The Climate Reality Project is a nonprofit organization founded by former US Vice President Al Gore. Our mission is to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every sector of society.

At The Climate Reality Project, we come to work every day to help solve the climate crisis. We do it by working from the ground up, empowering people and communities worldwide to fight for their future and together drive a just transition to clean energy.

We are committed to building a more just and equitable world, one where all voices are heard and respected regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or physical ability. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other historically marginalized communities. We encourage applicants to read our diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice statement on our website.

Position Summary

The Climate Reality Project is seeking an experienced, passionate, entrepreneurial, and strategic fundraising professional to expand the organization’s fundraising efforts and provide critical support to the Advancement Department.

As a member of the Advancement leadership team, the Advancement Senior Manager will be responsible for executing a major donor fundraising program and supervising the department’s operational functions. They will develop and manage a high-level portfolio of current and prospective major donors and family foundations, focusing on increasing revenue from 5-6 figure funding partners, and oversee and implement a prospect research strategy that identifies qualified new prospects for Climate Reality’s pipeline. They will also manage personnel responsible for advancement operations, including prospect development, moves management, database management, and grants management, and midlevel giving key department verticals that are critical to a successful major gift program.

Currently reporting to the Advancement Vice President, the Senior Manager has two direct reports.

This is a full time, exempt, benefits-eligible, hybrid position. The Climate Reality Project offers a flexible hybrid schedule, with staff working from our office in downtown Washington, DC at least two days per week to enable and encourage collaboration within and among teams. The salary range for the role is $110,000-112,200 USD.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Major Donor Fundraising – 55%

• Develop and manage a portfolio of current and prospective major donors and family foundations ($15,000 - $100,000), executing multi-faceted strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Conduct donor contact meetings nationally and staff executive team in meetings when appropriate.
• Target and cultivate emerging donor constituencies, including next-gen and Donor-Advised-Funds.
• Work alongside Advancement Vice President on execution of select institutional foundation giving opportunities.
• Work alongside Advancement Vice President to develop and execute high-level event fundraising opportunities.

Leadership and Management – 25%

• Manage Advancement Operations Senior Associate, ensuring integrity of data entry, compliance of processes, grants management, stewardship, and administrative duties.
• Manage Charitable Giving Manager, overseeing a new mid-level giving program, ensuring increased revenue from 4-5 figure donors and a strong pipeline of donors into the major gifts program.
• In collaboration with Advancement Vice President and People Department, develops and ensures department staff have training and professional development opportunities.
• Contribute and actively lead in organization’s Supervisors team calls.

Other – 20%

• Oversee and execute the department’s prospect research strategy, culminating in a steady flow of prospects to major, institutional, and principal gift portfolios, as well as effective portfolio management and prospect analytics.
• Regularly communicate and coordinate revenue results and projections to Advancement Vice President, in preparation for CEO and CFO.
• Track fundraising efforts and constituents in Salesforce through moves management.
• Support Advancement Vice President on other department-wide efforts and campaigns.
• Uphold organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion by identifying areas to increase diversity of funding partners and equity in fundraising practices.
• Monitor industry best practices, trends and new technologies (such as Donor-Advised-Funds, AI, next-gen philanthropy) to increase efficiency and innovation in fundraising strategies and tactics.
• Support and contribute to the ongoing improvement of our operations and enrichment of our culture, for example by serving on ad hoc or ongoing work groups, assisting with the onboarding and training of colleagues, and participating in efforts to assess, refine, and strengthen our culture and practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Complete understanding and experience in gift cycle and donor cultivation and stewardship process
• Experience working directly with 5-6 figure climate philanthropists or related field.
• Proven track record securing and renewing 5-6 figure donations
• Thorough knowledge of the organization's work and the ability to pitch this work to donors
• Experience with communication and identification of strategies for cultivation of major donors
• Salesforce or CRM experience required
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail
• Experience with research software and tools required
• Optimistic and positive attitude a must
• Ability to work long hours and weekends, travel semi-frequently and on short notice
• Ability to work in high-visibility and fast-paced environment
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• Strong organizational skills and emotional intelligence.
• Commitment to Climate Reality’s mission and values
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer required

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree—or equivalent experience.
• Has between 5-7 years of experience in fundraising, within a climate, environment, or progressive policy field ideal.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience managing and mentoring a team
• Expert-level knowledge in job-specific fundraising approach(es).

Organizational Competencies

The Climate Reality Project has adopted a competency-based approach to job definition, hiring, performance assessment, and professional development. The following are our seven organization-wide competencies and examples of how they manifest for this role.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Actively listens to others and seeks to understand diverse perspectives; proactively and effectively manages larger teams; demonstrates the ability to effectively supervise.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Demonstrates the ability to adapt to changing priorities and circumstances; takes initiative to solve problems, improve processes, and/or achieve outcomes; learns quickly when faced with new situations or systems.
• Written and Verbal Communication: Written communication is clear and concise; verbal communication is intentional and straightforward; clearly communicates a shared vision and priorities for the department; clearly conveys objectives, deadlines, and expectations to supervisees.
• Time and Project Management: Manages multiple competing priorities, tasks, and projects effectively; holds staff and self accountable for achieving objectives; effectively manages conflict among the team, seeing conflicts as opportunities, integrating diverse views and finding common ground, and settling differences in productive ways.
• Professional Development: Actively learns through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder; supports supervisees’ professional development by providing opportunities to put skills into practice; connects supervisees to other advocates, experts, mentors, and resources and to substantive training opportunities.
• Climate Justice: Knows and understands how systems and structures perpetuate inequities internally and externally; fully supports the organization's efforts to change said systems and structures; works to promote a welcoming and inclusive environment in Climate Reality spaces (workplace, events, trainings, and other convenings).
• Climate Reality Mission and Focus: Is passionate about Climate Reality's role and mission and can act as a Climate Reality ambassador to a diverse set of audiences; stays up-to-date on climate trends, impacts and solutions.

Role-Specific Competencies

In addition to organization-wide competencies, each role has its own competencies. Below are examples of how each competency manifests in this role.

• Communication Skills: Can work effectively with various constituencies, including the Board of Directors, other department heads, program directors, staff, and donors; is an articulate and persuasive communicator
• Technology and Data Systems: Can use technology relevant to job duties effectively; manages internal electronic document storage effectively, including for the purposes of donor stewardship; uses and prioritizes the use of CRM software relevant to job duties. Stays up-to-date on current and new technology and data systems in philanthropy and fundraising.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates proficiency in working with numerous internal stakeholders, builds relationships, and ensures best practices that support data collection and tracking of necessary information; thrives on meeting new people and getting them excited about shared passions and interests, naturally thoughtful in engagements.
• Customer Service Orientation: Navigates sensitive information and situations with discretion and effective follow-up; handles difficult partnerships/relationships.