Major Donor Manager

An ambitious, driven fundraiser who will grow and develop Cool Earth’s major donor income by building meaningful, long‑term relationships with high-net-worth individuals and philanthropic supporters. With a brand-new five-year strategy, our goal is to secure transformational gifts and multi‑year commitments that enable Indigenous peoples and local communities to protect rainforests.

You will take ownership of a portfolio of existing and prospective major donors, identifying new opportunities and building relationships through personalised cultivation, compelling proposals, face‑to‑face meetings and strategic asks. From researching and qualifying prospects through to solicitation and stewardship, you will manage the full donor journey, turning potential supporters into committed, long‑term partners for Cool Earth’s work.

Cool Earth backs Indigenous peoples and local communities who are protecting rainforest. We work to put more resources and more decision‑making power in their hands. For a philanthropist, this means supporting rainforest protection led by the people who live there, with community leadership at the heart of how we work. We are a close, collaborative organisation with an international footprint.

Over the next five years, we want to get more resources, and more decision‑making power, to Indigenous peoples and local communities protecting rainforest – and faster. That needs reliable, growing, multi‑year income, and major giving is one of the main ways we plan to fund it.

This is where a skilled fundraiser can make a real difference. You will deepen relationships with current supporters, find new donors, make thoughtful asks and turn single gifts into longer‑term support. Longer‑term funding helps communities plan ahead and protect rainforest on their own terms.

The remit covers the UK, the US and worldwide. You will work closely with the Senior Manager, Partnerships and Philanthropy, who leads our wider philanthropy strategy. Together, you will prioritise the strongest relationships and opportunities across markets. You will own your portfolio, approaches and asks, and your insight from the front line will shape the programme as it grows.

• Review existing supporters to identify those with the interest and potential to give at a major level.
• Use prospect research, and wealth screening where available, to discover potential, then qualify prospects on capacity, interest and alignment with Cool Earth’s mission.
• Develop new relationships through introductions, networks, referrals and events, including connections from trustees, senior leaders and existing supporters.
• Work with individual giving, corporate and gaming colleagues to identify major giving opportunities and agree relationship ownership.
• Build a strong, realistic pipeline of prospects across the UK, the US and international markets, focusing with the Senior Manager on the strongest opportunities.
• Keep accurate, up‑to‑date CRM records.

• Personally cultivate donors and prospects through face‑to‑face meetings, calls, events and tailored engagement, connecting their interests and motivations to Cool Earth’s work.
• Develop tailored proposals and donor communications, drawing on Cool Earth’s agreed case for support, programme insight and prospect research.
• Make asks for significant and multi‑year gifts, involving the Senior Manager, senior leaders or trustees where this strengthens the approach.
• Provide thoughtful, highly personalised stewardship, so donors understand what their support makes possible and feel connected to the communities and rainforest they help protect.
• Grow…