Development Director

Job Description

Job Description

*WE ARE LOCATED IN DONALSONVILLE, GA*

Development Director

Reports to: Executive Director

Works with: Executive Director, Chairman of the McFadden Foundation Board of Directors, and Administrative Specialist Employment Status: Full Time (40 hours/week)

This job is onsite in Donalsonville, GA.

Occupational Summary

Works closely with the Executive Director to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising capital campaign and forthcoming annual operations fund-raising campaign for the McFadden Nature Center programs and upkeep. This includes donor research, solicitation and cultivation, public and private grant procurement, and planning and organizing special events for cultivating donors.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Creating engaging interactions with the organization’s donors and prospects

• Writing and developing fundraising materials in collaboration with leadership

• Cultivate a database of donor and member records, able to learn how to use a donor database software if you do not already know

• Conduct surveys and seek feedback leading to the capital fundraising campaign, donor initiatives, and annual fundraising events

• Plan and direct marketing and social media with regard to the capital campaign, in collaboration with leadership as needed

• Conduct grant research, write grants, follow up on final grant reports

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Excellent writing, research, speech, and communication skills

• Must be comfortable speaking to large groups and small groups alike

• Ability to articulate the mission of the McFadden Nature Center with passion and enthusiasm Excellent computer skills, knowledge of Office products, Zoom software, Google platform, and donor database software

• Must have good time management skills, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, and able to meet deadlines

• A self-starter able to work independently as well as being a team member

• Able to learn about the programs and mission of McFadden Nature Center and connect these to the education community, which includes public school teachers, private school teachers, and homeschool families Ability to communicate with fellow team members and leadership promptly and clearly through emails, phone calls, and texts

Educational/Experience Requirements

• BA/BS required

• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, development, and grant writing strongly preferred, as well as knowledge of donor relations and public relations

• Familiarity with capital campaign related fundraising techniques preferred

Characteristics

• Flexible with a growing organization that will experience change rapidly

• Patience working with a small team as we all stretch to get the work done

• Teachable and willing to learn new ways of doing things, but also willing to share knowledge with the team Honesty and loyalty, to a team that is seeking to create an organization and educational experiences for our community and region for the long term

• Follow through, able to see a task through to its completion

• Optimistic and enthusiastic about the project and its future

Time Commitments:

• Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. With 8 to 10 weekends a year and occasional evenings. Willingness to alter hours to meet the needs of the job

Physical Demands:

• Able to lift, bend, stoop, kneel, and move

• Able to climb ramps or stairs, reach above and below shoulder level

• Able to lift 25 pounds

• Able to sit and use a computer (keyboarding), have visual acuity using computer screens, answer phones, and use a copier

• Able to walk and spend time in an outdoor natural environment, like a nature trail

Benefits:

• Earned Paid Time Off

• Paid Holidays

• Medical Insurance

• Accidental Death Insurance

Salary:

• Salary Range $44,000 to $50,000 depending on experience

In 1999, Pat McFadden established the Lokchasassa Wilderness Project, a 1,260-acre Seminole County Garden of Eden to protect the native plants and wildlife. This Project was renamed after his death in 2008 and is now known as the McFadden Nature Center. The property will be protected for perpetuity. The nature center trails and disc golf course will be open on May 16, 2025. The RV Campground is scheduled to open in August 2025, and the 17,000 sq. ft. Nature Center Museum is scheduled to open in August 2026.

Company Description

In 1999, Pat McFadden established the Lokchasassa Wilderness Project, a 1,260-acre Seminole County Garden of Eden to protect the native plants and wildlife. This Project was renamed after his death in 2008 and is now known as the McFadden Nature Center. The property will be protected for perpetuity. The nature center trails and disc golf course will be open on May 16, 2025. The RV Campground is scheduled to open in August 2025, and the 17,000 sq. ft. Nature Center Museum is scheduled to open in August 2026.