Job Description

Job Opening: Development Manager

The Savanna Institute invites applications for a Development Manager that will work to advance agroforestry by engaging Savanna Institute’s wider community of partners and donors. The position will play a central role in helping shape and communicate department goals, policies, and processes. Collaborating and working across teams to build a culture of philanthropy within and outside the organization are key components of this job.

We seek applicants who share our passion for ecological and equitable agriculture as a nature-based climate solution and who are motivated to widen the circle of who has the opportunity to inform, support, and benefit from its development. To that end, we are seeking a diversity of voices at the table and strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans  to  apply.

Who We Are

The Savanna Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Madison, WI and Urbana, IL. Established in 2013, we work in collaboration with farmers, businesses, and scientists to lay the groundwork for widespread agroforestry in the Midwest US. Inspired by the native savanna ecosystems that once covered much of this region, we envision a transformed agricultural system, centered on trees and other perennial crops, that fosters ecological resilience, climate stability, economic prosperity, and vibrant, equitable communities. For more information, please visit savannainstitute.org.

Job Description

Hours: Full Time

Location: Remote or Madison, WI

Start Date: Flexible

Salary: $50,000-55,000

• This position is eligible for the Institute’s benefits package. Benefits for full-time employees include 30 days paid time off per year, 3 weeks of paid family leave, a health reimbursement arrangement that can be applied to insurance premiums and approved healthcare costs, and a monthly home office stipend.
• This position reports to the Director of Development.

Duties/Responsibilities

Help build and manage Savanna Institute’s Development Department, including creation and management of department projects and processes and overseeing donor management system (40%)

• Create and manage department projects and processes according to best practices and department/organizational goals
• Assist in setting organizational fundraising goals in collaboration with department and team budgets
• Manage integrations between our donor management system (Bloomerang), Zapier, and third party programs including ActiveCampaign, ClickUp, Google Suite, and Gravity Forms
• Work closely with website manager to test systems, forms, integrations between department systems, and set up automations
• Manage donor data, ensuring timely and accurate entry of information into the database
• Report quarterly and annual fundraising metrics to track organization’s impact and engagement

Donor Stewardship and Engagement (25%)

• Work with Director of Development to create, organize, and manage donor outreach calendar
• Communicate with leadership and staff to ensure regular, ongoing, and coordinated stewardship of donors and partners
• Create, assemble, and send donor cards, gifts, baskets
• Assist in prospect research and collaborate with staff across teams to identify opportunities for deeper engagement and stewardship
• Communicate with donors and partners

Create and coordinate donor focused communications and events (25%)

• Create fundraising- and donor-focused communications for campaigns, appeals, social media, newsletters, blog posts, podcasts, etc.
• Assist communications team in creating and updating donor-centered website content
• Collaborate across departments to schedule and plan donor visits, fundraising events, and outreach
• Design (or work with design team to create), review, and revise fundraising collateral; shepherd design process from creation to production

Overhead and other (10%)

• Participate in related staff and team planning meetings
• Other duties as assigned by the Development Team

Required Qualifications

• Highly organized: attention to detail, experience creating and evaluating systems and processes for efficiency and effectiveness 
• Strong project management skills: ability to prioritize and delegate effectively; offer clarity within team projects; experience keeping others, including leadership, on track with tasks and deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: ability to create compelling content, appreciation for discretion and confidentiality
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including deep comfort and skill in communicating with diverse audiences from farmers to major donors to academics to community members 
• Strong storytelling skills: able to understand and translate complicated scientific and agricultural concepts and jargon into accessible and compelling narratives 

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in fundraising or development for a non-profit organization
• Interest or knowledge in sustainable agriculture, farming, conservation, ecology, climate, or food systems
• Experience with Bloomerang, ActiveCampaign, Zapier, Google Suite, ClickUp, and other related software 
• Design skills (Adobe) 
• Other qualities that will be helpful: leadership, flexibility, creativity, openness, risk taking

If you’re excited about this job, we’re excited to learn about your experience! Please be sure to address each of the following qualifications in your cover letter — paint us a picture of how your unique skills, experiences, and/or education meet or exceed the qualifications. Cover letters should be no longer than 1 typed page. 

How To Apply Submit a resume/CV and cover letter to jo**@sa**************.org

Deadline All applications must be received by 11:59 pm CT on July 31st, 2023.

Questions? Email Kathleen Fitzgibbon, Operations Manager, ka******@sa**************.org.

Diversity Commitment

The Savanna Institute affirms the value of diversity of staff and stakeholders, and aims to foster inclusive environments and equitable outcomes of our work. We seek individuals who are committed to these goals.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: Agriculture, development, Environmental, Fundraising, nonprofit, and sustainable. Salaries: 40,000 - 60,000.

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