Director of Development and Communications

December 2024 | Remote, MD
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PEER seeks a Director of Development and Communications to build upon a development program with a strong foundation, championing an urgent mission to support societal leaders who are fighting to protect the environment, scientific integrity, and the rights of public employees.

About PEER

Addressing some of society’s most pressing environmental and governance issues, there is no other organization in the country utilizing the approach that Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is taking in this space. PEER supports current and former federal, state, local, and tribal employees who seek a higher standard of environmental ethics and scientific integrity within their agencies. PEER accomplishes this by defending whistleblowers, shining the light on improper or illegal government actions, working to improve laws and regulations, and supporting the work of other organizations. The organization has supported public health professionals, land managers, scientists, enforcement-officers and other civil servants dedicated to upholding environmental laws and values. All of PEER’s services are provided pro bono, without charge. Through PEER, public servants can choose to work as “anonymous activists” so that public agencies must confront the message, rather than the messenger. PEER’s guiding objectives aim to:

• Organize a broad base of support among employees within local, state, and federal agencies.
• Monitor agencies by serving as a “watch dog” for the public interest.
• Inform the administration, Congress, state officials, media and the public about substantive environmental, natural resource, and public health issues of concern to PEER members.
• Defend and strengthen the legal rights of public employees who speak out about issues concerning natural resource management and environmental protection, providing free legal assistance when necessary.

PEER’s work is urgent. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and toxic pollution are all occurring in the context of governments’ weakening ability to address these crises. Causes include a decline in scientific integrity in government, the capture of many government agencies by special interests, and rising distrust in many parts of the country of government programs and agencies. PEER’s strategic plan articulates the organization’s goals, strategies, and initiatives to achieve a timely and imperative mission.

Since 1992, PEER has fought to protect public employees and have done so through Democratic and Republican administrations in a strictly non-partisan manner. As the organization prepares for a second Trump administration, PEER is clear-eyed about the threats the administration will pose to the country’s civil service and the environment. In the past eight years, PEER has worked with employees in many federal agencies and their subdivisions, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Military and will continue to do so, defending government workers’ First Amendment rights and upholding laws that govern civil service and protect the environment.

For more information about PEER, please visit www.peer.org.

About Philanthropy at PEER

PEER has been driving a successful $1.4M+ development program with a strong foundation of support, primarily from foundations, as well as loyal individual donors. The organization intentionally does not accept contributions from government or corporate sources, given the nature of their work. PEER is also supported by litigation and legal awards from cases, as well as other investments. With strong foundation relationships and a steadily growing monthly giving program, PEER has an opportunity to develop and grow its major and planned giving efforts to set the organization up for long-term fundraising success. Over the past three years, the development department has grown to a team of four led by the Director of Development and Communications, including an Institutional Giving Manager, Development Manager, and a Digital Media Associate.

About the Position

PEER is seeking a dynamic and ambitious Director of Development and Communications (DODC) to lead the organization’s fundraising and communication efforts. This position is responsible for crafting and executing a comprehensive development strategy, leading the development and communications team, managing donor relations, overseeing grant applications, and expanding revenue sources including growing PEER’s nascent major giving and legacy giving program.

The Director will be leading PEER’s communications strategy, enhancing donor communications, case visibility through the media, digital platforms, and public relations to amplify PEER’s impact.

The DODC also collaborates closely with the Executive Director to align messaging with mission objectives, oversees content creation, and ensures consistent voice for organizational communications.

The ideal DODC should have significant foundation and individual giving experience, as well as a strong command of development communications skills to be successful. A member of the senior leadership team, this position will require strong leadership, organizational, strategic thinking, and relationship-building skills. Candidates should demonstrate a proven track record of managing a development team remotely and have a strong passion for environmental protection and good governance. While PEER is physically based in Maryland, this is a remote position within the United States, reporting directly to the Executive Director, Tim Whitehouse.

Key Responsibilities

Development Leadership (65%)

• Responsible for leadership of the organization’s overall fundraising strategy, and for establishing and achieving annual philanthropy goals and objectives in accordance with the organization’s mission and development operations plan.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with key donors, prospects, and constituents, including individuals as well as foundations.
• Oversee the identification, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts, ensuring personalized engagement and communication. Develop and execute strategies for growing the major gifts portfolio, including setting goals and tracking progress.
• Develop and implement comprehensive development strategies, including major gifts, annual giving, end of year campaigns, individual giving, and legacy giving.
• Research, identify, and help realize new funding opportunities, using CRM tools.
• Assess and analyze the effectiveness of fundraising campaigns and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Collaborate with and oversee development responsibilities of fellow staff, board volunteers, and contractors and prepare regular reports on fundraising progress, trends, and outcomes for leadership and board meetings.

Communications Leadership (20%)

• Working closely with the Executive Director, develop and work with the team to implement a comprehensive communications strategy to build brand awareness, engage the community, and position PEER as a leader in its field.
• Oversee content creation for various channels (website, social media, newsletters, press releases, and donor communications) to ensure consistency and alignment with the organization’s mission and messaging.
• Collaborate closely with the Executive Director to set and execute development objectives aligned with PEER’s mission and strategic plan.
• Establish measurable goals and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate and optimize the success of fundraising efforts.
• Work with the development team to plan and execute successful special events as needed.

Senior Leadership Team Responsibilities (15%)

• Work closely with the Executive Director and Board Development Committee to lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of current and prospective donors, both individual and institutional.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and participate in organization-wide initiatives such as strategic planning, leadership surveys, conduct performance reviews of supervising staff, and process improvements overall.
• Manage the Development and Communications team, lead weekly meetings and 1:1 check-ins, and serve as an internal advocate for the team’s goals and needs.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to establish annual goals and long-term strategic plans that align with PEER’s mission.
• Prepare and manage the development and communications budget, ensuring cost-effectiveness and alignment with organizational goals.

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated non-profit development and leadership experience, with 7+ years of successfully soliciting individual gifts and foundation gifts.
• Consistent, demonstrated success in soliciting and closing at least 5-figure gifts, with 6+ figure gift experience strongly preferred.
• Planned giving expertise strongly preferred.
• Proven management experience, especially in a remote work arrangement.
• Understanding of scientific, legal, political, and/or other related subject matter preferred.
• Experience with juggling multiple priorities in a fast-paced non-profit environment with strong organizational, project management, leadership skills, and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Preferred experience working with a geographically dispersed organization across time zones.
• Advanced fluency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with Bloomerang CRM or other donor databases a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree or higher preferred in non-profit management, communications, development, or a related field.
  

Compensation: The annual salary range for this position is $90,000 – $110,000, commensurate with experience. PEER offers a generous benefits package, including 13 paid holidays, up to 20 days of vacation time a year, 10 sick days, 5 bereavement days, and 3 weeks of family leave per year. A comprehensive heath benefits package is offered, as well as 5% match on retirement contributions.

PEER is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical​​​ condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or ​expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law

If you are interested in being considered for this search, please use the form below to submit your cover letter and resume in confidence.

Melanie O’Keefe

Development Guild