Alley Cat Allies — Director of Major Gifts

In its first 25 years, Alley Cat Allies has built an extraordinarily large and loyal donor base. The Director of Major Gifts will greatly expand the major gifts program, building upon this exceptionally strong foundation. The potential for growth in fundraising is clear and exciting.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Major Gifts will have four areas of responsibility, Fundraising Program Assessment, Development, and Implementation; Management and Supervision; Major Gifts; and Administration.

Fundraising Program Assessment, Development and Implementation

The Director of Major Gifts will

• develop a proposal for an expanded major gifts program with ambitious but realistic goals;
• draft a fundraising case statement as the core document for the organization’s plan and strategy;
• implement a program that involves the development of an efficient donor/prospect record-keeping system;
• develop and implement the processes for building and growing the major gifts program over the next five years;
• institute procedures for producing financial reports for presentation at Quarterly Board meetings;
• establish and maintain a system for following up on all donor contacts;
• develop and produce copy/content for marketing materials to be used for solicitation of major gift donors and prospective major donors;
• work closely with the president on a plan for her development activity and the most strategic and effective use of her development efforts;
• work closely with the Development team to share donor information and opportunities across all donor programs to enhance all donor relations;
• work closely with the Development team to develop and implement proper procedures for gift acknowledgement; and
• develop and implement the organization’s major gift marketing programs, including print advertising, brochures, and other strategies designed to motivate donors to provide both short-range and long-range support for programs.

Management & Supervision

The Director of Major Gifts will

• lead and supervise a small staff;
• maximize the productivity of members of the team while mentoring, coaching, reviewing, and handling personnel issues as appropriate and in a timely manner; and
• carry out annual performance reviews for the staff this position supervises.

Major Gifts

The Director of Major Gifts will

• identify, research, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of several hundred individual donors and prospective major donors per year;
• develop and carry out strong cultivation and stewardship strategies to nurture and maintain relationships with prospects and donors;
• work closely with president, key staff, and board members to orchestrate and engage them in the cultivation and solicitation of donor prospects;
• solicit gifts and negotiate agreements with potential donors and bring gifts to closure;
• develop and implement the appropriate activity blend for communicating with donors including phone, email, and face to face, in order to achieve success;
• develop regular mailings of motivational materials to prospects which will generate an awareness of the organization and its programs;
• conduct personal visits with donors, as appropriate, to develop and nurture relationships.;
• organize appropriate events for developing and maintaining donor relationships.
• cultivate donors and develop new income sources for present and long-term support;
• ensure that all requests for information and clarification from donors and potential donors are responded to in an accurate, timely, and professional manner;
• maintain positive relationships with donors and represent the organization in its mission;
• maintain an understanding and knowledge of all current organization programs and campaigns in order to communicate this information clearly and directly to donors; and
• engage donors in key programs and initiatives, articulating the vision, mission and goals of Alley Cat Allies.

Administration

The Director of Major Gifts will

• work closely with the Chief Development Officer and president to set goals and timelines, manage expenses, and increase donations;
• create and execute business plans to measure and maximize the effectiveness of the major gifts programs;
• participate in annual budget preparation and organizational strategic planning;
• provide detailed statistical reporting and thorough analysis of all major gifts results and use those results to inform future decisions;
• prepare and submit regular financial reports detailing progress;
• maintain an organized and efficient donor/prospect record-keeping system ensuring that accurate and complete records are prepared and maintained in Raiser’s Edge;
• manage correspondence with all contacts, maintaining historical and accurate records, as well as ensuring that acknowledgements for services are handled accordingly;
• ensure compliance with Alley Cat Allies’ policies and procedures as well as local, state, and federal rules and regulations governing charitable solicitations;
• keep up-to-date on current practices and regulations in charitable giving, and maintain contacts with other professionals in charitable giving or related fields; and
• provide cross-training of other department members and create documentation of all duties and processes, to ensure adequate coverage in case of absence.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIES

The ideal candidate for the position of Director of Major Gifts will have

• significant, demonstrable, and successful experience performing personal solicitations of gifts in excess of $5,000+;
• a strong sense of fundraising ethics and practices, and respect for confidentiality of donor information;
• knowledge and understanding of the animal rights movement, especially related to the issues facing cats, and the ability to speak to issues of concern to donors in a respectful and empathic manner;
• excellent communication skills, including public speaking, presentations, and writing;
• excellent computer skills including Microsoft Office Professional Suite and data bases;
• the ability to build and meet long-range plans, and to anticipate problems before they arise;
• knowledge of tax laws that affect charitable giving and donor assets;
• demonstrated experience planning and managing budgets;
• a high level of energy and enthusiasm, with excellent interpersonal, problem solving, and time management skills;
• the ability to travel frequently to meet with donors and prospects;
• the ability to work both independently and as a team player, while recognizing the nature of a small nonprofit; and
• willingness and ability to represent Alley Cat Allies professionally at a variety of events; and
• a passion for and commitment to protecting and improving the lives of cats by educating caregivers, advocates, and cat lovers across the nation and advocating for policies in the best interests of cats.

