Senior Development Officer

Summary

This Senior Development Officer leads Minnesota Land Trust’s planned giving program and plays a key role in expanding the organization’s major gift and fundraising efforts during a period of strategic growth. In partnership with the Director of Development and Communications and the CEO, this role develops and executes strategies to grow legacy commitments, supports donors considering estate, real estate, and other asset-based gifts, and ensures strong stewardship and accurate documentation.

The position also manages a portfolio of major and corporate donors, contributes to special campaigns, and collaborates across teams to help build the fundraising capacity required to achieve MLT’s strategic goal of conserving an additional 100,000 acres of land over the next 10 years. The ideal candidate is a relationship-driven fundraiser who brings sound judgment, collaborative leadership, and a commitment to continuous learning in support of long-term conservation impact.

All employees of the Minnesota Land Trust are expected to embrace the ideals of our organization’s values and incorporate our values into their ongoing work. All employees should be familiar with the current values statement.

• Lead Minnesota Land Trust’s planned giving program in partnership with the Director of Development & Communications and CEO, supporting the development of clear messaging, materials, and outreach strategies to grow legacy commitments.
• Design and execute outreach strategies that expand planned giving interest and participation among key donor segments.
• Ensure timely, personalized follow-up for individuals requesting planned giving information or indicating MLT has been included in their estate plans.
• Develop and implement strategies to engage land and property owners in gifting real estate emphasizing conservation impact, tax advantages, and donor legacy.
• Serve as a knowledgeable internal and donor-facing resource for real estate and asset-based gifts
• Manage the welcome, recognition, and ongoing stewardship of legacy donors.
• Ensure all planned giving commitments are accurately documented, maintained, and tracked in Virtuous CRM, including Declarations of Intent and estimated future gift values.

• Manage and grow a portfolio of 75+ individual and institutional donors qualified from a broader prospect pool, with emphasis on donors capable of giving $10,000 or more annually and cultivating larger, multi-year commitments.
• Conduct regular discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings, both independently and in collaboration with other development and leadership staff.
• Develop and continually refine personal contact and ask plan for each portfolio donor (including target ask amounts and timing goals) that considers the individual donor’s passions, interests, motivations, giving patterns and ask preferences. Execute the plan so that individuals in the portfolio are retained and upgraded.
• Develop and execute institutional fundraising strategies, including securing sponsor ships, partnerships, and philanthropic contributions from businesses to support MLT events and initiatives.

• Support lead special fundraising campaigns and initiatives. Work with MLT program staff to secure appropriate project information such as budgets and impact stories to create custom communications and proposals that will be used to solicit and steward donors.
• Utilize Virtuous CRM and other tools to effectively track prospect and donor engagement and optimize the experience for MLT donors.
• Support and occasionally coordinate donor-centered stewardship events and experiences that deepen relationships and reinforce long-term engagement.
• Collaborate closely with the broader Development & Communications team to ensure continuity and alignment across all fundraising and engagement efforts.
• Serve as a senior leader on the major and planned giving team, maximizing donor engagement and revenue through collaboration and shared strategy.

• Deep understanding of philanthropic motivations, donor psychology, and…