrics to department leads, managers, and teams to inform strategy and performance management. 
• Ensures the donor database and other tools utilized by the Major Gifts teams are optimized and deployed efficiently, ensuring regular data audits. 

Cross-departmental and institutional collaboration

• Partner closely with the President’s Office and c-suite support staff to facilitate engagement between their executives and Major Gifts donors/prospects.  
• Serves as operational lead and liaison for the Major Gifts department, in close collaboration with the Development Chief of Staff, with the Human Resources department, spearheading the approval of major gift job descriptions, recruitment processes, onboarding, and performance review cycles. 

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.

Minimum Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required. 
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in Development. 
• Minimum of 1-3 years of previous management experience.
• Proven experience devising and implementing successful development operations that support team efficiency and strategic goals.
• Donor database (Salesforce) experience preferred.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Outstanding project management skills, including strong ability to multitask, meet competing deadlines, and effectively work with numerous partners to achieve a high-caliber final product. 
• Keen ability to identify solutions and earnestly drive resolutions. 
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills. 
• High level of professionalism and discretion when communicating with executives, human resources, and donors. 
• Collegial team player with ability to work well with diverse internal and external constituencies. 
• Ability to quickly synthesize complex information.  
• Strong understanding of climate issues and interest environmental advocacy preferred. 
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential. 

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $110,000 to $130,000.  

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month. 

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. 

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. 

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422. 

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.