Sea Shepherd Global is an international ocean conservation organization committed to protecting marine ecosystems through direct action and strategic collaboration. We envision a world where vital marine habitats are safeguarded from industrialized fishing and where conservation laws are effectively upheld and enforced.

We are seeking a Director of Development with a startup mindset and proven ability to establish robust processes for a fully functioning development operation. This role is ideal for a strategic fundraising professional who thrives in building systems and operationalizing processes while driving significant revenue growth. We have great talent on the team, and are looking for a leader to bring structure and efficiency to our work. Is that person you?

ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIPS

Direct Reports:

Philanthropy and Foundations Manager
Digital Fundraising Coordinator
Partnerships Director

Key Collaborations:

Senior Leadership Team
Campaigns Department
Communications Department
Finance/Operations team

PURPOSE AND MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Team Management

Establish annual fundraising budgets, goals, and strategic plans with the Sea Shepherd Global leadership team
Lead and execute revenue growth strategy, aligning with strategic priorities and long-term sustainability goals
Oversee cross-channel fundraising efforts, including major gifts, institutional giving, digital campaigns, and new revenue streams
Lead, manage, and grow (as appropriate) the current development team, providing mentorship, support, and direction
Create and implement comprehensive development policies, procedures, and best practices
Build a donor-centric culture across all fundraising and organizations activities
Work closely with other Sea Shepherd offices to help develop fundraising programmes, share tools, knowledge and resources and to support on country-specific fundraising projects

Major Gifts & Institutional Fundraising

Oversee foundation and major gift fundraising through direct management of the Philanthropy and Foundations Manager
Represent the organization at donor events and external fundraising functions
Work closely with Campaigns leadership on developing cases for support, donor reporting, and messaging for campaigns with institutional funders

Annual Fund & Planned Giving

Provide strategic oversight of annual fund activities coordinated by Digital Fundraising Coordinator
Collaborate closely with Communications Department and Campaigns leadership to ensure aligned messaging and donor stewardship
Develop integrated fundraising campaigns across multiple channels
Create donor acquisition and retention strategies
Establish planned giving program framework

Systems & Process Development

Optimize CRM utilization across team to enhance donor tracking, engagement, and reporting capabilities
Implement donor journey mapping and stewardship protocols
Create robust reporting systems for tracking progress against goals and ROI analysis

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:

Minimum 6-10 years of progressive fundraising experience
Proven track record of building and managing thriving development teams
Experience establishing development operations and processes in growth-stage organizations
Strong background in CRM management and data-driven fundraising approaches (Salesforce experience highly preferred)
Openness to leveraging AI tools and technologies to maximize fundraising efficiency
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
English native speaker or professional proficiency
Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capabilities
Open to international time zone flexibility when responding to important or time sensitive matters

Preferred:

Experience in startups or rapid-growth environments
Knowledge of UK and European philanthropic landscape
Background in marine conservation, environmental, or animal welfare fundraising
Experience with Salesforce CRM platform and nonprofit cloud solutions

Personal Attributes:

Entrepreneurial mindset with ability to work in flexible, fast-paced environments - can zoom out and get hands dirty
Strong management and interpersonal skills
Results-oriented with attention to detail
Collaborative leadership style
Process creator with systematic approach to building efficient operations
Passion for marine conservation and Sea Shepherd's mission to defend ocean wildlife

Stichting Sea Shepherd Global

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Director of Development