Summary

This seasoned leader is responsible for developing and executing the major giving strategy, primarily with respect to individuals, family foundations, and capital campaigns, with input in stewardship planning. This role establishes methods to successfully build and sustain long-term engagement of funders, in alignment with organizational priorities and values.

Description

Introduction:

As the ideal candidate, you are excited to raise significant funding to help Evergreen transform public places in our cities for the health of people and our planet. You are an experienced major gifts fundraiser with the drive and ability to develop new relationships and advance existing relationships for annual needs as well as special campaigns. You bring a successful track record of fundraising, showing that you achieve goals and close 5- to 6-figure major gifts through relationship building, persistence, and dedicated donor stewardship. Your superb communication skills enable you to listen and engage effectively, articulate complex issues clearly and simply, and make a compelling case for support with sophisticated philanthropists and business leaders. You are committed to bringing community-centric fundraising principles into your work. You have a positive, can-do attitude, tact and diplomacy, excellent judgment, discretion, and are able to work autonomously and as part of a supportive team.

 

About Us:

Evergreen is a national non-profit transforming public spaces in our cities to build a healthier future for people and our planet.

With over 30 years of championing urban sustainability, we see the potential of our cities to solve some of the biggest issues facing our time and believe that our public spaces are the key to unlocking it. We see beyond the spaces that exist today and imagine them transformed into places where people and nature thrive. And we see a future where everyone can live a healthy life on a healthy planet.

 

About the Role:

This seasoned leader is responsible for developing and executing the major giving strategy, primarily with respect to individuals, family foundations, and capital campaigns, with input in stewardship planning. This role establishes methods to successfully build and sustain long-term engagement of funders, in alignment with organizational priorities and values. They will work closely with the Development team colleagues, the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Advancement Officer, and Program Directors, as well as a network of Leadership volunteers, including Board and future Campaign Cabinet members. This role contributes to the organizational culture, promotes and builds internal commitment and enthusiasm for our strategy, develops and leads a cohesive team, and collaborates across the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward donations of $10,000+ from a portfolio of individuals, businesses, and family foundations, to build a robust major gifts pipeline.
  • Communicate and meet with prospective and active funders to present Evergreen's programs and funding opportunities.
  • Develop strategic proposals that maximize opportunity for maintaining and growing relationships with key accounts. Work closely with programming colleagues to reflect program ambitions in proposals.
  • Propose and launch new individual giving strategies and tactics, including a planned giving program.
  • Oversee all major gifts correspondence, including proposals, reports, gift agreements and manage follow-up actions for prospects and donors.
  • Support the delivery of best-in-class donor stewardship and engagement, especially for major donors, but coordinated with the broader donor stewardship strategy.
  • Work collaboratively with Director of Fundraising, Executive team and Board members on donor approaches.
  • Develop and maintain reporting and tracking protocols to provide accurate and timely information to our major donors.
  • Ensure that all investments are clearly and adequately documented in Raiser's Edge (or other CRM) including reporting requirements, regular communication and proposal submissions.
  • Represent Evergreen at events and meetings to strengthen relationships and create awareness of our programs and position in the marketplace.
  • Contribute to positive workplace culture and great internal communication.
  • Embed diversity, equity and inclusion into all aspects of work.
  • Model Evergreen's core values of Innovation, Sustainability, Connection.

Major Gifts Team Leadership

  • Develop and execute a robust major gifts program as well as strategies and tactics to ensure sustainable, long-term engagement of donors.
  • Support campaign planning by working with the Director of Fundraising and others to create and review capital campaign feasibility study, and develop campaign strategy and goals, and activities related to individual giving opportunities.
  • Establish appropriate fundraising targets and donor portfolios and work with the Director of Fundraising to contribute to team goals.
  • Oversee the recruitment, training, coaching, motivation, and retention of team staff, ensuring they have a clear, common vision, and have the support needed to reach their goals.
  • Provide supervision and work in collaboration with reports to reach team and individual fundraising targets. Lead work planning and performance evaluation process for your team.
  • Support and provide input in reports for Senior Leadership and Board of Directors.
  • Collaborate across the Development team and organization.
  • Advise on broader public campaign rollout.

Strategy and Planning

  • Analyze trends in major gifts fundraising, identifying opportunities and challenges, and develop strategies to ensure that Evergreen's plans reflect the direction and demands of the marketplace.  Incorporate an anti-oppressive framework into your fundraising.
  • Inform program development and design to ensure that our offerings are in line with the motivators for major donors.
  • Participate in the planning and articulation of program development, while representing fundraising priorities.
  • Work with relevant staff on project evaluation, learnings, and reporting.

 

About You:

You excel in the following areas:

  • Planning/Organization/Project Management. Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals and focus on priorities, create/implement action plans/budgets, document, evaluate, learn.
  • People management. Clarify performance expectations. Provide mentorship, guidance and personal/professional development support to others. Recognize strengths & accomplishments of others in a meaningful way. Provide constructive guidance while allowing independence and creating opportunities for growth.
  • Communication. Speak, listen and write in a clear, confident, respectful, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
  • Flexibility/adaptability. Adapt to changing priorities and conditions in an agile way, responding quickly and effectively. Manage ambiguity well. React to change with curiosity and excitement.
  • Proactivity/Enthusiasm/Persistence. Act without being told what to do. Demonstrate passion and excitement over work. Display a can-do attitude.
  • Analytical/Decision Making/Problem Solving skills. Draw insightful conclusions from information. Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of Evergreen.

 

You have the following qualifications:

  • Diploma/bachelor's degree in fundraising, public relations, marketing, management, business or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
  • 6+ years prior major gifts and/or capital campaign experience.
  • Experience with planned giving
  • A proven track record of closing Leadership gifts and strong Moves Management skills.
  • Demonstrated success in planning, implementing and completing a major gifts plan and working with high-level volunteers.
  • Very strong communication and people skills; able to interact and build relationships with a wide variety of individuals including CEOs, philanthropists, and Leadership volunteers.
  • Excellent project management and organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects while working with minimal supervision.
  • Familiarity with Community-centric Fundraising movement.
  • Proven experience in leading and motivating a development or sales team, with a track record of effectively developing and mentoring others.
  • An ability to create compelling written materials for a variety of audiences.
  • Able to handle confidential information and attend to details.
  • Experience using fundraising software (i.e. Raiser's Edge, Salesforce) and advanced Microsoft Office Suite skills.
  • Knowledge of placemaking an asset.
  • Experience working in capital campaign fundraising environments an asset.

 

Additional Information:

Reporting Relationships:

  • Supervised by: Director of Fundraising
  • Supervises: none to start, but likely one to two reports in the near to mid future

Working conditions:

  • Position is typically based out of Evergreen’s head office at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto.
  • Hybrid work environment with on-site presence as required.
  • It is expected that a minimum of 50% of this person's time will be spent meeting with current and prospective funders, in person or virtually.
  • Regular hours, Monday to Friday (flexible) with occasional evenings and weekends in times of heavy deadlines or events.

Contract

  • Full time, permanent
  • Target Hire Rate: $90,000 – $100,000
  • Employer-paid health and dental benefits package, 3 weeks paid vacation, 3 personal days (aka Evergreen Days) and your birthday off, and professional development opportunities.

 

Application Close Date: January 12, 2024

*Please include a cover letter with your resume to be considered for this position.*