Description

Organizational Overview

Resources Legacy Fund builds the architecture behind lasting environmental progress. From climate resilience to land and water conservation to community well-being, we help visionary ideas take shape—offering the steady support and strategic know-how to turn complex challenges into collective victories.  

We deliver transformative outcomes for our planet and its people through trusted partnerships and creative campaigns. Rooted in California and expanding across Western North America and beyond, we have a 25-year track record of supporting initiatives at every scale. We also host fiscally sponsored projects that reach across the globe, reinforcing the efforts of change makers worldwide.  

Addressing three interconnected crises — climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental injustice — requires creativity, collaboration, and fast reflexes. With deep operational expertise and the confidence of donors and partners, we enable lasting solutions to rise.

Position Summary:

The Development Director drives and coordinates fundraising activities across the organization. They provide direction and leadership to RLF’s development team, supporting RLF’s principal fundraisers (staff and board) in improving and expanding our partnerships with foundations and family offices. This position is full-time, exempt, and reports to the Executive Vice President.

This is a remote position, within the U.S., that requires regular travel for meetings, conferences, and staff retreats.

Duties Include: 

Leadership and Management 

• Lead RLF’s overall team strategy for development and fundraising with the goal of building and managing an effective philanthropic program.
• Work with the executiveand programteamsto set annual and multi-year fundraising/campaign goals to meet organization revenue targets.
• Support theorganizations’ fundraisers intheir external relationships and communications with foundations, family offices,and other donors.
• Provide research, materials, talking points and other support to best “set the table” for successful donor prospecting, cultivation and asks by RLF board and leadership staff.
• Maintain organizational knowledge of key donors and prospects to ensure an effective and coordinated program of communications, stewardship, development, andleveraging ofopportunities.
• Directly supervisedevelopmentteam (currently a team of one developmentcoordinator)
• Manage, mentor, recruit, andretaintalented staff; foster a culture of learning. 

Design and Manage Fundraising Operations 

• Developinternal systems,policiesand processesfor effective philanthropywitha focus onincominggrants, contracts,and gifts, as well as oncoordinating fundraising activities.
• In collaboration with the Operations and Grants Management Teams, build and manage thetechnology infrastructureand related processesto support donorengagement,includingexpandingthe usage ofourCRM/database(Salesforce)tobetter track donor prospecting and incoming funds.
• Prepare analyses/dashboards on fundraising activities; ensurethat efficient processes and dataguidesdecisions.
• PartnerwithOperations,GrantsManagement,and otherteams involved with donor and financial systems.
• Develop systems and processes for coordinatingdevelopmentactivitiesacross teamsincluding stewardshipandprospecting. 

Donor Stewardship and Prospecting 

• Strengthen RLF’s fundraising performance with current donors and partner with RLF’s fundraisers to expand the diversity of RLF’s donor pool.
• Researchand evaluate new potential funders/philanthropic investors.
• Work with the RLF team to expand and diversify the donorpool; strengthen the fundraising performance of donors, including size and number ofgifts.
• Develop andmaintainan active list of donor prospects and an action plan for these prospects.  

Fundraising Best Practices 

• Maintain knowledge of regional and national funding environments as they relate to RLF and its funding opportunities.
• Modeleffectivedevelopmentstrategy, approaches, and techniques.
• Supportan organization-wide culture of philanthropy, as well as fundraising capacity among members of the RLFexecutive team and across all program staff.
• Provide coachingand training opportunitiesto staff and board. 

Other 

• Collaborate with colleagues to understand the breadth of RLF’s work and seek opportunities forsynergyof programs and/or projects.
• Serve as a member of the organization’s leadership team.
• As needed, serveas a representative and contact person at donor events, meetings, conferences, and other conversations.
• Performother duties and specialprojects asneeded. 
   

Requirements

Qualifications: 

Note: These qualifications are guidelines, not hard and fast rules, so if you have 75% of the qualifications listed, we encourage you to apply.  Experience can include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work and lived experiences that helped you to build the competencies, knowledge, and skills needed for this position. Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered. 

• 10+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising with increasing responsibility for the creation and execution of development strategy, planning, management, systems, and coordination.
• Broad knowledge of fundraising approaches for multiple donor audiences, with specific experience with philanthropic foundations and family offices.
• Experience in supporting a president, executive leadership team, and program staff with effective cultivation, engagement, reporting, and acknowledgement of funders.
• Experience designing fundraising operations, systems, and teams.
• Experienceleveragingmodern data management practices and technology for relationship management, prospecting, and streamlining development processes.Ability to collaboratively developeffective technology solutions, build new processes where therearegaps.
• Previousexperience in climateand environmental organizations
• Knowledgeof andfundamental adherence to the principles, ethics, compliance, and best practices of modern fundraising.
• Exceptional composition, editing, and spoken communication skills.  
• Capacity to manage and coordinate simultaneous projects, and to respond rapidly and appropriately to changing priorities and situations; ability to adhere tonumerousdeadlines, conflictingprioritiesand handle multiple tasks efficiently.
• Flexibility in working style, marked by an ability to work closely with a wide range of personality and organization types.
• Ability to perform tasks with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, as well asanticipateinformational needs as situations and projects develop.
• Commitment to building and supporting a positive and inclusive work environment. 

Commitment to Nondiscrimination

We are committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination, where all team members feel valued, respected, and included. We know that our work is enriched by the varied voices and perspectives of every staff and board member, so we are committed to making an earnest effort to recruit, welcome, train, develop, and retain talented individuals from all backgrounds. We believe that a welcoming culture expands our creative capacity to do our work and achieve greater outcomes for people and the natural world.

Compensation and Benefits: 

The Development Director starting salary range is $175,000-$215,000. Salary commensurate with related work experience and qualifications.

We have an alternate Fridays off work schedule and offer a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan with a 5% match, and generous paid time off. RLF also offers a technology allowance, student loan repayment assistance, the Calm app, mental health benefits and approximately 16 paid holidays per year.

To Apply:

Please provide a resume and cover letter explaining how your skills fit this position.

Recruitment Schedule

May 28– Recruitment launches

June 22  – Application deadline (applications received after this date may still be considered)

June 26 – Screening Interviews

RLF participates in E-Verify, potential candidates can review the information here and here.