THE ORGANIZATION

 

Climate Central is an independent science and communications non-profit organization based in Princeton, NJ. Founded in 2008 by academic leaders at Princeton, Yale and Stanford, Climate Central brings together creative communications, award-winning journalism, and internationally recognized scientists to convey climate change’s effects on individuals, families, and communities.  

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Climate Central conducts scientific research to create innovative communications products that make climate change real for its worldwide audience. It delivers its findings in compelling language and images as part of its efforts to protect and conserve the global environment. Since its inception, Climate Central and its staff have reported vigorously on climate change impacts such as extreme weather, drought, flooding, wild fires, and sea level rise. Over the years, it has collaborated with media partners, including The Weather Channel, MSN, Scientific American, and Huffington Post, as well as with broadcast meteorologists, who bring climate change into focus through their local forcasts, to become a trusted source of independent climate research and information in a politicized time.

 

As Climate Central celebrates its 10th anniversary, the urgency of its mission has never been more apparent. Recent science documents an extraordinarily rapid increase in damaging extreme weather linked to fossil emissions. While a majority of people continue to give the issue low priority and government remains polarized and paralyzed, Climate Central continues to create scientifically sound communications products necessary to break this stalemate, delivering them locally and personally without political advocacy, and enabling others to use them to leverage a consensus for effective action.  

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Climate Central has a strong and responsive organizational infrastructure guided by a Board of Trustees that includes some of the most respected climate leaders, philanthropists, and scientists in the nation. A highly talented 30-person professional staff works at its Princeton, New Jersey offices to develop and deliver powerful, timely content to hundreds of local and national media outlets. The organization has an annual budget of approximately $7 million, which includes private philanthropic support as well as funding from various federal government agencies.

 

THE POSITION

 

As its fundraising program and national presence continue to grow, Climate Central seeks an energetic, strategic, and seasoned fundraiser who can strengthen its development efforts on the West Coast by advancing an individual giving program that emphasizes major gifts. The Director of Development, Western Region will build and execute regional development strategies in support of the organization’s mission and goals. The primary regional focus will be in the San Francisco Bay Area with targeted expansion into other areas of the West Coast. This is a part-time (50%) position.

 

The Director of Development, Western Region reports to the Vice President of Development and serves as a key member of the development team. S/he will develop and drive Climate Central’s individual gifts program in the West, identifying new donors and raising funds to support the organization’s ambitious vision to expand its research and communications programs domestically and internationally.

 

Responsibilities:

 

• Grow and develop Climate Central’s major gift prospect pool on the West Coast and seek new prospects to engage and eventually solicit at the five-, six- and seven-figure levels

• Develop, cultivate, and solicit a portfolio of donor prospects in the Western Region

• As part of a cultivation plan, oversee a select number of donor events to attract new prospective donors and cultivate current prospects

• Align prospect interests and philanthropic goals with Climate Central’s current and emerging funding priorities

• Leverage board and staff relationships to maximize development opportunities, including designing and executing high-level solicitations

• Serve as an ambassador of the organization to prospects and funders on the West Coast, involving the leadership and staff of the organization as appropriate in outreach, cultivation, and solicitation activities

• Identify and work closely with volunteers, providing direction and support in activities that will maximize awareness of Climate Central’s mission and major gift fundraising in the West

• Prepare an annual portfolio plan in consultation with the Vice President to review top prospect strategies

• Manage a small portfolio of foundation and corporate prospects and funders in the region

• Oversee donor stewardship efforts for assigned prospects/donors

 

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE​

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Education: 

 

      A Bachelor’s degree is required. An advanced degree is preferred.

 

Experience:

 

• A minimum of six years of development experience, with a strong record of raising major gifts

• Demonstrated ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects/donors and effectively move them through the development cycle

• Experience building new donor programs, identifying giving opportunities and thinking creatively to establish matches between donors and Climate Central’s programs and funding priorities

• Experience in making “cold/qualifying” calls as well as developing donor-centric cultivation and solicitation strategies

• Experience raising support for science/technology programs or projects, including research initiatives is preferred 

• Demonstrated ability to engage and support volunteer leadership with their efforts in fundraising, consultation, and advocacy

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience utilizing fundraising database programs; Raiser's Edge experience preferred

 

​COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

 

The successful professional will have or be:

 

• A high level of initiative, attention to detail and strong organization skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills 

• Skill in successfully managing multiple projects on tight deadlines and under pressure in a dynamic and open environment

• Unquestionable integrity and commitment to professional ethics, and the ability to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion

• Ability to grasp and articulate multi-layered programs in a way that meets the interests and passions of donors

• A creative, entrepreneurial, and enthusiastic team member with a clear commitment to the mission of Climate Central

• At a minimum, a working knowledge of environmental issues and science

• Able to travel and undertake occasional weekend work
   

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

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This is a part-time, exempt position. A competitive salary will be offered. To be considered for this position or for additional information on the opportunity, please send resume to or contact:

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David N. Randall

Principal

Randall Search Associates

415 767 3814

david@randallsearchassociates.com

 

 

Climate Central strongly encourages diverse candidates to apply. CC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and as such does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee on the basis of race, color, religious creed, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other classification protected by applicable discrimination laws.