Professionals for Nonprofits is excited to have been retained by The Watershed Institute to lead their search for a Senior Director of Advancement.
The Watershed Institute, a dynamic, multifaceted, and growing nonprofit conservation organization, seeks an experienced development professional to serve as its Senior Director of Advancement. Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a vital member of the organization’s leadership team, the Senior Director of Advancement will partner with senior staff and the Board of Trustees to oversee development, fundraising, communications, and marketing functions. The organization fields teams of scientists, educators, and advocates in pursuit of its mission to keep water clean, safe, and healthy, and is headquartered at the LEED-Platinum Watershed Center on a 950-acre nature reserve near Pennington, New Jersey. The Watershed Institute is committed to building a culturally diverse organization and is committed to the values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Salary Range: $110,000 - $115,000
Schedule: 4-Days In Office | 1- Day Remote
Location: Pennington, NJ
How You Will Spend Your Day:
Development and Fundraising
- Develop overall strategy for the advancement team to meet fundraising targets for 2025 and the ambitious goals of the organization’s five-year strategic plan.
- Manage the departmental budget of approximately $900,000 in 2025 and work with the organization’s Executive Director and Senior Director of Finance & Operations to prepare future revenue and expense budgets.
- Supervise three full-time and one part-time development staff members; recruit, hire, and supervise one additional full-time staff member during 2025; and foster a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
- Engage and cultivate relationships with The Watershed Institute’s Board of Trustees and actively lead the organization’s Development Committee of Trustees and other volunteers to support fundraising goals and activities.
- Prepare all development-related reports for meetings of the Board of Trustees and Development Committee; and review, revise, and report on Key Performance Indicators for development and fundraising.
- Oversee the Annual Fund, which includes unrestricted contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
- Manage a major and principal gift portfolio to support the annual fund, capital needs, and endowment growth, through effective cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
- Work closely with the Executive Director, Chief or Strategy & Program, Senior Director of Finance & Operations, and other senior staff to secure and manage grants from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
- Supervise management of the organization’s annual Watershed Fest gala and other fundraising events, working with the organization’s events coordinator and volunteers to meet goals for net revenue.
Communications and Marketing
- Supervise the Senior Manager of Communications & Marketing and work collaboratively with the communications team to promote the Watershed’s mission, brand, and accomplishments to the organization’s donors, partners, and other constituents.
- Represent the organization at organizational functions and other public and private events.
Our Ideal Candidate:
- Bachelor’s degree with at least ten years of experience in a fundraising setting, including a mix of frontline and operations roles and responsibilities.
- Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with Board Members, donors, colleagues, consultants, and members of the community.
- Demonstrated track record meeting fundraising revenue and expense budgets.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple time-sensitive projects simultaneously.
- Strong leadership and management skills, with experience building and leading high-performing teams.
- Experience with fundraising software.
- Experience with marketing and commitment to consistent use of branding.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to accept feedback, take direction, and be accountable for outcomes.
- Passion for the organization’s mission, programs, and core values.
- Genuine commitment to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We’d love to hear from you.
If this sounds like the job for you, we would love to help make that happen. Please apply using the link below.
For more information about Careers In Nonprofits and our other available opportunities and workshops, please visit our website at www.careersinnonprofits.com.
Careers In Nonprofits is an equal opportunity employer. Empowered by the #ILoveMyJob mission, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment within the nonprofit sector.
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regretfully can only respond to those candidates who best meet the requirements of a specific position or whose backgrounds are generally applicable to our client base. Please rest assured that we retain all candidate information for possible future matches, even if you do not hear from us in regard to your application in response to this ad.
