Posted on September 23, 2012

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Director of Development

Duties and Responsibilities of the Director of Development:

The Director of Development is a full-time job with responsibility for individual fund-raising on behalf of the GSAF. The Director of Development reports directly to the President of the Foundation and serves at the pleasure of the President and the Board of Trustees. His/her primary responsibilities are:

• Individual (predominantly GSA members) fund-raising including non-corporate major and estate gifts
• Management and oversight of the GSAF Development Committee
• Assisting the Board in its fund-raising activities
• Stewardship of non-corporate donors
• Liaison, in collaboration with the Director of Corporate Partnerships, with GSA programs supported by GSAF funds

Specific duties of the Director of Development include:

• Fund-raising including prospect identification and management, donor relations, gift stewardship, campaign planning, and development planning and implementation.
• Setting and meeting, in collaboration with the President, the Director of Corporate Partnerships, and the Board, any annual fund-raising goals and evaluating and revising longer term fund-raising goals and strategies
• Developing a robust planned giving program for members interested in including GSA in their estate plans
• Overseeing the Foundation donor database with the assistance of the Database Manager
• Communicating externally by oversight of the GSAF website, preparation and coordination of appeals and direct mail messages and the Foundation page in the GSA monthly newsletter (GSA Today), and other initiatives
• Assisting the President in fiduciary oversight of funds managed by GSAF
• Preparing for the semi-annual GSAF Board of Trustees meetings and bimonthly Executive Committee teleconferences and other special meetings and retreats as warranted
• Communicating internally within GSA to develop and sustain collaborative relations with GSA program managers in areas where the Foundation provides significant private support such as Outreach and Education, Awards and Recognitions, and Meetings
• Coordinating as many as four to five social events held in conjunction with the GSA Annual Meeting, some GSA Sectional meetings, and semi-annual Board of Trustee meetings
• Performing other activities as requested by the President and the Board of Trustees and its Executive Committee

The approximate allocation of work effort of the Director of Development shall be:

Fund-raising 50%

Donor relations, fund management 20%

Communications (internal & external) 25%

Administration 5%

Professional Experience and Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be an energetic and outgoing person with at least 8-10 years of varied fund-raising experience in the non-profit sector. S/He will be an excellent time-manager and be able to operate well in an informal environment that values a good deal of independence. S/He should willing and able to travel up to several weeks a month during some of the year. While it is not necessary that the candidate have a background in the sciences, a proven understanding of the culture of scientific professionals will be a significant asset. The successful candidate will have proven writing skills and will be comfortable speaking before a group of professionals.

The successful candidate will have demonstrable experience in, preferably, all of the following areas:

• Solicitation of major gifts
• Working with donors in estate planning and other forms of planned giving
• Familiarity with Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge and ResearchPoint software with respect to prospect identification, report preparation, and prospect management
• Event planning
• Electronic and print communications

We seek a proven team-player who is flexible and able to work in a small development operation where each member must, at times, pitch in to forward the common purpose. A commitment to continuing professional development is highly valued.

The candidate selected will be willing to relocate to Boulder, Colorado if not already able to work at GSA headquarters in Boulder. Qualified candidates will be subject to a background check.

Education:

A bachelor’s degree is required and additional course work or comparable continuing education in the area of non-profit management will be preferred.

Application Instructions

To Apply:

To be considered for this position, please provide the following documents.

• Cover letter (include your salary requirements),
• Resume
• List of up to three professional references

These may be sent as attachments to hr@geosociety.org or mailed to:

Human Resources
Geological Society of America
3300 Penrose Place
P.O. Box 9140
Boulder, CO 80301

Applications will be reviewed as submitted until the position is successfully filled.