Are you an experienced major gifts fundraiser who has a deep appreciation for conserving our region’s beautiful open spaces so that people and wildlife can thrive? Would you love to engage with donors and tell the stories of the work we are doing to make a meaningful, positive difference in supporting equitable access to green spaces, preserving our region’s biodiversity and boosting our resilience to climate change?

The Senior Philanthropy Officer is responsible for identifying, evaluating, cultivating, and soliciting current and prospective major gift donors. This position also supports the development and implementation of fundraising campaign strategies across a range of capital giving initiatives. We would be particularly excited to hear from candidates who have experience diversifying their donor portfolios.

POST is currently a combined remote and hybrid workplace, and our policy regarding hybrid work schedules continues to evolve. We expect to maintain flexibility regarding schedules and hybrid working arrangements. The successful candidate for this job must live within a reasonable driving distance to POST’s office in Palo Alto, and to its lands on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay. The position requires in person donor and team meetings, as well as hosting donors at many of our wonderful POST properties.

In this role you would:

• Work with the Vice President of Development and major gifts team to serve as a primary field fundraiser for POST by cultivating and soliciting a portfolio of 135-150 high-capacity donors to support annual operating and capital fundraising efforts, with the goal of significantly increasing the value of the portfolio over time.
• Seek to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward leadership gift ($500,000+) donors to POST by developing and executing long term plans for alignment, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Set and meet goals related to donor engagement, solicitation, retention and revenue. Utilize Salesforce and other internal systems to document, track and report on progress.
• Provide support as needed to President, Vice President of Development and select Board members on major donor engagement.
• Work with Vice President of Development and the major gifts team on the management of select capital gift opportunities and campaigns.
• Collaborate with major gifts team to design donor tours, unique cultivation touch points, and inspiring stewardship events. Lead or co-lead private and small-group project visits.
• Work with Land, Marketing and Finance staff to align priorities, recognize funding opportunities and develop and offer targeted giving opportunities for major donors.
• Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues, stakeholdlers, and donors across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Coordinate with the Development team to support efforts to diversity POST’s donor base and foster a sense of inclusion for all attendees at POST events and among all new supporters.
• Keep abreast of tax laws pertinent to charitable giving, and community issues that pertain to POST and land conservation. Keep current on and conversant with POST land projects.
• The position supervises external consultants as needed.

For the best opportunity to succeed in this role, you would have:

• Experience in increasingly responsible positions in development, including at least five years of major gift work involving successful solicitations of $100,000 or more.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs and budgets. Knowledge of annual giving and planned giving.
• Experience working with Board members, volunteers and high-end prospects.
• Possesses creative vision and the ability to translate ideas for new initiatives into measurable successes.
• Demonstrated ability to cooperatively and productively work with internal stakeholders across functional and departmental lines.
• Highly self-motivated. Ability to work independently with minimal initial direction and as part of a collaborative team.
• Excellent written and oral communications, interpersonal, public speaking, and presentation skills.
• Event planning and volunteer management background.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with diverse external groups.
• Commitment to environmental and conservation issues.
• Commitment to continuous learning, reflection, and growth around POST’s core organizational values, and goals regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
• Desire to work in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.
• Outstanding planning and analytical skills.
• Experience with project budgets and accounting.
• Experienced user of donor databases (Salesforce database experience a plus) and proficient knowledge of Microsoft and Adobe programs (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat in particular).
• College degree preferred. A combination of professional and personal experience that demonstrates an equivalent level of knowledge, acumen, maturity, and writing skills will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Valid California Driver’s License and insurable driving record.

This job has the following physical requirements:

• Regular and accurate communication with others and completion of work tasks involving the use of phone, computer, web, and video technology, the ability to interact effectively with digital and printed materials, and to operate required job-related equipment.
• Ability to drive a vehicle to remote locations for donor meetings, tours and events.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 20 lbs. of event supplies or equipment in the office or the field.
• Ability to traverse uneven or rough terrain, and to tolerate exposure to outdoor elements and varying weather conditions. This position requires hosting donors on hikes of various levels of elevation and duration.
• There are occasional duties that occur outside regular working hours for donor meetings and events.
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to allow a person to perform essential functions.