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Full and part-time positions

Development Director.

In Defense of Animals (IDA), an international animal protection organization, is seeking a dynamic and experienced Development Director. The mission of IDA is to protect the rights, welfare, and habitats of animals. IDA's efforts include educational outreach, cruelty investigations, advocacy, and hands-on rescue. Through IDA’s chimpanzee sanctuary in Cameroon, Africa, veterinary clinics in Mumbai, India, and a 64-acre sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals in rural Mississippi, IDA's work on behalf of animals spans the globe.

  • Position title: Development Director
  • Location: San Rafael
  • Department: Development Department
  • Reporting to: President
  • Status: Regular, full-time, and FLSA exempt
  • Salary Range: DOE with benefits

JOB SUMMARY:

The Development Director is responsible for the implementation and assessment of a multi-faceted fundraising plan. Areas of financial management and direction include: direct mail, planned giving, major gifts, donor cultivation, database management, special events, budgeting, foundation/corporate giving solicitation, online fundraising and grant writing. As a private non-profit organization, IDA relies on the generosity of its donors to fund our critical work and expand our annual budget. The Development Director works closely with the President, Management Team and Board of Directors to initiate creative new fundraising avenues for the future.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Direct, manage, and oversee all aspects of IDA's fundraising department.
  • Develop, monitor and manage comprehensive annual fundraising goals. Identify new sources of funding.
  • Increase high donor giving through solicitation, cultivation and stewardship. Develop resources and tools to support the Board of Directors, President and other key staff and supporters in soliciting major gifts.
  • Oversee and expand bequests, major gifts and planned giving programs.
  • Research, identify and solicit foundation prospects. Develop, write and track grant proposals and manage reporting requirements.
  • Increase online giving opportunities.
  • Manage development staff and function as part of management team. Help create annual budget and work with staff to keep within targets.
  • Oversee additional development programs, such as workplace giving, United Way, CFC, and car donations.
  • Work with key staff to solicit funds, in-kind gifts and the donation of proceeds from the socially responsible business sector.
  • Work with key staff to develop annual report, magazine and other donor-related publications.
  • Provide training, resources and communications to support and encourage Board-driven fundraising efforts.
  • Oversee the operations of the development department including:
    • Managing the department budget
    • Leading an engaged development team though empowerment, employee development and best practices
    • Ensuring all donors and funders are thanked and stewarded in a professional and timely manner
    • Formulating donor messaging and timely communications in collaboration with the communications team
    • Maintaining a thorough and current knowledge of IDA’s programs, campaign successes and strategies
    • Participating in strategic planning, management meetings and training sessions
    • Ensuring a safe and healthy workplace
    • Assist the President with other duties as required.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Five or more years of development experience with individual and institutional donors;
  • Experience in identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major gifts in the $5,000 to $50,000+ range;
  • Expertise at writing fundraising letters for the purpose of direct mail solicitation.
  • Strong leadership and management skills. Experience managing and coaching staff;
  • Outstanding analytical, writing, and oral presentation skills;
  • Demonstrated track record in all aspects of nonprofit fundraising (annual planning, membership programs, planned giving, events and grant writing);
  • Strong organizational and time management skills;
  • Must possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with a team.
  • Expertise in donor database use. Experience with Salesforce is a plus;
  • Mastery of basic computer skills (MS Office Suite, Internet, etc).
  • Strong work ethic and passion for the mission of the organization. Knowledge of animal rights and animal welfare issues, progressive funders and grassroots activism is a plus;

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE:

  • 5+ years of progressively more responsible development position with nonprofit organization/s.
  • Experience supervising and managing a professional staff.

EDUCATION:

  • Bachelors Degree in Business or a related field preferred.
  • Masters in Business or a related field preferred.

How to Apply:

To apply please use job code 'DEVDIR' in subject line of email and submit cover letter detailing your qualifications for the position, writing samples, resume and your salary history and requirement by email to employment@idausa.org. IDA is not seeking any development consultants at this time. Please, no phone calls. Open until filled. www.idausa.org

Internships

Volunteer Positions

Volunteers are always needed at In Defense of Animals! We have many volunteer positions within our world headquarters in San Rafael, California, and just as many virtual volunteer positions. If you want to make a difference for animals around the world, we can use you to do anything from office tasks to activism to marketing (and much more).

Please email volunteer@idausa.org or call 415.448.0048 to find out how you can make a difference for animals in need, and make sure to sign up for our action alerts for local issues, events and other opportunities to help In Defense of Animals: http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/join.html

IDA needs the help of caring and compassionate volunteers like you. Here's just some of our open volunteer positions:

Admin Support

Do you like to be around people who share your love of animals? Do you want to do meaningful work in a stimulating office environment with like-minded people? Our administrative support team is the foundation to In Defense of Animals' work and is looking for volunteers to make IDA's efforts even more powerful. If you can bring your aptitude for spreadsheet updates, mail merges, database maintenance, written and phone correspondence, filing, and other like tasks to In Defense of Animals, then we need you to become an integral part of our efforts to be a voice for the voiceless. This position is located in our headquarters in San Rafael, California and we ask for a minimum weekly commitment of two hours. Who knew that data entry could feel so good?

Skills desired: Previous office experience and a fluency with Microsoft Office.

Pluses: A love of animals, a sense of humor, and an appreciation for vegan snacks.

