The Land Institute
Vice President, Strategic Advancement
Location: Negotiable
Full Time
About the Organization
The Land Institute is a science-based organization with a mission. The Land, as it is affectionately called,
was founded by geneticist Wes Jackson as a nonprofit organization in 1976 and set itself on a 50- to 100year journey to solve the oldest, and now global, environmental problem: the 10,000-year-old problem
of agriculture. The current agricultural paradigm takes a short-term approach and is heavily dependent
on chemical applications and petroleum, and still prone to soil erosion and degradation. The Land
Institute aims to change that. Through strategic application of genetics, plant breeding, and ecology, The
Land Institute aims to shift agriculture to a new paradigm, one that brings more of the processes of
nature’s grasslands to grain production and replaces annual grain monocultures with perennial grain
polycultures. The Land Institute believes we must use nature’s ecosystems as the standard or measure if
we are to build, hold, and protect soil. Humanity’s future depends on productive soil, the stuff of which
we are all made.
Headquartered in Salina, KS, the organization has grown over the years to its current cadre of six Ph.D.
level scientists at work on plant breeding and ecology, who, in collaboration with several colleagues
worldwide, have achieved significant positive results. Results from The Land’s research have recently
captured the attention of the Natural Resource Council of the National Academy of Sciences, The Royal
Society, and World Bank officials who have visited The Land on several occasions. The Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations hosted a perennial grains workshop in Rome in
2014 for twenty-eight geneticists from around the world, including three from The Land Institute. In
October 2014, The Land Institute hosted fifty scientists for a week-long workshop on “Ecological
Intensification through Perennial Grains” at Estes Park, Colorado. Most attendees were emerging
leaders in the sciences of in plant breeding, genetics, ecology, microbiology, and soil science. The Land is
clearly the intellectual home for addressing the research challenges of this new global paradigm.
To learn more about the organization, please visit www.landinstitute.org.
Vice President, Strategic Advancement
The Vice President, Strategic Advancement will play a central role in developing and managing The Land
Institute’s strategic gifts program during a period of unprecedented growth. The successful candidate
will be both passionate about the organization’s mission and motivated to effect change, and will
possess the creativity and energy to grow and nurture a nationwide donor base. The Land Institute has
recently been notified of two, multi-year, seven-figure gifts. Building on this momentum, the Vice
President, Strategic Advancement, working closely with the development team, including the President
and Vice President, will identify, cultivate, and solicit major contributions to build the Land Institute’s
capacity for a sustainable future beyond the decade-plus duration of these transformational gifts.
This position requires a resourceful and articulate person able to communicate to a variety of audiences
The Land’s message of what a paradigm shift to perennial grain mixtures implies. The right individual will
not only expand his or her skills in major gifts fundraising but also have the chance to grow with the
organization. This is a senior level position, with the potential for advancement to a position of broader
leadership, upon demonstrated success in resource development. S/he will report to the President, but
will work closely with the development staff.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The Vice President, Strategic Advancement will perform the following and other duties as assigned:
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Develop deep understanding of organizational mission, goals, and priorities; maintain strong
working knowledge of current challenges, opportunities, and funding needs.
Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects in the range of $25,000-$1,000,000, stewarding
long-term relationships by acknowledging past support, encouraging future gifts at equal or
greater levels, and successfully closing on solicitations.
Identify and cultivate new donor prospects capable of supporting The Land on an annual basis
with contributions in the range of $25,000-$1,000,000.
Play a leadership role in The Land’s philanthropy planning, working closely with senior staff and
board members on strategic development of long term funding goals and the steps to achieve
them.
Cultivate prospects by effectively telling the organization’s story through public speaking
engagements.
As appropriate, identify prospective donors for deferred gifts or capital campaign gifts; utilize
knowledge of planned giving options to provide donors with strategic deferred gift ideas for
consideration with their financial advisors.
Travel extensively, nationwide, to develop and sustain donor relations and solicit gifts.
Steward important relationships with personal visits, phone calls and correspondence, and
maintain careful records of contact.
Assist in development of materials in support of solicitation and cultivation efforts.
Document and monitor activities and results, using SAGE database.
Work with development staff and volunteers to identify new prospects and develop and
implement strategies for initiating new relationships.
Continuously educate current and new donors and prospects about the mission and the status
of the work; stay abreast of external developments and trends related to the work.
Plan and host major donor and prospective donor functions at The Land’s Salina-based research
facility and farm.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will have the following minimum qualifications:
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5-7 years’ experience working with major donors, with a proven track record in successfully
soliciting gifts in the 5-6 figure range
Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree in a relevant field a plus
Familiarity with environmental issues such as climate change and land use practices and an
understanding of such issues’ impact on agricultural practices (and, more importantly, vice
versa) highly desirable
Familiarity with marketing strategies, internal and external communications, and the use of
social media desirable
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Creativity, energy, confidence, a desire to engage in an intellectually stimulating work
environment, and eagerness to contribute ideas to address opportunities or challenges
Ability to “manage up,” ensuring that senior staff and board members are engaged and
supported as needed with their assigned donor portfolios
Familiarity with donor management systems (knowledge of SAGE preferred)
Strong communication skills, both written and oral, and a strong command of the English
language
Ability to develop good rapport and long-term relationships with people of various backgrounds
and levels of education
Appreciation of The Land Institute and its mission
Ability to work well with others throughout the organization to build positive teamwork
Flexibility and willingness to adjust one’s schedule to meet the demands of the organization
Willingness to spend significant time at Land Institute’s primary location in Salina, Kansas,
becoming familiar with TLI’s work and staff
Ability and willingness to travel up to 40% of the time
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation a plus
Compensation and Location
The Land Institute offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate
with experience. Location of this position is negotiable and requires regular and extensive travel
throughout the United States. Easy access to a major airport is essential.
To Apply
To be considered for this position, interested candidates must follow the link below to submit a resume,
cover letter, and salary requirements. CEA Recruiting is assisting The Land Institute with this search.
Please direct all applications and inquiries to CEA Recruiting. This position will remain open until filled.
http://job.ceaconsulting.com/jobs/vice-president-strategic-advancement-flexible--24848
The Land Institute is an equal opportunity employer.
CEA Recruiting works with leading environmental nonprofits, foundations, and businesses to recruit top
talent and design effective organizational staffing strategies. For more information,
visit www.cearecruiting.com.