Candice Holzsager
Lake Worth Beach,FL
Summary
Accomplished Director of Operations at The Hobe Sound Nature Center, adept at nonprofit management, and the planning, organizing and fundraising initiatives including major gifts, sponsorships, the annual fund, grants, and fundraising special events. A philanthropy leader proficient in fostering partnerships and community networking, significantly enhancing fundraising events and donor relations. Demonstrates exceptional budgeting acumen and a commitment to driving organizational growth through strategic resource allocation and CRM integration.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Operations
The Hobe Sound Nature Center
05.2015 - Current
- Oversee daily operations across multiple departments, ensuring seamless coordination and efficient execution of tasks.
- Developed systems and procedures to improve operational quality and team efficiency to drive organizational growth through new donors, increase museum visitors and education outreach.
- Managed budgets and resources (grant funding), optimizing allocation for maximum impact on business objectives.
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors to further the Nature Center's mission and provide visitors and the broader community with enriching, educational, and memorable experiences.
- Implemented comprehensive donor database management system (Givesmart), improving donor retention and tracking capabilities with an increase of donors from >1,000 to 3,600 since 2017.
- Evaluated existing fundraising programs, identifying opportunities for improvement and growth within each initiative such as annual membership drive and annual appeal.
- Secured significant corporate sponsorships for bi-annual gala, elevating event profile and revenue potential with a steady increase of 75% since 2017.
- Fostered a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization by engaging board members in active participation as fundraisers, ambassadors, and strategic partners of development efforts.
- Established strong partnerships with vendors, donors, sponsors and community grant administrators to further the Nature Center's mission.
- Regularly attends Board meetings and reports to executive team on fundraising progress, budgets, revenues and expenditures related to development initiatives.
- Works closely with the Executive Director on proper reporting of all gifts, grants, and sponsorships as well as ensuring all gifts are properly and timely acknowledged.
- Facilitates development of and manages new generation donor groups to cultivate new supporters sharing our mission.
- Effectively engages donors and the community through inspiring messaging tied back to our mission via community events and involvement.
- Optimized development team performance through ongoing coaching, professional development, and goal setting.
General Manager
Dogfish Head Alehouse
05.2009 - 08.2014
- Managed all aspects of daily operations, including managing budgets, inventory control, and vendor relations.
- Effectively managed labor costs by monitoring productivity levels among staff members and making strategic scheduling decisions.
- Effectively managed payroll and timekeeping, and paperwork for new hires and terminations.
- Carefully interviewed, selected, trained, and supervised staff.
- Addressed customer concerns promptly and professionally, turning potentially negative experiences into positive outcomes.
- Developed and maintained a strong team of motivated staff by providing ongoing training and development opportunities.
General Manager
The Green Onion
05.2006 - 04.2009
- Worked closely with the owner and executive chef to develop, implement, and manage business plans to promote profitable food and beverage sales.
- Implementing staff policies, hiring, training and maintaining staff, both front of house and back of house.
Visitor Services Supervisor
The Virginia Living Museum
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English
Christopher Newport University
Newport News, VASkills
- Nonprofit management
- Corporate sponsorships
- Staff and volunteer management
- Donor relations
- Partnership development
- Budgeting and finance
- Fundraising event expertise
- CRM integration
- Community networking
- Donation solicitation
- Social media strategy
Software skills
- Givesmart CRM, event and fundraising
- One Cause/Bid Pal fundraising
- Mailchimp
- Canva
- Square (Retail)
- Squarespace
- Quickbooks
- Volgistics (Volunteer management)
- Google and Microsoft
Timeline
Director of Operations
The Hobe Sound Nature Center
05.2015 - Current
General Manager
Dogfish Head Alehouse
05.2009 - 08.2014
General Manager
The Green Onion
05.2006 - 04.2009
Visitor Services Supervisor
The Virginia Living Museum
Bachelor of Arts - English
Christopher Newport University
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