Animal Abuse Investigators

In Defense of Animals is looking for motivated and friendly volunteers to research reported animal abuse instances that are called into our headquarters. Do you have experience working against animal cruelty? Do you want to work within the guidelines and support of IDA to assist the public? Do you love to help people help animals? This could be the ideal volunteer position for you! Please contact us to find out how you can help make a difference and be the first line of defense for animals around the world. This position is located in our headquarters in San Rafael, California, although background research can be done from anywhere.

Skills desired: Knowledge of animal cruelty laws (or willingness to learn) and good empathy and communication skills when interfacing with the public.

Pluses: Experience in the field, a love of animals, a sense of humor, and an appreciation for vegan snacks.

Graphic Designer

If you have an eye for beauty and a heart for animals, please consider using your graphic design talents to help stop animal exploitation and abuse. In Defense of Animals is looking for a skilled and motivated volunteer who can create high-end and beautiful banners to match event themes and concepts and/or work on powerful HTML email letter design. Banners will be posted on the IDA website, MySpace, and other partner sites and emails will be widely distributed to help get the word out about important animal events and issues. If you have a strong understanding of design concepts, and can create a beautiful banner or powerful HTML email design on a fairly fast turn-around, please talk to us about how you can support IDA from the comfort of your own home. This position is remote.

Skills desired: Should be fluent in Photoshop, hold a strong understanding and love of design, and have a portfolio of work.

Internet

If you have a computer and will cyber-travel, please consider being an Internet volunteer with In Defense of Animals! Some cyber opportunities include testing links on IDA's web pages or helping to maintain the accuracy of our website information; maintaining and posting IDA sanctuary Project Hope’s animals on web-based adoption sites; or posting My Space banners. If you have a mouse, a modem and a dream, please consider being an Internet volunteer for IDA. This position can be remote or in our San Rafael offices, and requires a minimum time commitment of two hours per week.

Skills desired: Must be able to navigate web pages and have access to the Internet.

Literature Fulfillment

Are you a bookworm who loves all other worms, walruses and wombats If you believe that knowledge is power and education is key and you want to make a difference for animals around the world, please consider helping In Defense of Animals send out informational materials. Help us change the world one worm, one walrus, one wombat and one package at a time. Our Lit Fulfillment volunteers fulfill literature orders, keep inventory, and use IDA's mailroom to package orders. This position is based in our San Rafael offices, and requires a minimum time commitment of two hours per week. Has fulfillment always felt this fulfilling?

Skills desired: Attention to detail and organizational prowess.

Pluses: A love of animals, a sense of humor, and an appreciation for vegan snacks.

Reception

In Defense of Animals is looking for friendly and enthusiastic volunteers to greet our guests, answer our phones, take messages, give out information on and from IDA, forward calls from the public to our staff, and make thank you calls! If you have a good phone voice and love to talk to people, this could be the ideal volunteer position for you. Please contact us to find out how you can help make a difference and be the first line of defense for animals around the world. This position is located in our headquarters in San Rafael, California.

Pluses: A love of animals, a sense of humor, and an appreciation for vegan snacks.

Researcher

In Defense of Animals is seeking individuals with solid research skills to help with IDA's Reallocation project. Our Reallocation project asks that all institutions which sustain and promote scientific research implement a dedicated plan for re-directing funds and resources away from projects involving animals and apply them to non-animal methods. IDA's Reallocation Initiative proposes that a minimal five percent annual reallocation of funding and resources be applied toward non-animal technologies.

We are looking for skilled researchers with backgrounds in scientific and/or biomedical research to research biotech companies which do not use animals and are developing animal free methods, and to research and create a summary of Nobel prizes over the past 10-20 years in science and medicine that were awarded to projects not using animals. We can also use individuals who have performed in-depth research at the college or graduate level to work on a variety of other projects. If you have a background in research and want to make a difference for animals suffering in laboratories, please contact us to see how you can help.

Skills desired: An academic and/or professional background in research.

Pluses: A background in scientific or biomedical research, and a university affiliation and access to a university library.

Tabling/Outreach

Do you have a love of animals, education, and outreach? In Defense of Animals is looking for committed, social, confident and dedicated people to represent IDA at events and cities around the country. Studies have shown that people respond best to new ideas when approached in a respectful, empathic and nonjudgmental manner. We ask that our tabling team be able to bring these skills to the table! We ask that our volunteers work hard, not be afraid to schlep, appreciate teamwork, and also be able to enjoy some perks. Our tabling team receives free entry to events and the opportunity to have some fun. Outreach can also include leafleting and demo opportunities; please let us know you preferred area of interest. We ask that our outreach volunteers act as IDA representatives, and be able and willing to learn about IDA campaigns, programs, and history to share with the public.

Skills desired: Should love all animals, including humans, and be able to communicate in an articulate, respectful, empathic and nonjudgmental manner.

Writer

In Defense of Animals is looking for some adept and experienced writers to take our work to the next level. Our writers are integral to our work in educating and alerting the public to breaking issues that affect animals around the world. IDA is seeking skilled writers to work on a variety of projects, including press releases, news alerts, brochures, web pages, blogs, and advocacy letters. If you are looking to expand your portfolio and help some animals, please consider this opportunity! This position can be remote and project-based.

Skills desired: Stellar writing abilities, a solid understanding of animal rights, and a portfolio of writing samples to share.