The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization, is hiring a full-time Major Gifts Officer to expand our individual major donor ($10,000 – $100,000+) program. We’re looking for an experienced development professional who is a hands-on executor and passionate about advancing ELPC’s strategic environmental advocacy in the Midwest/Great Lakes region with significant national impact. This is an extraordinary time in which ELPC’s effective legal and policy advocacy – backed by strong economics, science and public engagement – are essential to protect our core environmental values.  The Major Gifts Officer will be a senior member of ELPC’s Development Team reporting to the Chief Development Officer in our Chicago headquarters green office.

ORGANIZATION: ELPC is the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental legal advocacy organization and among the nation’s leaders. ELPC develops and leads successful strategic environmental advocacy campaigns to improve environmental quality and protect our natural heritage. ELPC’s multidisciplinary staff of 45+ talented public interest attorneys, M.B.A. environmental business specialists, policy advocates, and communications specialists, brings a strong and effective combination of skills to solve environmental problems and improve the quality of life in our communities. ELPC is headquartered in downtown Chicago and has six additional offices across the Midwest and in Washington, D.C. For more information please see elpc.org.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will focus on growing ELPC’s major donor program that successfully stewards current donors and secures contributions from new major donors – both individuals and through closely-held family foundations.

Donor Prospects Discovery, Development and Delivery

• Priority on hands-on execution. The MGO will manage the full life-cycle of giving including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donor prospects.
• Develop and execute solicitation strategies for major donor prospects.
• Successfully secure new major donor contributions to ELPC.

Current Donors Stewardship

• With a focus and priority on hands-on execution, the MGO will manage the stewardship of 75-100 current major donors and successfully solicit sustained and increased major gifts.
• Work with CDO to design and execute a major donor stewardship program.
• Develop and execute ambitious monthly, quarterly and annual goals for moving through the giving cycle, supported by an ambitious schedule of meetings with donors.
• Solicit and secure increased contributions, multi-year commitments and planned giving.

Development Team Work

• Work collaboratively with the Development Team to successfully achieve overall fundraising goals, especially by significantly expanding the number and amounts of major donor gifts.
• Support and leverage the Executive Director’s and Chief Development Officer’s engagement in major donor fundraising.
• Write compelling and persuasive major donor communications including fundraising requests, reports and other supplementary materials.
• Coordinate with the Development Team on events and campaigns throughout year.

QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor’s degree, with an advanced degree preferred. At least 7 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising with environmental knowledge and experience preferred. Demonstrated track record of successful major donor fundraising, including success in soliciting and securing five and six-figure gifts. The ideal candidate has outstanding oral and written communication and interpersonal skills and works well in a team environment.

SALARY: Commensurate with experience and with ELPC’s salary structure that is competitive with other major public interest environmental organizations.  Excellent benefits provided.

APPLICATION: Applicants should email cover letter and resume to: majorgiftsofficer@ELPC.org. Telephone inquiries are discouraged. ELPC is an equal opportunity employer and is continually seeking to diversify its staff.

Major Gifts Officer Job Posting 2019 [PDF]