Director of Philanthropy

American Prairie Foundation • Remote, US,

9h • $127,000 - $157,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Director of Philanthropy is a senior individual contributor who builds lasting partnerships with donors who share American Prairie’s vision. These partnerships generate major gifts supporting the Forever Wild comprehensive campaign. Success is measured by fundraising results and the strength of donor relationships. Fundraising goals phase in over three years: 50% of the full goal in year one, 75% in year two, and the full goal in year three.

Once fully ramped up, the position regularly secures five- and six-figure gift commitments and may cultivate principal gifts or partner with senior leadership on transformational gift opportunities. The Director qualifies at least 35 new major gift prospects each year and manages a portfolio of 80–120 donors and prospects with capacity to give $10,000 to $1,000,000 or more. The annual fundraising goal is $1 million or more, subject to annual review and adjustment. The Director also works to keep portfolio donors engaged, giving, and increasing their investment over time; portfolio gifts of $10,000 count toward the annual goal.

The position independently manages major and planned gift relationships from qualification through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. It develops tailored, multi-year solicitation strategies, represents American Prairie and its conservation work to donors, identifies and qualifies prospects, maintains records and activity tracking in Salesforce, and designs donor engagement experiences. The Director also shares donor insights and contributes to strategies, messaging, and team-wide approaches for growing major and planned giving.

Requirements

• Enthusiasm for American Prairie’s mission, values, goals, and culture, and the ability to represent them credibly to high-capacity donors.
• At least 5 years of directly related philanthropy experience focused on major and principal gifts.
• A record of personally securing five- and six-figure gift commitments.
• Experience working in a comprehensive fundraising program.
• Advanced skill in major gift strategy, including multi-year cultivation and solicitation planning, moves management, portfolio prioritization, and philanthropy ethics.
• Working knowledge of planned giving vehicles and the ability to initiate planned gift conversations and partner with advisors and specialists.
• Comfort working with board members, senior leadership, and volunteers on donor cultivation and solicitation, including preparing them for meetings and asks.
• Strategic and persuasive written and verbal communication skills, poise, and strong presentation skills.
• Collaborative approach, including informally mentoring colleagues and sharing best practices as an individual contributor.
• Organization, self-direction, results focus, and the ability to manage a complex portfolio accurately with sound judgment and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Salesforce or a comparable CRM, and experience using wealth screening and prospect research tools.
• Ability to work non-traditional and long hours. For employees based outside Mountain Time, core hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MT are expected; other hours flex to donor and employee time zones. Occasional evening and weekend commitments are required for donor meetings and events.
• Ability to travel significantly, roughly 15–25% of the time (about 40–70 days a year), usually on trips lasting 2–3 days. Travel peaks in spring and late summer through fall and may reach up to two weeks per month; more travel is expected during onboarding.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to drive for work travel, including in rural and remote areas.

Nice To Haves

• 10 or more years of major gift experience.
• Experience in conservation, environmental, or land-based organizations.
• A network of philanthropic relationships or familiarity with donor communities in key American Prairie markets.
• Campaign experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage a portfolio of 80–120 major and planned gift donors and prospects through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Personally solicit major and planned gift commitments, primarily $50,000 and above, and develop tailored multi-year solicitation strategies; involve senior leadership, board members, and program staff when appropriate.
• Represent American Prairie as a knowledgeable and credible ambassador, communicate its conservation work and campaign priorities, and provide donors with timely updates and compelling cases for support.
• Lead strategic prospect identification and qualification with Philanthropy Operations and Marketing, using networks, Salesforce, wealth screening tools, and independent research; qualify at least 35 new prospects annually.
• Maintain current Salesforce records, including meeting dossiers, contact reports, solicitation and stewardship plans, and activity tracking; use portfolio data for prioritization, progress assessment, metrics, and forecasting.
• Design and lead donor engagement experiences, including events, intimate gatherings, and hosted visits to American Prairie properties; prepare and partner with volunteer hosts and track resulting pipeline progress.
• Serve as a senior thought partner to Philanthropy and Marketing, sharing donor insights to shape organizational messaging, proposals, and collateral and contributing to strategies for growing major and planned giving.
• Contribute to the Philanthropy team’s goals and help shape how the team measures its impact.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed