Montana Director of Development

The Nature Conservancy•Bozeman, MT

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The Montana Chapter of The Nature Conservancy seeks an inspiring, strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development to lead our fundraising program and secure transformational support for conservation across Montana’s iconic working and natural landscapes. This highly external facing role focuses on building deep, long term donor relationships that advance TNC’s mission. They partner closely with the State Director, trustees, and cross functional staff to advance a unified fundraising strategy, ensure alignment with conservation priorities, and cultivate a strong, mission aligned team culture. Success requires exceptional relationship building skills, strong interpersonal understanding, and the ability to inspire philanthropy through authentic engagement with Montana’s diverse people, communities, and landscapes. The Montana Director of Development reports to the State Director and serves as an active member of the Montana Chapter’s leadership team. This role involves setting the Montana chapter’s long‑term fundraising vision and annual revenue goals that align with Montana conservation objectives and TNC’s North American and global priorities. The Director is accountable for the team portfolio currently delivering $4M+ in annual funding, with clear expectations to cultivate growth and maintain long term financial sustainability. They lead a multi‑year, donor‑centered strategy that builds continuity, trust, and high‑impact, place‑based engagement, and establish clear expectations, operating rhythms, and transparent communication across development, conservation, and TNC’s state, local, and global leadership teams. The Director acts as a public representative of The Nature Conservancy in Montana with colleagues, partners, donors, community leaders, and the broader public, ensuring adherence to TNC policies, financial controls, ethical standards, and reporting requirements. Key aspects include managing a personal portfolio of approximately 10-15 major donors, collectively contributing more than $1M annually, driving personalized cultivation, well-crafted solicitations, and disciplined stewardship. They identify and cultivate new prospects through trustee, partner, and Montana community networks, leveraging TNC tools and best practices, and bring strong familiarity with nationally and globally connected philanthropic networks to expand opportunities and inform prospect strategy. The Director also guides and supports a seasoned development team to excel through clear priorities, constructive, data-driven feedback mechanisms, and alignment around shared mission outcomes, fostering an inclusive, trust‑based culture anchored in learning, accountability, and shared success. This includes driving budgeting, revenue targets, performance analysis, and decisive financial adjustments for Montana’s development program. A close, candid, collaborative partnership with the State Director is maintained, sharing ownership of donor strategy, portfolio moves, and fundraising results, and engaging trustees as strategic partners, providing high‑level updates and opportunities for meaningful contribution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 8 years related experience, including experience working at a senior level
Experience asking for and closing major gifts
Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents such as major donors, foundations and corporations
Experience in planning and delivering budgetary responsibilities
Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team
Experience working in a large, complex, not-for-profit environment
A valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program

Nice To Haves

Passion for raising money and for identifying new prospective donors (individuals and foundations)
Experience in negotiating complex, high profile or sensitive agreements
Experience in effective training, coaching, and mentoring skills
Experience working collaboratively with cross-functional teams
Experience in managing a geographically dispersed team
Experience with current and evolving trends in major gifts giving and solicitation
Experience with advanced gift planning concepts
Experience in nonprofit management best practices
Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated

Responsibilities

Set the Montana chapter’s long‑term fundraising vision and annual revenue goals that align with Montana conservation objectives and TNC’s North American and global priorities
Accountable for the team portfolio currently delivering $4M+ in annual funding, with clear expectations to cultivate growth and maintain long term financial sustainability
Lead a multi‑year, donor‑centered strategy that builds continuity, trust, and high‑impact, place‑based engagement
Establish clear expectations, operating rhythms, and transparent communication across development, conservation, and TNC’s state, local, and global leadership teams
Act as a public representative of The Nature Conservancy in Montana with colleagues, partners, donors, community leaders, and the broader public
Ensure adherence to TNC policies, financial controls, ethical standards, and reporting requirements
Manage a personal portfolio of approximately 10-15 major donors, collectively contributing more than $1M annually; drive personalized cultivation, well-crafted solicitations, and disciplined stewardship
Identify and cultivate new prospects through trustee, partner, and Montana community networks; leverage TNC tools and best practices
Bring strong familiarity with nationally and globally connected philanthropic networks to expand opportunities and inform prospect strategy
Guide and support a seasoned development team to excel through clear priorities, constructive, data-driven feedback mechanisms, and alignment around shared mission outcomes
Foster an inclusive, trust‑based culture anchored in learning, accountability, and shared success
Drive budgeting, revenue targets, performance analysis, and decisive financial adjustments for Montana’s development program
Maintain a close, candid, collaborative partnership with the State Director, sharing ownership of donor strategy, portfolio moves, and fundraising results
Engage trustees as strategic partners, providing high‑level updates and opportunities for meaningful contribution
Travel frequently, as much as 50% of their time, frequently on short notice and outside normal business hours including weekends
Maintains confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information
Develops and administers budget and fundraising objectives, evaluates results and develops corrective strategies as needed
Ensures that programmatic commitments, TNC policies and procedures, financial standards, and legal requirements are met and managed for ethical compliance
Directs or participates in negotiations for complex, high profile or sensitive agreements
Understands and conforms to all Conservancy gift-related policies and procedures and ensures ethical compliance, as defined by the Association for Fundraising Professionals