We created Center for Native Ecosystems seven years ago to meet a critical need in our region:  to protect the imperiled plants and wildlife of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.  We value the clean water, fresh air, healthy communities, sources of food and medicine, and recreational opportunities provided by native biological diversity.  We also passionately believe that all species and their natural communities have the right to exist and thrive.

We have grown our budget and staff capacity in every year since our inception and have established a reputation as a lean and extremely effective advocate for native species and habitat across the region.  With a staff of five and an annual budget of $300,000, we now seek to hire a dedicated development staffer.  The Development Associate’s primary responsibilities will be to manage our membership program, coordinate our grant and major donor programs, and some administrative tasks in support of the organization. We will consider applicants interested in working between half- and full-time.

Job Description

The Development Associate will have three main areas of responsibility.

Membership:
•    Manage and maintain our membership database.
•    Develop and implement member retention and growth strategies.
•    Develop and implement our member action program.
•    Coordinate member communications including newsletters and thank you letters.
•    Organize membership and other special events.

Grants and Major Donor Program:
•    Foundation and major donor prospect research.
•    Plan, schedule, and manage existing grants and reporting requirements.
•    Prepare major donor materials.
•    Plan and schedule donor cultivation efforts.
•    Edit and provide input into outgoing grants and foundation correspondence.

Administrative Support
•    Recruit and coordinate our volunteers.
•    Supervise our administrative assistant.
•    Miscellaneous office and administrative management projects.

The Development Associate will work closely with the Executive Director and sometimes other staff.

Qualifications

A passion for protecting native species and ecosystems, extremely strong organizational and teamwork skills, computer literacy, and a sense of humor are essential.  You must also be extremely detail- and accuracy oriented.  We have a strong preference for someone with one to three years of membership or general development experience, fundraising creativity and fearlessness, and strong writing and communication skills.  Experience with Salesforce or another CRM or fundraising database, a demonstrated commitment to conservation advocacy, and experience with emerging internet technologies are also valuable. 

Salary:  Low- to mid-thirties (or equivalent if less than full-time) depending on experience, with benefits.

Applications:  Send letter, resume, references, and writing sample to Center for Native Ecosystems, 1536 Wynkoop St., Suite 302, Denver CO 80202.  Applications must be received by November 17, 2006.  Send inquiries to cne@nativeecosystems.org.