Associate Director of Development, Cape Town

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube  or on Glassdoor.  

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

The Associate Director of Development, Cape Town (ADOD) is a senior-level fundraising position which develops, implements, and manages effective multi-year strategies and plans for the cultivation and solicitation of gift prospects, including corporate, foundation, institutions, and/or individual donors.

The ADOD will identify and engage new individual prospective donors in the greater Cape Town area who are currently affiliated and unaffiliated with TNC and seek to motivate them to invest in TNC’s conservation mission. The ADOD will develop qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for a portfolio of donors interested in supporting TNC’s conservation efforts globally and in collaboration with TNC’s executive, conservation, and fundraising leadership and with TNC’s network of committed board members, Africa Council members, donors, partners and friends. The donors managed by the ADOD will require sophisticated relationship management, a high degree of knowledge of assets and ownership structures, and an expert understanding of the factors influencing philanthropic giving. They will focus on long-range strategic priorities and be responsible for donor strategy and proposal development, working with conservation and development staff, as well as donors, to create transformational giving opportunities.

The ADOD reports to the Global Markets Development Director and will be part of the Global Markets Team, a recently created cross-cutting global team focused on engaging global citizens in wealth centers around the world who are seeking to improve conservation and environmental outcomes, for both people and nature. The ADOD will have a strong dotted line and be closely supported by the Director of Development, Africa Program.

The ADOD understands and applies complex principles of developing donor strategies and builds strong relationships with a portfolio of new and current donors and prospects. The ADOD will cultivate donors for major, principal, and/or planned gifts. They will be responsible for direct asks to both global and local priorities to meet funding needs. They discuss assets proficiently and listen for opportunities for gifts of assets or other non-cash gifts. They will incorporate blended gifts and gifts of assets in proposals to donors. They are capable of discussing the priorities of TNC. They understand organizational budgets and are proficient utilizing this knowledge to build proposal budgets. They have knowledge of charitable giving, particularly private foundations, operating foundations, and Donor Advised Funds, and are able to discuss charitable options with donors. They will work across global markets and other business units. The ADOD will staff leadership as a moves / relationship manager as appropriate. They may manage assigned trustee relationships and/or volunteer engagement. They will be required to use TNC’s donor database.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Manage a portfolio of 40–75 donors, including donors with the capacity to give gifts over US$500,000.
• Responsible for 40–75 visits and 120–225 moves annually.
• Accountable for a minimum annual fundraising goal of US$2,000,000+ once the portfolio is developed.
• Decisions may have program-wide impact, affect staff in non-program areas, and bind the organization financially or legally.
• Direct or participate in negotiations for complex, high profile, or sensitive agreements.
• Ensure compliance with TNC policies and procedures and external (donor/legal/IRS) requirements; be alert to ethical compliance issues.
• Financial responsibility for setting and meeting fundraising objectives, evaluating results, and developing corrective strategies.
• Implement and lead multiple collaborative and complex projects, directing work of staff, managing budget, setting deadlines, and ensuring accountability.
• Maintain confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
• Maximum opportunity to act independently, resolves complex issues within scope.
• Coordinates with conservation staff, and may lead the preparation of donor proposals (in alignment with TNC fundraising best practices).
• Advises on development of donor-oriented materials and stewardship reports.
• May supervise 1 – 3 staff members as determined appropriate.
• Persuasively convey the mission of TNC to diverse groups important to the organization’s overall prosperity.
• Travel frequently and on short notice, work long and weekends as needed.
• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.

• Bachelor’s degree and 7 years related experience.
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating and ultimately stewarding the development of a pipeline of new donors.
• Experience in fundraising strategy development focusing on identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major and principal gift level donors (donors able to give USD $500K or more).
• Experience in building donor specific strategies focused on High-Net-Worth Individuals and private foundations.
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with constituents such as major donors and corporations.
• Experience in asking for and closing seven figure gifts.
• Experience in managing and tracking multiple prospects and donors.
• Experience working with fundraising principles and practices.
• Experience, coursework, or other training in current and evolving trends in charitable giving, particularly in the areas of capital campaigns, major gifts and planned giving.
• Ability to travel including internationally when necessary.
• Ability to work proactively and independently while seamlessly communicating with a team of professions across multiple time zones.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Understanding of the philanthropic culture and trends within South Africa and connections within the philanthropic community.
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Ability to design and implement fundraising strategies, including cultivation, solicitation, and recognition strategies.
• Ability to determine an individual’s interests, capacity, and potential for helping the Conservancy meet its goals, and act appropriately to tie those interests with TNC’s work.
• Ability to educate and inform prospective and existing donors about appropriate giving vehicles.
• Advanced knowledge of complex charitable gift planning.
• Demonstrated experience using listening, diplomacy, and tact to build strong relationships and motivate donors and volunteers.
• Proven ability to negotiate complex, high profile, or sensitive agreements.

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan including employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

Where legally permissible, TNC requires all new employees to be fully vaccinated and willing to keep up to date with vaccines that protect against COVID-19.   By accepting an offer of employment, you agree to comply with this requirement, unless you are entitled to a legally mandated exemption.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.