Major Gifts Officer - Rocky Mountain Region

ABOUT TROUT UNLIMITED

Trout Unlimited (TU) is a national organization with more than 350 staff and 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of conservation and restoration experts, scientists, and policy experts, who work remotely and in several dozen offices across the country. Over the past 10 years, the organization has grown its annual budget of $34 million to more than $140 million. TU has a shared conservation mission to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so that our children can experience the joy of wild native trout and salmon.

POSITION SUMMARY

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced development professional with an exceptional track record of success in major gifts fundraising, including successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of six and seven figure gifts, to help lead Trout Unlimited into a period of exponential growth.

The MGO will be responsible for managing between 100 to 125 donors and prospects across the country, with a special focus on six states: Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming with a goal of growing a $1+ million portfolio to a $2-3 million portfolio within three to four years. With extraordinary on-the-ground and national conservation impact, multiple ways to engage donors in our work, and a collegial team to surround and support you, this position is poised for success and impact.

This position has the potential to help deepen our local and national impact by retaining and growing our existing base of support, broadening our donor base by helping to communicate TU’s relevance in the water, conservation angling, climate mitigation, and resilience spaces, engaging donors in endowment and planned giving opportunities, and being a key partner in our collegial best-in-class major gifts team.

A successful MGO can discuss conservation, restoration, science, and policy issues proficiently and listen for opportunities for gifts of assets or other non-cash gifts, including endowments and planned gifts. The MGO provides an opportunity for donors to receive recognition and increase future giving opportunities. The MGO understands and complies with TU’s gift acceptance policies, procedures, and associated development protocols, and can maintain a high level of confidentiality and discretion. This position requires deep partnership with colleagues across the organization, including Trustees and other natural partners, to advance relationships with major donor prospects and supporters. 

This position is remote and reports to the Senior Director of Principal and Major Gifts. Candidates based in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming are preferred for this role. Travel throughout the Western U.S. is expected.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $95,000-$115,000, depending on experience and qualifications. Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time position with a competitive benefits package.

At TU, we value a diverse representation of staff, and we actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically under-represented in conservation and those who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage and build a diverse portfolio of $25,000-$100,000+ donors from a mix of prospects and donors at multiple levels, growing revenue from $1 million to $2-3 million in sustainable annual revenue through appropriate annual increases and discrete major gifts.
• Recruit new major donors to TU through introductions, events, trips, membership donors, and research.
• Deliver best-in-class stewardship the donors in your portfolio, appropriately leveraging leadership, program and development staff capacity to assist in achieving that goal.
• Work with fundraising partners to develop, lead, and execute engagement opportunities with major donors (project visits, fishing trips, dinners, etc.) in support of TU’s conservation work.
• Work closely with the operations team, Development leadership and major gifts staff to identify, qualify, and upgrade donors within portfolio to maximize our coverage and the success of the team.
• Manage performance demonstrated by clear metrics and goals toward meeting or exceeding budgeted revenue contribution annually from their portfolio.
• Effectively support senior leadership in their front-line fundraising roles. Provide strategy, talking points and materials as needed to support effective cultivation and solicitation outcomes.
• Effectively convey TU’s value proposition and work, presenting a compelling case for investing in our mission. Help oversee and guide the development of content and strategy for proposals and reports as needed to ensure they are inspiring, accurate, and thoughtfully prepared, including working with donor communications staff, program and finance colleagues to develop detailed budgets when required.
• Identify planned giving prospects and implement strategies for both current and deferred giving across your portfolio, including growing TU's endowment, in coordination with TU's Planned Giving team.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of fundraising best practices, including the impact of changes and innovations in federal and state tax laws that may be relevant to major gifts prospects.
• Develop annual revenue targets for donors in your portfolio and collaborate effectively across the program, development and operations teams to ensure revenue transparency and accountability.
• Assist with other development priorities, from events to board meetings, and other duties as assigned to ensure the overall success of the department and TU.
• Maintain donor records in a timely and accurate manner.
• Travel approximately 2-3 nights/month.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess strengths in at least 80% of the following:

• Located in Colorado, Montana, or Wyoming. 
• At least four (4) years of professional experience in nonprofit individual major gifts fundraising (or equivalent related experience), preferably within other conservation or environmental organizations.
• Demonstrated success as a front-line fundraiser, having experience managing 80 or more donors at once, effectively managing stewardship and solicitation cycles and deadlines, and building affinity for an organization and its mission, with comfort in regularly communicating strategy and moves with program, Development, and leadership staff.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding six and seven figure gifts. 
• Demonstrable skills in developing donor cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Experience or exposure to planned giving and endowment campaigns.
• Successful track record of working in a remote setting with colleagues dispersed across the nation.
• A commitment to Trout Unlimited’s mission and values, and passion for angling preferred.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills; a high level of comfort with direct donor interaction, including sensitive discussions about personal and family finances.
• Well-developed communication skills, including excellent writing ability and public speaking skills.
• Impeccable grace and tact in all situations, ability to navigate complex organizational dynamics with multiple layers of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of, and ability and commitment to use fundraising databases, particularly Salesforce and WealthEngine.
• Creativity, energy, confidence, and integrity. High level of discretion and respect for donor privacy.
• Initiative and independence combined with the ability to work well as part of team.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Ability and willingness to travel, ideally located in close proximity to an airport with flights to major western cities.
• Physical ability to walk on uneven surfaces for multiple hours when visiting conservation and restoration sites.

Please attach your resume and cover letter with your application. Your application will not be reviewed without both documents.