The Ecology School— a nonprofit environmental living & learning center located at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine — seeks a Development Manager to provide vision, direction, and implementation for all aspects of The Ecology School’s annual fundraising efforts. The Development Manager will work closely with the President/CEO, the staff Advancement Team and the Advancement Committee of the TES Board to help ensure the fundraising efficiency, growth, and success of The Ecology School’s mission: to inspire stewardship of and connection to the natural world through experiential learning in ecology, conservation, farming, and sustainability.

Summary

Position Description

The Development Manager is responsible for cultivating and stewarding donor relationships, as well as grant writing, management and reporting, with the primary goal of significantly expanding and improving the fundraising performance of The Ecology School. This position serves as the primary grant writer, manages funder relationships, facilitates all direct mail and email appeal campaigns, engages in compliance reporting, and supports special project initiatives. This position requires strong writing, project management data analysis, program budgeting skills, with a focus on outcome measurement. This position is well suited for an individual who has a proven track record of securing multiple large grants and gifts annually, experience in donor relations, proposal development and project administration. The Development Manager will report directly to the President & CEO and will be a member of both the Advancement Team and the Administrative Leadership Team. The Development Manager duties will include:

Manage biannual appeal campaigns including copywriting, audience segmentation, letter design, coordination with print house, mailing, and tracking.
Carry out donor cultivation and stewardship including facilitation of impact reports and mailing, acknowledgements, communication, solicitations, reporting, and research as necessary. Includes management of recurring donor and planned giving programs.
Oversee Business Partnership Program expansion including revenue goal projection, development and implementation of outreach strategy, solicitations, cultivation, reports, tracking, and managing business partner benefits.
Execute publication of organization’s annual impact report including copywriting, asset management, editing, coordination with graphic designer and printer, and mailing.
Solicit private foundations and state & federal entities to obtain operational and programming funds.
Develop and track proposals and reports for grants and major gifts.
Work with the President & CEO and Business Development Manager to research, write, and submit grants.
Develop, cultivate, and sustain ongoing relationships with donors, business partners and foundations.

Required Skills & Experience

Experience in major gifts cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and Planned Giving.
Significant professional experience (4 years+ with progressive growth in responsibility), preferably in a nonprofit organization with a similar or related mission.
Excellent written communication and content development skills.
Enthusiasm for collaboration, teamwork, creativity, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Demonstrated skills and success in research, writing proposals and reports.
Desire and ability to enhance and expand fundraising efforts.
Demonstrated excellence in organizational, managerial, and communication skills.
Commitment to systems thinking, narrative learning, engaging science curriculum, and ecological sustainability and a vision for helping to achieve The Ecology School’s mission through more effective advancement, development, and fundraising.

Compensation Information

The Development Manager is a full-time position with benefits including HMO health insurance, employer matched retirement Simple IRA, generous personal and holiday/vacation days package, and competitive salary ($60,000-$70,000) commensurate with experience including performance bonus incentives. Flexible schedule and work expectations are that at least 50% of time is spent onsite and that remaining work can be accomplished remotely.