Development Director

About Sierra Streams Institute: Sierra Streams Institute is a watershed monitoring, research, restoration and educational group based in Nevada City, California in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  Our mission is to promote scientific knowledge and stewardship of Sierra Nevada watersheds through research, restoration, education, and community science. Over the past two decades, SSI has grown to become a vitally important voice in the regional scientific community. At Sierra Streams Institute, we believe in science to work on behalf of environmental and human health, and we put science in the hands of the people who need it most. Rather that engaging in direct activism around environmental issues, we believe in “advocacy through evidence”. Our research, data, and projects have been used by community members and agencies alike to ensure environmental management decisions are made through an equitable, data-driven, process. Further, we blur the line between academic science and meaningful application, producing both academic journal publications and numerous unique opportunities for engaging in science education and understanding. 

Job Description: The SSI Development Director provides an essential bridge between mission-driven donors and community science, serving as the lead strategist for developing new revenue sources from both large donors and small donor strategies such as membership programs and community events. We seek someone with a proven track record in donor stewardship and development, as well as utilization of new strategies to generate both financial and emotional investment in our mission. The ideal candidate has experience in donor outreach and stewardship, development of on-going relationships with investment and granting foundations, and generation of new and lasting income sources. Donor database or CRM familiarity is a plus but not required. Further, the ideal candidate has a history (ideally 4+ years) of working in the non-profit realm, building lasting partnerships to increase scale and scope of fundraising outcomes. Specifically, the Development Director will:

● Act as Point-of-Contact for large gifts and donor retention. This will include but not be limited to: large donor engagement, new large donor stewardship in partnership with the Executive Director, and development and implementation of new large donor strategies such as legacy giving. Approximately 60% time.

● Report to and work closely with the Executive Director to develop and implement new large donor stewardship strategies and annual fundraising

● Utilize available donor and foundation research tools to broker new relationships and partnership strategies with philanthropic partners in the area of environmental stewardship and community science. Approximately 20% time. 

● Work with and advise the Education and Outreach Coordinator on how to maintain engagement with new donors identified by the Coordinator at outreach events. Approximately 5% time. 

● Work closely with Executive Director and Project Managers to guide revisions and finalization of grant proposals. Approximately 10% time. 

● Maintain engagement in administrative meetings and donor bookkeeping advising with Finance Director. Approximately 5% time.