A Bachelor’s Degree is required for this position as is a minimum of three years of development experience in a non-profit environment with a track record of success in major gifts. Five or more years of experience in major gifts, and experience hiring, mentoring, and managing major gift officers, are highly desirable.

KEY COLLEAGUES

Becky Robinson

President and Founder

Becky Robinson is President and Founder of Alley Cat Allies. With more than half a million supporters, Alley Cat Allies is the nation’s only advocacy organization and recognized authority on cats. Alley Cat Allies leads the movement to protect and improve the lives of all domestic cats.

Under Robinson’s leadership, and based on years of hands-on investigation and expertise, Alley Cat Allies has changed the landscape in the U.S. for cats and for grassroots advocacy. By first developing best practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for cats in the U.S., that are still in place today, the organization is accomplished and known for its local government effectiveness.

Robinson continues to lead cutting-edge teams that redefine animal protection advocacy. The organization is successful because Robinson embraces working with grassroots, designing hands-on cat care programs, and excelling at negotiations with policy-makers. In the early days, Robinson recognized the need for veterinary services for cats so that caregivers could bring multiple cats at a time for treatment. She launched three spay/neuter clinics in the Washington, D.C. area that lead to turning shelters into life-saving institutions.

Alley Cat Allies is leading a national change in how communities view and treat outdoor cats. Since Robinson started advocating for the practice of TNR in the U.S. 25 years ago, two states—Illinois and Utah—and the District of Columbia have adopted TNR-friendly laws, and more than 500 local governments have ordinances allowing or endorsing TNR. Alley Cat Allies has demonstrated that Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is sound and effective in every landscape.

Robinson is a presenter at conferences in the U.S. and abroad.

Robinson holds an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a B.A. in Social Work from Bethany College. She lives with her husband and five cats in Arlington, Va., where they care for a cat colony.

SALARY & BENEFITS

This position offers an excellent and highly competitive benefits and compensation package.

LOCATION

This position is located in Bethesda, Maryland, just northwest of Washington, D.C.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to settleson@gmail.com, subject line: ACA, Major Gifts.  No phone calls, please.

ABOUT ALLEY CAT ALLIES 

Alley Cat Allies’ mission is to transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of cats. Alley Cat Allies is committed to advocating for an end to the killing of cats, leading the movement for change, and protecting the lives of cats—and the people who care for them.

Alley Cat Allies is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Alley Cat Allies has charted a course set on animal control and shelter industry reform and humane treatment by

• mobilizing and educating the public and leading the national movement to end the killing of cats and to protect and improve their lives;
• creating educational tools and supporting the efforts of, and acting as the national voice for, millions of individuals and groups across the United States who provide humane care for stray and feral cats;
• advocating for full transparency including for pounds and shelters to keep public records of animal intake and kill rates, for public and mandatory government oversight, and for increased pound and shelter accountability; and
• drafting ordinances and laws and directly advising municipal governments and law-makers to pass and implement humane programs to meet the values of their constituents.

Alley Cat Allies was founded in 1990 by two women who recognized that cats’ needs were not being met by the animal control and shelter system. They realized that when well-meaning citizens call pounds and shelters about cats, especially those living outside, their only response is in most communities, to “round them up” and kill them.

Alley Cat Allies developed educational materials and wrote step–by-step instructions on the care and protection of stray and feral cats. Alley Cat Allies also introduced the practice of spaying and neutering entire colonies with Trap-Neuter-Return in the United States.

Since then, Alley Cat Allies has led the growing and thriving movement for the protection of cats and continues to educate the public about the lives of cats.

Today, Alley Cat Allies has earned the support of more than 500,000 donors, caregivers, animal lovers, and activists who share its dedication to protect all cats—pet, community, stray, and feral. And, the movement is expanding to other countries. People of conscience everywhere are seeking to abolish outdated and cruel policies and procedures that result in the deaths of millions of cats annually.

Alley Cat Allies has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals save and improve the lives of millions of cats and kittens. Alley Cat Allies has also motivated and assisted scores of grassroots activists to establish groups in their communities, and they in turn have mobilized and pushed for reform of their city’s animal control policies and procedures. Veterinary professionals, humane organizations, animal control agencies, and animal shelters frequently turn to Alley Cat Allies for guidance and information in their efforts to transform their practices and develop humane programs and policies for cats.