Campaign Director

Position Title: Campaign Director

Department: Development

Reports To: Senior V.P. of Philanthropy

Location: Audubon Zoo

General Summary: The Campaign Director is responsible for organizing, managing, and executing a vigorous, coherent, and well-planned comprehensive $125 million campaign in public ($100 million) and private funds ($25 million) now underway. This full-time position will report to the Senior V.P. of Philanthropy and work in tandem with the organization’s Development team to assess fundraising opportunities and play a lead role in conceiving, planning, implementing, and fundraising for Audubon. The Campaign Director will ensure that the Today, Tomorrow, and Always Campaign for Audubon is the #1 development priority by continuing to build on the strong Culture of Philanthropy at Audubon. The Campaign Director will be both internally and externally focused and will bring strong strategic and planning skills as well as the ability to cultivate and solicit gifts from every echelon of potential donors. The Campaign Director will work to design a campaign program that complements the organization’s significant history of contributed income from private sources.

Specific duties will include preparing bi-monthly communication content for volunteer leaders, researching prospect capacity and affinity, preparation of written proposals for donor invitations, coordination of donor cultivation events, tracking weekly progress, and keeping the campaign team focused on meeting goals and objectives.

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To deliver on the Audubon mission, the Campaign Director will:

• Compellingly articulate the vision and mission of Audubon with a clear understanding of the scope of programs and projects to lead to substantive discussions with donors and prospects.

• Working in conjunction with the Senior V.P. of Philanthropy, Development Director, Director of Development Operations, and campaign volunteer leadership, formulate campaign strategy; assess fundraising opportunities and assume responsibility for executing the campaign plan, timeline, budget, gift pyramid, prospect lists, income reports, printed/digital stewardship materials, and cultivation/recognition events.

• Establish strong working relationships with the Sr. V.P. of Philanthropy, Development Director, Director of Development Operations, Campaign Co-Chairs, volunteer Campaign leadership, and Audubon colleagues.

• Proactively take the lead in prospect identification and qualification, drawing in part from personal knowledge of the New Orleans’ philanthropic community; provide cultivation and solicitation support to leadership.

• Prioritize in-person one-on-one conversations and meetings with donors and prospects to further qualify and cultivate current and potential donors to the Campaign.

• Communicate the Campaign goals, progress, and success to various constituencies; prepare talking points and presentations for the CEO, Sr. V.P. of Philanthropy, Campaign Co-Chairs, volunteer campaign leadership, and Audubon’s communications team.

• Ensure that Capital Campaign efforts are transparent and pursued in close partnership with Audubon’s Development team.

• Collaborate with Audubon Public Relations team on publicly communicating campaign successes.

• Ensure that stewardship of Campaign donors is a priority.

The above listed duties are general statements of required major duties and responsibilities performed on a regular and continuous basis. They do not exclude other duties as assigned.

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To deliver on the Audubon service promise, the Director will:

Welcome

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• Make eye contact with every customer encounter, smile at every person, offer friendly phrases and greetings.

• Wear identification badge.

• Walk individual to destination instead of pointing; help people who look confused.

• Assume ownership of potential safety hazards (wipe-up spill, pick up trash). Always have the camera-ready look.

Share

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• Maintain positive attitude, pleasant tone of voice (remember it is not what you say, but how you say it).

• Utilize the power of teamwork to give excellent service.

• Know when to involve management.

Inspire

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• Know the answers to questions or seek out the answers.

• Utilize proper phone etiquette (answer phone within three rings, smile before answering call, ask for permission and wait for response before placing caller on hold).

• Ensure work area is free of food, drink, socialization, and personal business.

• Follow Dress Code Policy on clothing and grooming.

• Keep unpleasant concerns behind closed doors (vent backstage).

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Supervision: This position reports directly to the Senior V.P. of Philanthropy.

Experience:

• Development experience required, preferably in mid to large scale nonprofits.

• Proven track record of planning and managing a successful capital campaign similar to this effort’s size and scope.

• Proven ability to motivate and direct a committed group of volunteer fundraisers; comfortable providing direction and support to others doing the solicitation.

• A personal record of success in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major individual and institutional gifts.

• Experience in New Orleans, with a deep knowledge of the philanthropic community is preferable but not required.

• A track record as an effective communicator who is enthusiastic, articulate and persuasive, with excellent writing skills.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Experience working with sensitive information and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Education: Bachelor’s degree required.

Licensure/Certification: Valid driver’s license

Software Requirements:

1. Expert knowledge of Microsoft products, including advanced functions of Word, Excel, Outlook, and Power Point

2. Proficient in use of Adobe Acrobat

3. Knowledge of Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge database software or similar CRM

4. Knowledge of Microsoft Teams preferred.

Machinery/Tools/Equipment Requirements:

1. Ability to use mobile devices, computer, scanner, telephone, and copy machine.

2. Ability to drive a golf cart.

Physical Requirements:

1. Sedentary Work: exerting up to 30 pounds of force occasionally, or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. May involve sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time.

2. Sitting or standing, bending, stooping, and the ability to carry items weighing up to 30 pounds.

3. Constant adequate range of motion and mobility required.

4. Regular near acuity with clarity of vision at 20 inches or less required.

5. Typical ability to collect and analyze numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions and ability to determine the time, place and sequence of operations or actions required.

6. Regular talking and the ability to express and exchange ideas by means of language expected.

7. Regular hearing and the ability to perceive the nature of sounds.

8. Constant ability to read, record, or type data quickly and accurately required.

Environmental/Working Conditions:

1. Willingness and ability to work after-hours and weekends when necessary.

2. Ability to work under and handle stress in an appropriate manner required.

3. May be exposed to high, medium, or low noise intensity.

4. Exposure to fluctuations in temperatures may be required.

5. Exposure to outdoor conditions may be required.

Other abilities, skills, knowledge:

1. Ability and commitment to working with diverse groups in terms of gender expression, race, sexual orientations, religion, ability, class, and immigrant status.

2. A collaborative nature with the ability to quickly establish credibility and gain the respect and support of colleagues, donors, and volunteers.

3. A good listener: comfortable receiving input from many sources and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan.

4. A quick study; extremely well-organized; a creative self-starter; capable of handling multiple tasks and establishing priorities.

5. Affinity for animals, conservation, and sustainability preferred.

6. Passionate and committed to helping secure financial support for Audubon.

7. Demonstrate empathetic disposition and perseverance; reflect optimistic and positive attitude; and convey sensitivity to donor needs.