Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo Looking for Senior Development Officer, British Columbia at Vancouver, BC Full Time

Globally recognized conservation organization seeks an experienced development professional to help grow supporter community in British Columbia.

Our Mission | Take and inspire action to sustain wildlife and wild places

Our Values | Effective collaboration and communication, honesty and integrity, customer focus, safety, and conservation

The Senior Development Officer, British Columbia will be located in either the Greater Vancouver area or Victoria and reports to the Director, Major Gifts. The successful individual will be responsible for managing key relationships with a focus on raising major gifts to support the conservation mandate of the Wilder Institute. As a member of the national Development team for the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo (WI/CZ), the incumbent will be committed to managing relationships with donors and stakeholders by adopting a philosophy of donor-centric fundraising. The WI/CZ is looking for an incumbent who is a senior development professional with a proven track record of identifying, prioritizing, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gift prospects to support the institution’s fundraising priorities. The successful individual will need to be self-motivated and work well independently as this role will be remotely based from their home office. The individual will also be required to travel regularly throughout the BC region and occasionally across Canada to collaborate with their colleagues.

What you will do:

• Act as an ambassador and key contact for the Wilder Institute in the BC market.
• Build and maintain relationships with donors, prospective donors and key stakeholders located in British Columbia.
• Meet agreed targets including dollars raised, face to face activity, number of asks and portfolio size.
• Develop and implement a major gift growth plan with a target of $2M+ annually.
• Develop relationships and strategies with volunteers, board members and WI/CZ executives which enable the meeting of these targets.
• Develop and implement a fundraising and marketing plan to raise profile for the Wilder Institute in British Columbia.
• Research and prioritize prospects for potential major gift donations using the resources available from the WI/CZ central development team in Calgary.
• Arrange calls and meetings with current and prospective donors for the purpose of discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship to enhance relationships.
• Travel within the British Columbia region for meetings with current and prospective donors as needed.
• Travel to WI/CZ main office in Calgary as needed (minimum twice per year).
• Act as a local resource for any corporate, foundation and government relationships that may need assistance (i.e. taking calls, attending events, or other needs as they may arise).
• Prepare and present proposals and supplemental materials to major gift donors and prospects.
• Ensure completion and obtain approval of gift agreements.
• Ensure recognition requirements are implemented.
• Assist with planning and implementation of WI/CZ donor events in the British Columbia region.
• Enter all pertinent information relating to donor relationship, notes, and actions into Tessitura.
• Manage projects as assigned, with the support of the Director, Major Gifts.
• Embrace continuous education on relevant zoo information which affects this role.
• Performs other responsibilities as required.

What you will bring:

• Minimum of 5 to 10 years’ related experience in securing major gifts or in sales, marketing, or account management.
• Memberships in Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) or other professional fundraising related organizations considered an asset.
• Previous experience fundraising in British Columbia.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) accreditation considered an asset.
• Ability to take initiative and independently plan, organize, coordinate and perform work in various situations where numerous and diverse demands are involved and where meticulous attention to detail is required.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interpret, organize, and present information and ideas in written or presentation form.
• Ability to determine requirements of a gift agreement, as well as contribute to and interpret gift agreement details.
• Ability to form strong relationships with colleagues across the country working remotely.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Tessitura (or other fundraising databases).
• Project Management skills and ability to work independently as well as collaboratively to achieve results.
• Is self-motivated to create and initiate solutions.
• Demonstrated dedication to outstanding customer service.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including strong listening and interpretive skills.
• Ability to seek ways to add value to ongoing relationships.
• Ability to work effectively with donors and prospects, senior management, and other departments.
• Ability to manage time effectively between varied responsibilities.
• Communicates effectively at all levels.
• Strives to achieve best practices and committed to professional development.

Working Conditions:

• Remote work based out of home office, which may change over time as our regional operations in British Columbia increase.
• The successful candidate will be required to live in either the Greater Vancouver area or Victoria as this role requires the individual to fundraise, attend fundraising events, network in the community and be visibly and physically available in these urban centers.
• Although primarily Monday to Friday, occasional evening and weekend work is required.
• Access to reliable source of transportation is required as travel throughout the region will be necessary.

What the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo Offers:

• Competitive compensation, vacation and flex days entitlement
• Flexible benefits plan, including a health spending account
• Employer matching RRSP program

Are you ready to join one of Canada’s leaders in wildlife conservation?

If this position suits your skills, experience and personal attributes, we want to talk to you.

Apply by doing the following;

• Watch this video about the conservation work being done at the Wilder Institute to restore balance between wildlife and human life, together. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0)
• Submit your resume with a cover letter via our online application system.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

If this position is a fit for you, we encourage you to apply with a resume and cover letter no later than November 15, 2022 @ 4:00pm MST.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcome and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. As a conservation organization, we respect and value the diversity of all life and come together as individuals and teammates to achieve the organization’s mission and vision. We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work to advance our culture to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard and everyone has an equitable chance to succeed and thrive.

All candidates are thanked for their applications and advised that only those selected for interviews will be contacted.