WCS | Vice President, Individual Giving

Job Description

Job Description

Wildlife Conservation Society
Vice President, Individual Giving
Bronx, New York

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We are the only organization that combines on-the-ground field conservation programs in more than 55 countries with the world's largest network of urban wildlife parks, based in New York City.

WCS's five wildlife parks, led by our flagship Bronx Zoo, have educated and inspired over 425 million visitors since 1899. Each year, WCS welcomes about 3.5 million visitors to the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium—opening people's eyes to the wonders of the natural world, while setting the gold standard for animal care and well-being.

WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. Our scientists, veterinarians, and conservation experts have helped recover bison, tigers, gorillas, whales, coral reefs, and more. In the past century, we have helped governments create more than 430 protected areas around the world on land and sea, and we currently work with national governments and local communities to manage and monitor several hundred protected areas.

Job Summary:

The Vice President of Individual Giving is a senior frontline fundraising leader responsible for driving the strategy, performance, and growth of individual philanthropic revenue at WCS. You will oversee both the Principal Gifts and Major Gifts programs, managing a high-performing team while also personally cultivating and soliciting a portfolio of the organization's most significant donors and prospects.

You will set and execute a unified individual giving strategy for donors giving from six- to nine-figure gifts and secure new transformative philanthropic investments aligned with WCS's priorities; identify, qualify, and move a robust pipeline of prospects, in partnership with the Research and Data Analytics teams; and increase donor engagement, in partnership with the Donor Engagement and Events team.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will bring strategic discipline and entrepreneurial drive, elevating standards, strengthening accountability, and partnering closely with organizational leadership to unlock major and principal gifts.

If you're an accomplished fundraiser who thrives on designing ambitious multiyear leadership gift strategies and closing transformative commitments, has a deep familiarity with the New York philanthropic community, has experience designing and executing fundraising campaigns, enjoys coaching staff to their highest level of performance, and has a strong desire to grow into greater leadership responsibility within a mission-driven organization, we'd love to meet you.

Major Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive individual giving strategy spanning major ($100K+) and principal ($10M+) gifts.

• Raise the performance bar and redefine the major gifts threshold to $100,000+ annually through multi-year, multi-layer team revenue models built on disciplined moves management.

• Define clear revenue goals, growth targets, and performance metrics across all individual giving programs.

• Build a robust pipeline of high-capacity donors, expanding and diversifying the funding base.

• Elevate the collaboration amongst all frontline fundraisers from individual, corporate, and foundation teams.

• Personally manage a portfolio of 20–30 top-tier donors and prospects, capable of making 7-, 8-, and 9-figure gifts.

• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of transformational gifts ($1M–$25M+), including multi-year commitments.

• Partner closely with the President & CEO, CDO, and Trustees on top prospects.

• Lead, mentor, and manage Directors, Officers, and Associates across Major and Principal Gifts.

• Establish a high-performance culture with clear data-driven expectations, accountability, and coaching.

• Set and monitor monthly and quarterly metrics (activity, pipeline, revenue).

• Ensure disciplined portfolio management and pipeline tracking across the team.

• Drive accurate forecasting and revenue modeling for individual giving.

• Strengthen use of Salesforce and data systems to support decision-making and accountability.

• Collaborate with program, finance, communications, and executive teams to develop compelling funding opportunities.

• Work with donor engagement team to maximize cultivation opportunities.

• Represent WCS in key philanthropic communities, particularly New York and global ultra-high-net-worth networks.

• Develop familiarity with WCS's programmatic priorities, budgets, and strategic initiatives to position compelling investment opportunities.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.

• Minimum 7–10 years of leadership fundraising experience with demonstrated success closing seven- and eight-figure gifts.

• Deep knowledge of the New York philanthropic landscape and strong existing relationships preferred.

• Experience managing and mentoring frontline fundraisers; ability to coach for performance and accountability.

• Demonstrated success managing large and complex donor portfolios with strong moves management discipline.

• Entrepreneurial, growth-oriented mindset; hunger to build and scale a high-performing major gifts program.

• Excellent communication, writing, and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to influence and collaborate across a complex, multisite organization.

• Passion for WCS's mission and global conservation work.

• Willingness and ability to travel as needed.

Workplace Conditions and Environment:

Hybrid NYC-based position with office locations at Bronx and Central Park Zoos. Requires regular interaction with colleagues, donors, and leadership; occasional evening and weekend work for donor events; and periodic travel. The WCS Development team is in-office at the Bronx Zoo on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Compensation

Compensation for the Vice President, Individual Giving is $285,000 - $315,000 annually commensurate with experience and includes a stellar package of employee benefits.

To Apply

Interested applicants should send a resume and a statement of interest to Jonathan McIntosh, Partner with ThinkingAhead Executive Search: View email address on ziprecruiter.com.

Contact Information

Jonathan McIntosh, Partner
ThinkingAhead Executive Search
View phone number on ziprecruiter.com

View email address on ziprecruiter.com

WCS is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. EOE/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled

ThinkingAhead Executive Search is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a work environment that supports, inspires, and respects all individuals. Personnel processes are merit-based and applied without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, national or ethnic ancestry, military service status, citizenship, or other protected characteristic. This applies to every aspect of employment including hiring, training, advancement, and termination. The firm is committed to creating a just culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by practicing, within the company and the marketplace we serve, intentional strategies that serve marginalized individuals and groups.