Major Gifts Officer

Organizational Profile
Becoming a Major Gifts Officer at the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is your opportunity to be part of a small but mighty team connecting the passion of our donors with one of the world’s most inspiring conservation programs – where your relationship-building strengths will help shape the future of one of the world’s most significant mountain landscapes. The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is a collaborative effort between a U.S. non-profit organization and a Canadian public charity that together connect and protect habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Yellowstone to Yukon takes a scientific and collaborative approach to conservation, highlighting and focusing on local issues that affect the region. Y2Y has partnered with over 790 scientists, conservation groups, landowners, government agencies, Indigenous governments and communities and businesses, as well as many more donors and funders, to stitch together this landscape.
Without a unified vision for this deeply interconnected landscape, local conservation efforts may be isolated and less effective. Y2Y seeks to ensure conservation efforts are aligned in support of large-scale objectives and therefore become continentally significant. Today, Y2Y is recognized as one of the planet’s leading mountain conservation initiatives. For more information, please visit www.y2y.net

Position Description
As the Major Gifts Officer, you play a hands-on role in developing and maintaining the donor relationships that enable our bold vision for large landscape conservation in Canada and the United States. Reporting to the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships and working within the individual giving and broader development teams, you plan and implement effective multi-year strategies and plans for gift givers and prospects, with a focus on soliciting individual donors.

This position should be based in a major urban area near an international airport. Ideally, positioned within or near the Y2Y region.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors (including those with capacity to give $10,000+), building strong, trust-based relationships (various channels and in-person) that lead to increased philanthropic support for Y2Y (gifts and bequests)
• Develop and implement individualized donor strategies, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans, moving potential donors through ladder of engagement and making direct asks to support organizational priorities – ultimately with ownership of strategies from concept to completion, directly shaping outcomes that matter to our donors
• Identify opportunities for complex giving, including gifts of assets, planned gifts, and other non-cash contributions; confidently discuss such giving and related donor recognition options
• Work with Y2Y staff, leadership and advisors to gain a deep understanding of and package our program work, and to connect donors to the impact of Y2Y’s work and help build a culture of philanthropy, ensuring clear and timely communication and coordination across teams
• Create and/or deliver effective and personalized communications to donors including letters, briefing notes, proposals, stewardship reports, and other targeted donor materials, and understand and use project budgets as needed
• Maintain accurate and timely donor records in the donor database and follow established relationship management practices and training, demonstrating sensitivity in handling confidential information
• Build and engage networks of ambassadors and volunteers as needed to support donor outreach and relationship-building
• When necessary to advance a philanthropic relationship, plan and execute small donor focused events (no major events/signature programming)
• Participate actively on internal and cross-functional teams and supervise/collaborate with support/administrative staff, interns and volunteers as needed
• Ensure compliance with Y2Y policies, financial standards, and external (donor/legal/financial and ethical practices, including Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethical Standards)
• Navigate effectively across U.S. and Canadian philanthropic environments, adapting strategies to different donor expectations and cultural contexts
• Represent Y2Y and/or participate in donor and partner interactions, including complex or sensitive negotiations, and making key decisions within your area of expertise, with support available when needed; recognize that decisions and communications may impact the organization’s public image or commitments
• Contribute to annual revenue targets of >$2 million (including major and planned gifts) and meeting goals for personal portfolio
• Undertake frequent travel and, on short notice, work long and flexible hours as required, with an expectation of up to 120+ visits per year

Candidate Profile

Education, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience (and expectation of 7+ years’ related experience in total)
  
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents such as major donors, family foundations and corporations, using listening skills and diplomacy
• Experience designing and managing fundraising plans, including individualized cultivation, solicitation and recognition plans
• Track record of asking for and closing gifts of $5,000 or more
• Well-organized with ability to manage/track multiple prospects and donors and handle related administration
• Experience and preferably training in charitable giving, particularly in the areas of campaigns and major gifts (including non-cash gifts and planned giving)
• Ability to determine an individual’s interests, capacity and potential for helping Y2Y meet its goals and to tie those interests with Y2Y’s work and inform them about appropriate giving vehicles
• Proven ability to negotiate complex, high profile or sensitive agreements would be an asset
• Excellent communication and writing skills via presentations, conversations, and documents, including ability to persuasively convey the mission and programs of Y2Y to diverse groups and synthesize materials from multiple sources into a coherent and accurate summary
• Ability to collaborate effectively as part of a geographically dispersed and multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to act independently and in supervisor’s stead as needed, exercise independent judgment to identify and solve problems, including in situations that may have program-wide impact and bind the organization financially or legally; and address challenges promptly, communicating with transparency
• Strong technical skills in MS Office365 (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), collaboration tools (e.g., SharePoint)
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience would be an asset

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position (37.5 hours/week) with an outstanding benefits package
• Salary is commensurate with experience, ranging from $75,000-$90,000
• Location: This position should be based in a major urban area near an international airport. Ideally, positioned within or near the Y2Y region.

Additional Information & To Apply

At Y2Y we value diversity — in backgrounds and in experience, and we need people from all backgrounds to help achieve our mission of connecting and protecting habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Y2Y’s team is empathetic, caring, and supportive. We are intentional about the team and culture that we are building, seeking team members that are not only strong in their own aptitudes but care deeply about supporting each other's growth.

Recognizing that communities thrive when everyone has fair access to opportunities, Y2Y values a broad range of perspectives, fosters a culture of respect and belonging, and upholds principles of fairness, environmental responsibility, and social justice. We oppose actions and policies that undermine these commitments within the projects and work that we do in advancing the Y2Y vision on the ground. Short, preliminary interviews may be held via conference call or Zoom. If you anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application or interview process you may contact, in confidence, Lindsay Franklin, HR Consultant at [email protected]. For general inquiries you may contact, [email protected].

To apply: Please submit your resume and covering letter online at Conservation Career Opportunities - Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.