Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA) is seeking a Development Director to join our team. The Development Director plays a key role in stewarding Midwest Environmental Advocates by leading efforts to secure the resources we need to achieve our mission and strategic goals.

MEA is a nonprofit law center that combines the power of law with the resolve of communities facing environmental injustice to secure and protect the rights of all people to healthy water, land, and air. We provide legal services to communities with environmental concerns and seek to build their power.

The Development Director will cultivate and grow the community of supporters that make this work possible.

This position will work closely with the Executive Director and Communications Director. The individuals in these two positions have been fully involved in MEA’s fundraising success for the last several years and are committed to ensuring the new Development Director has the support they need to succeed. The Communications Director will also provide support to Development Director by creating communications assets for MEA’s fundraising campaigns and donor engagement events.

MEA’s staff is collaborative and passionate about our mission. The Development Director will find that MEA’s supporters are uniquely knowledgeable, deeply generous, and also passionate about our organization’s work.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

The position has leadership roles for MEA’s fundraising in the areas of strategic planning, data management, donor events and cultivation, campaign execution and board engagement. The position also supports MEA’s grant application processes.

Strategic Planning

Develop annual and long-term strategic fundraising plans to support organizational goals
Track and evaluate progress toward fundraising goals by generating reports and campaign summaries

Data Management

Manage donor database
Ensure timely and accurate donation entry

Donor Cultivation and Stewardship

Plan and execute in-person and virtual donor events
Manage donor acknowledgement process to ensure all donors are thanked in a timely way
Manage portfolio of major gift donors and planned giving donors with a custom stewardship and cultivation strategy for each
Conduct prospect research, identify prospects and develop effective solicitation strategies for prospective major gift donors and planned giving donors

Campaign Execution

Develop and implement fundraising appeals to meet or exceed short- and long-term fundraising goals
Create donor retention plan and manage donor renewal process
Serve as liaison to Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) and coordinate all aspects of CSW workplace giving and online giving campaigns, including the Big Share

Grants and Other

Assist executive director with outreach to foundations and other potential institutional donors
Assist executive director with grant proposals and reports
Coordinate and manage occasional volunteers as needed

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

We are seeking someone who:

Has enthusiasm for building relationships with donors and community members
Shares our passion for empowering impacted individuals and communities to secure and defend our rights to healthy water, land and air
Demonstrates awareness of and respect for the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations
Is comfortable fundraising and asking for donations
Is highly organized and has an ability to initiate and carry out work plans
Can effectively analyze qualitative and quantitative data and design and modify plans accordingly
Effectively communicates with a variety of audiences through writing, in one-on-one conversations and by speaking to groups
Is able to understand and communicate complex information in a clear and compelling way
Is able to work independently to manage multiple goals while effectively communicating and collaborating within a team structure

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Strong candidates are likely to have some of these skills or experiences:

Three or more years of professional fundraising experience with a track record of meeting or exceeding fundraising goals
Experience communicating to a variety of audiences about environmental, conservation and/or legal issues
Experience with donor management databases

COMPENSATION

Compensation is dependent on experience and qualifications. The salary range is $60,000 to $75,000 per year. Higher compensation may be available to highly qualified candidates. In addition, MEA offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental, long-term disability, and a retirement plan with employer match.

LOCATION

This can be a hybrid position, but it is not a fully remote position. The Development Director will be expected to work regularly from MEA’s offices in Madison, Wisconsin.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume by email. If possible, please combine all documents into one file before submission. Your one-page cover letter should address how you satisfy the minimum qualifications listed above and highlight any key examples of how you meet the preferred qualifications.

Midwest Environmental Advocates ATTN: Ry Carpenter, Administrative Manager (he/him/his) 612 W. Main St, Suite 302 Madison, WI 53703 rcarpenter@midwestadvocates.org

We will begin reviewing applications in mid-March and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

For more information about MEA, visit www.midwestadvocates.org.

MEA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is rooted in our organizational values of community, stewardship, empowerment, and justice. We strive to contribute to a more powerful and equitable movement for environmental justice in Wisconsin, and we believe it is essential that all communities see themselves reflected in that movement. Diversity, equity, and inclusion strengthen our organization's ability to advance environmental justice. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

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Development Director