Development Director

Wisconsin Conservation Voters is excited to add a passionate, energetic, and effective senior-level Development Director to our team. This person will be the backbone of our fundraising efforts to protect Wisconsin’s air, land, water, and democracy, and fight for climate justice. This position is full-time and based in Madison or Milwaukee. 

Our work has never been more urgent, with climate change impacting communities across the state, our democracy in peril, and thousands of Wisconsinites living without safe drinking water in their homes. To take on this challenge, we are looking for somebody to grow and sustain our grassroots membership and major donor base. 

In order to support our team to do their best work, we offer an extremely strong benefits package that includes a 36 hour work week, generous paid time off, parental leave, paid sabbatical, quality health and dental, 401k match, and more – details below. We also utilize a transparent pay structure in order to ensure we are equitable and competitive in our salaries.

Who We Are

Wisconsin Conservation Voters engages voters to protect Wisconsin’s environment. As Wisconsin’s largest environmental political organization and a policy powerhouse, we elect pro-environment champions to public office, advocate for strong environmental laws and policies, and hold elected officials accountable for their votes and actions. Learn more about us at conservationvoters.org. 

What You’ll Do

The Development Director will play a vital role in developing and implementing the plan and strategies to raise an annual budget between $1.5-3.5 million. The Development Director works with a strong team of the Executive Director, Deputy Director, two additional development staff, and other staff and board members to meet the annual budget. This position will have direct management of the following areas: building relationships with and cultivating individual supporters; building a large and diverse membership base; developing written content that engages existing and new supporters; establishing systems and communications for stewardship of donors; engaging board, staff, and other stakeholders in fundraising; utilizing data to analyze and inform development strategies; and management of two development staff. The candidate will be leading a fundraising department that is already well developed, but is also open to change and improvement. 

We know there are great candidates who may not have all of the following experience or check all of the boxes, and we also know you might bring important skills that we haven’t considered. If that applies to you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

Areas of Responsibility:

• Plan, organize, budget, and direct a comprehensive development program that utilizes the strengths and networks of the staff, board, and volunteers, and includes major donors, institutional gifts (foundations, etc.), planned gifts, grassroots fundraising, events, and special project campaigns.
• Meet regularly with prospective and existing grassroots members and major donors.
• Manage effective departmental internal operations, including donor portfolios, gift processing, data reporting, and tracking. 
• Support the Executive Director’s fundraising priorities, including the cultivation of existing and prospective individuals, foundations, and businesses.
• Work closely with the organizing team to help them identify and maintain relationships with grassroots members and major donors.
• Oversight of member and donor event planning.
• Work with communications and development staff to develop and edit written content such as letters and emails to members, impact reports, and newsletter content.
• Provide support as needed for staff who are writing grant proposals and reports. 
• Foster an understanding and culture of philanthropy within the organization, including co-leading the Board Fund Development Committee with a board member.
• Enhance WCV’s development program with new ideas and innovative strategies.
• Expand and diversify our supporter base and prioritize the organization’s values of equity and justice within the development program and the individual position.
• Identify and cultivate opportunities to recognize donors and attract new funding. 
• Learn and implement the legal differences between WCV’s 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations. Ensure the development team is operating within legal restrictions.
• Serve as a member of the staff Leadership Team and board Finance Committee.
• Help develop and foster a supportive, inclusive, and effective organizational culture through seeking feedback and input, leading by example, working across departments, and building strong relationships with teammates.
• Manage and coach two development staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, and evaluation.
• Manage vendors assigned to development tasks. 

Who You Are

To be successful in this job, you will build long term relationships, are comfortable making direct fundraising asks, are a confident and experienced staff manager, and are highly organized.  

More specifically:

• You are enthusiastic about WCV’s mission of engaging voters to protect Wisconsin’s environment, committed to racial equity, and share the organization’s values of leadership, action and results, and building power and community with our partners and those most impacted by environmental injustice and voter suppression. 
• You are comfortable working with people of different racial identities, ages, and socio-economic differences.
• You share our commitment to centering the voices and experiences of those most impacted by climate change, environmental problems, and attacks on our democracy.
• You approach your work with curiosity, courage, and self-awareness, and enjoy building relationships with diverse individuals – whether board members, environmental and political partners, supporters, or volunteers. 
• You are highly organized, proactive, and able to reprioritize when needed. 
• You have led annual fund and/or membership campaigns and have experience working with board members and other stakeholders. 
• You are comfortable with raising funds, including making direct asks.
• You have strong writing and editing skills.
• You are comfortable with holding sensitive information in confidence and with discretion.

What You Should Know

Work experience: 5-7 years direct fundraising experience and 3-5 years of management experience preferred. If you have fewer years of experience but a high level of comfort with fundraising and/or management and meet the skills needed, we encourage you to apply.

Racial justice and equity competencies: Demonstrated awareness of how one’s life experiences influence one’s biases and assumptions. Demonstrated commitment to continual learning and ability to successfully lead a culturally responsive development program. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. Understands how environmental issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and has a passion for working to dismantle these systems, particularly within fundraising. Read more about our commitment in our Guiding Principles here. 

Conditions: Position is based in Milwaukee or Madison, Wisconsin. Candidates must be willing and able to commute into one of those offices at least 1-2 days per week as well as travel occasionally within the state. A valid driver’s license is required. This position is full-time, salaried, and classified as exempt.

Salary and benefits: We utilize a transparent and equitable pay structure to determine salaries across the organization. The salary range for this position is $80,000-$94,000 depending on experience. We value employee health and work/life balance and offer the following benefits:

• 36 hour work week
• Generous paid time off including vacation, holidays, and two weeks of communal rest (one summer week and one winter week) totaling 44 days of PTO per year plus 12 sick/personal days per year
• 12 weeks paid parental leave
• Paid medical/emergency leave policy that is straightforward and trust-based
• Paid sabbatical after five years of employment
• Health and dental insurance with a generous employer contribution
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contribution
• Flexible Spending Account (medical, dependent care, and transit)
• Life insurance and short-term disability insurance
• Phone stipend
• Flexibility in working hours
• Hybrid office/work from home schedule if desired
• Professional development support

Reports to: Deputy Director 

Please note that as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, Wisconsin Conservation Voters employees are not eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.