NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C. 

Position Summary

NRDC is seeking a Development Chief of Staff (DCOS) who will assist the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and Deputy Chief Development Officer (Deputy CDO) in providing leadership and oversight for the Development Department’s major initiatives, systems overhauls, trends analysis, strategic planning, and quality control. The DCOS will be part advisor, part gatekeeper, part problem solver, and part all-round strategic partner to the CDO, Deputy CDO and Development Core Team to develop strategies and systems to help grow, advance, and foster a best in class, best in practice, efficient philanthropy department that resources NRDC at the highest levels possible, providing a holistic and positive experience for donors, foundations and other giving entities at all levels. The role will have both internal and external-facing responsibilities, ranging from liaising with Development departments at peer organizations, managing contract consultants, and board and donor interactions to data analysis, strategic planning, organization and department wide training, systems implementation such as Moves Management, project management and other duties as assigned. This position reports to the Deputy CDO.

The ideal candidate will handle complex situations and multiple responsibilities simultaneously, mixing long-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands. He/she/they must also have the demonstrated management capabilities and ability to deal with highly confidential information and act as a liaison between the CDO/DCDO and other constituencies, both internal and external. He/she/they must exhibit the skills to collaborate with and achieve actionable results through others, the ability to build strong and sustainable relationships, and the capability to interact within all levels of the organization.

• Maintain, build, and improve continuous lines of communication within the Department, keeping the CDO and DCDO informed of all critical issues.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with Development staff and teams and take steps to ensure maximum efficiency, harmony, and good workflow.
• Design, build and oversee the implementation and effective operation of Moves Management within the department.
• Direct Supervision of the CDO executive assistant, the Director of Moves Management, and the Director of Development, Strategy and Administration.
• Build and maintain positive relationships across the organization and facilitate communication across departments.
• Oversee and project manage cross department joint initiatives on behalf of Development.
• Participate as a member of the Development Core Team
• Assess, track and coordinate the Development training needs of the department and related sub teams. Act as a resource for helping secure outside training resources or in house training opportunities, such as Strategic Gifts training.
• Oversee and manage short- and long-term strategic planning for the Department and any related activities of Development within the larger organization
• In partnership with the Donor Systems data analyst, analyze and present quarterly trend reports to the Development Core Team and Executive Leadership Team.
• Work in partnership with the CDO and DCDO to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they bubble up to the CDO.
• In partnership with Corporate Counsel, oversee the update and creation of Department wide policies where needed such as the Fundraiser’s Bill of Rights, Gift Acceptance Policies and anything related to labor relations or unionization.
• Executive project management: act on the authority of the CDO and DCDO to oversee projects that typically require cross-functional collaboration and resource allocation.
• Provide ad-hoc analysis and decision support.

The Development Chief of Staff will have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and at least 6-8 years of experience in Development administration. The ideal candidate will have the acumen and finesse to handle complex situations and multiple responsibilities simultaneously, mixing long-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands. He/she/they must possess exceptional judgment and communication skills and must exhibit the skills to collaborate with and achieve actionable results through others, the ability to build strong and sustainable relationships, and the capability to interact within all levels of the organization and with external constituents.

Additional requirements for the position are:

• Knowledge of and skills in financial management and strategic planning
• Expertise in project management
• Demonstrated managerial experience
• Knowledge of and proficiency in Excel, Database systems such as Salesforce or Blackbaud products, and the MS Office suite
• Demonstrated experience in the fundraising system of Moves Management
• Excellent writing skills
• Knowledge and basic awareness of human resource policies and organization risk management
• Strong EQ with an orientation toward service centered leadership
• Maintains a work life/balance and has a good sense of humor
• Draws energy from building and growing institutions and departments.
• Open to change and has the stamina and willingness to travel as needed
• Strong interest in the mission of the Natural Resources and Defense Council

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $178,000 to $205,000.  

Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, and we ask them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues. We call this purposeful presence. 

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. 

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. 

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422. 

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.