Job Description
Director of Advancement
Plymouth, VT
Full-Time Hybrid Role- Remote and Onsite
The Opportunity:
The Director of Advancement is an essential leadership position within a dynamic, dual entity organization: Farm & Wilderness Foundation (FWF) operates six summer camps, off season rentals, and a small-scale farm; and Farm & Wilderness Conservation (FWC) preserves and protects two water bodies (Woodward Reservoir and Lake Ninevah) and surrounding land spanning over 5,000 acres for low impact recreation, outdoor education and wildlife habitat. Additionally, FWC holds all the land and buildings of FWF, and supports community education programming, aquatic greeter programs for each water body, and land management. A shared board structure supports both Farm & Wilderness entities.
Reporting to and working in close partnership with the Executive Director, the Director of Advancement will foster a culture of philanthropy and lead all fundraising and advancement initiatives to support the long-term sustainability of Farm & Wilderness. This position requires an agile leader who enjoys a variety in their work due to the nature of the in-season/off-season cycle of summer camps, including working with a small tight-knit crew of 21 year-round staff that increases by almost 250 staff in the summer.
Compensation : $90,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience, plus a generous benefit package
Work location: Plymouth, VT. This role is required to work in our Main Office 1-2 days per week year-round. 3-4 days per week can be done remotely.
Job Type: This is full-time exempt position.
Company Scale: 5MM annual operating budget with 21-year-round employees
Are you a match?
Farm & Wilderness has been engaging in joyful play and purposeful work with young people in the Green Mountains of Vermont for over 85 years. The community it has built is one of its greatest assets. Generations of campers, families, and alumni are motivated by the mission and their own personal transformations, and this translates into a deeply engaged and motivated donor base.
The Director of Advancement will drive our annual $1M fundraising goal, ~90 % for FWF, with an intentional focus on our Affordable for All Initiative, and ~10% on behalf of FWC, and bring a unified vision to fundraising, marketing, communications, and alumni engagement across the organization. At F&W, our staff are designers and builders in equal measure — a well-crafted campaign is not just a hand-off, it gets executed by the same person who designed it, in close partnership with a small, committed team. If you are energized by both the strategy and the work itself, by deep community relationships and the satisfaction of personally seeing a plan through to the finish line, this is a remarkable place to do that work.
Job Responsibilities
Direct Reports: Development Operations Manager, Marketing Director & Major Gifts Officer, a fundraising volunteer, and two part-time seasonal Development & Communications associates
Advancement Strategy & Leadership
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Refine and implement an integrated advancement plan across operations, community and alumni engagement, events, marketing and communications - ensuring alignment across all functions.
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Oversee and drive multi-year fundraising strategies aligned with the organizational mission and priorities.
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Serve as an ad hoc member of the F&W leadership team and contribute to organizational strategy and long-term planning.
Fundraising & Donor Engagement
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Oversee all fundraising activities for both Farm & Wilderness Foundation and Farm & Wilderness Conservation, including major gifts, annual giving, and grants.
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Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors to secure significant contributions (five to six figures) and long-term support.
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Lead creation of spring and fall funding appeals and oversee donor acknowledgments.
Team Leadership & Operations
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Supervise development, marketing, and communications staff, fostering a collaborative and mission-centered team culture.
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Lead departmental planning, budgeting, and performance tracking.
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Oversee development operations, including donor database management, tracking systems, reporting, and prospect research.
Board & Volunteer Partnership
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Partner closely with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and development committee to guide fundraising strategy and execution.
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Support and engage board members in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
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Partner with board committees and volunteer leaders to strengthen engagement and results.
Communications, Marketing & Alumni Relations
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Oversee donor communications including the publication process (e.g., annual reports, donor appeals, newsletters, and campaign materials) to clearly communicate FWF and FWC’s mission and impact.
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Work with staff to solicit content for publications including all-community messages.
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Ensure alignment of marketing and communications with fundraising and institutional goals.
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Refine and strengthen alumni and community engagement strategies to deepen long-term relationships with FWF and FWC.
Events & External Engagement
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Oversee donor cultivation and stewardship events with interdepartmental staff support and execution (e.g., Fair, GOAT hikes, alumni events).
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Serve as an ambassador for FWF and FWC with donors, alumni, and external partners.
Work Schedule
The Director of Advancement’s work schedule is generally Monday- Friday, regular office hours, however there will be some scheduled events and meetings (for example Staff Retreat, Board Meetings, Events) that the Director is required to attend, some of which will be scheduled during evenings and weekends.
Qualifications
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job successfully. If you do not fit this description perfectly but believe that you would be a good fit for this position, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or apply. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Required
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Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
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5–7 years of fundraising, advancement, or related experience
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Demonstrated success securing major gifts and achieving fundraising goals
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Ability to do short donor and event trips in the greater New England area, 1-2 days per event.
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Strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills
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Experience working with boards, volunteers, or community stakeholders
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Previous management experience
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Exceptional writing, storytelling, and communication skills
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Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines
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Comfort and confidence in external-facing roles, including donor meetings, funder engagement, and representing the organization in public or partner settings
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Analysis skills including making recommendations from data
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Relationship-centered approach with track record of building authentic donor and partner connections
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Ability to collaborate across departments and adapt in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
Preferred
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Experience with capital campaigns and major gift strategy
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Strong CRM fluency; we use Raiser's Edge NXT, HubSpot, and Omatic
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Experience with Microsoft 365 Software and Canva
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Experience overseeing communications or advancement functions
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Alignment with the mission of Farm & Wilderness
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Strong written/electronic/graphic presentation skills
Compensation & Benefits
In addition to competitive pay, Farm & Wilderness offers the opportunity to be part of a dedicated team who are guided by our values and the idea that work is love made visible and believes in the power of experiential education. In support of our staff and their families, we provide comprehensive top-notch benefits.
Full-time, year-round staff employment benefits include:
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Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance, and a Flexible Spending Account
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401(k) plan with a 2:1 match up to 6%
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Employer-paid life and AD&D.
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Paid vacation and sick time; 12 paid holidays
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Significant tuition discount for children enrolled in F&W camps.
Organizational Summary:
Farm & Wilderness Foundation (summer camp operator) is a non-profit, educational organization operating six summer camp programs for children and young adults, a family camp, and a farm and facilities rental business. Set on a beautiful 500-acre campus in the Green Mountains of Vermont, F&W programs are rich in adventure, community, and history. Farm & Wilderness Conservation, formerly the Ninevah Foundation, is a registered conservation agency responsible for nearly 5000 acres in Plymouth and nearby communities. Farm & Wilderness Foundation and Farm & Wilderness Conservation are separate non-profit entities overseen by one Executive Director and Board of Trustees. To learn more about the history of Farm & Wilderness and Farm & Wilderness Conservation, go here: Farm & Wilderness Conservation.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community and welcome individuals of all backgrounds and experiences.
Farm & Wilderness (F&W/FWC) is an equal opportunity employer. No employee or applicant for employment shall be unlawfully denied an employment opportunity for which the employee or applicant is qualified because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other protected category. F&W/FWC/NF is committed to non-discrimination in its employment.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Plymouth |
| Salary | $90,000–$100,000 Per Year |