Eastern Regional Development Director

Eastern Regional Development Director

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a mission-driven non-profit dedicated to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage. Since our founding in 1984, we have helped conserve nearly one square mile of elk country every day. In partnership with others, we have conserved or enhanced more than 9.2 million acres, including improving public access to 1.6 million acres. Our impact will extend to 10 million acres by 2030. 

RMEF is proud of our conservation successes and is committed to making an even larger impact in the future. RMEF is seeking a performance-motivated team player who:

• Supports the strategic fundraising efforts for RMEF by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift donors and prospects. Manages a portfolio of 100–120 major donors and prospects
• Identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards planned gifts, with a focus on in-will bequests, and primary beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and life insurance policies
• Fosters collaborative relationships across all departments
• Works with the Development support staff to help create internal processes, organize events, and identify potential major and planned gift donors

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience in the field of development, financial services, estate planning, or a field that requires similar expertise. 
• Experience, coursework, or other training in estate and trust administration, estate planning, estate litigation, and planned giving is preferred.

Location: This position is remote however the successful candidate must be located the Eastern Region of the United States. 

Travel Requirement and Physical Demands: 

• Frequent travel is required during the week and on weekends
• Ability to work any day of the week, including weekends
• Ability to work late at night 
• Must be capable of traveling by car and airplane 
• Ability to work at a computer terminal for extended periods

Essential Functions:

1. Manage a portfolio of 100–120 major donors and prospects to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts.
2. Work toward annual goals of made solicitations and earned revenue.
3. Work toward an annual goal of significant contacts made by in-person visits, phone calls, and mail/email correspondence.
4. Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward planned gifts, with a focus on in-will bequests, and primary beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and life insurance policies.
5. Establish collaborative working relationships with Development staff, Regional Directors, Lands & Conservation and other RMEF staff.
6. Develops and maintains a strong understanding of RMEF’s program work, relevant conservation issues, and organizational priorities.
7. Utilizes the fundraising CRM to record contact notes, update revenue goals and progress, update donor information, and identify new prospects in a timely and effective manner.
8. Collaborates with event and support staff to help design and manage strategic fundraising events.
9. Leverages the assistance of the Director of Development, Planned Giving Specialist, Lands & Conservation staff, Field Operations staff, and senior staff to cultivate and solicit major and planned gifts.
10. Works interdepartmentally to build solicitation proposals.
11. Collaborates with Regional Directors to further major donor prospects identified through banquets into the major donor pipeline.
12. Complete administrative duties such as leave request, time cards, and expenses in an accurate and timely manner. 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

1. Knowledge and support of the RMEF’s mission, goals, and activities, with the ability to discuss them with staff, board, volunteers, members, prospective and current donors, and other outside parties.
2. Basic knowledge of philanthropic gift planning, including but not limited to wills, trusts, retirement accounts, insurance policies, and tax law.
3. A proven track record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding planned and/or major gifts.
4. Understanding of the principles and techniques associated with nonprofit fundraising.
5. Must have a passion for conservation, the outdoors, hunting, and/or fishing.
6. Must be detailed oriented and well organized, with the ability to work both independently and as a team.
7. Excellent oral and written communications skills necessary to deal effectively with donors, professional advisors, and staff.
8. Ability to meet deadlines, set priorities and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
9. High level of personal integrity and ability to discretely manage confidential materials.
10. Must present self in a professional manner.
11. Must have the ability to effectively use computer programs including Microsoft Office and CRM databases.