Director of Individual Giving
REPORTS TO: Chief Advancement Officer
STATUS: Full-Time Exempt
John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) protects and cares for open space, ranches, farms, parkland, and shoreline in the East Bay, including the Bay Delta. With more than 4,800+ acres now permanently protected and cared for by JMLT, wildlife, habitat, and people thrive in the places that make the East Bay special.
The Opportunity: The Director of Individual Giving will play a lead role in both securing and reporting on individual gifts of $500+ aligned with fundraising goals and organizational priorities related to acquisition and restoration projects as well as stewardship and program needs. This role blends donor relationships with fundraising systems. The Director designs and executes cultivation strategies and manages a portfolio of donors, ensuring donors are actively moving through the pipeline using clear moves management and Salesforce-based reporting. Success in this role means donors are thanked and invited as well as intentionally cultivated, tracked, and increase their giving over time.
The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic, flexible, and highly gifted in both developing and retaining authentic relationships with donors. The Director finds joy in supporting and participating actively with donors and prospective donors in meetings and events that grow the JMLT community of support. They will report to the Chief Advancement Officer and will collaborate closely with the Director of Individual and Legacy Giving and the Operations and Database Manager. They will enjoy relationships as part of a team of five in Development and with colleagues in Communications, Stewardship and Programs, Finance, and the Executive Director.
The position will primarily work remotely with in-office time as agreed upon.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Individual Giving Strategy and Execution
- Contribute to $4M+ in annual fundraising in collaboration with the Development team
- Manage an active portfolio of approximately 150–200 individual donors and prospects ($500+)
- Develop and execute moves management strategies that define qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
- Ensure every portfolio donor has a documented next step in Salesforce
Donor Cultivation and Engagement
- Personally cultivate donors through meetings, calls, walks and hikes, events, and tailored outreach
- Identify and implement opportunities to upgrade giving and increase retention
- Partner with colleagues in Communications, Stewardship, and Programs to align donor messaging with priorities
Systems, Data and Reporting
- Lead use of Salesforce for individual giving strategy, tracking, and reporting
- Build and manage automated donor journeys (tasks, reminders, email/mail touchpoints) that support personalized cultivation at scale for donors early in their JMLT journey
- Work closely with the Operations and Database Manager to ensure clean, accurate donor data, consistent activity tracking, actionable reports and dashboards
Other duties as assigned related to securing and stewarding donors, and advancing JMLT’s mission and programs
QUALIFICATIONS:
- A passion for conservation and environmental work; knowledge of land conservation or related areas
- 3-5 years of experience in fundraising, with a focus on individual donors
- Highly organized, self-directed, and collaborative, and comfortable managing multiple priorities
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency with Salesforce or similar CRM, as well as experience with MS Office, Zoom, and other technology related to fundraising
- Experience working in a small to medium size organization, working remotely or in hybrid setting, with flexibility, accountability, professionalism, and a sense of humor
- Bachelor’s degree
- Ability to work while hiking and walking on trails
- Ability to work some evening and weekends
JMLT’s Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:
John Muir Land Trust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates of every race, color, creed, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age, religion, national origin or ancestry, veteran status, military status, marital status, registered domestic partner status, medical condition, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), genetic information, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, and any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.
To apply, please send your resume and a thoughtful cover letter letting us know why you think you will be a great addition to our team. Please include Director of Individual Giving in the subject line and email to: Lisa Lomba, Chief Advancement Officer, at lisa@nulljmlt.org. No phone calls please. Submissions without a cover letter will not be considered.