Chief Development Officer

Position Description

The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) restores and advocates for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities to support a diverse and thriving watershed. The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will deepen relationships with donors who share our passion for clean water and healthy rivers. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the MGO will lead CRC's major gifts efforts in Connecticut, a region of significant growth opportunity, while also supporting major gifts work across the broader watershed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

The MGO will inherit and grow a Connecticut-focused portfolio, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding 50-70 major donors and must bring demonstrated experience and confidence in securing four- and five-figure gifts with aspirations of closing six-figure gifts. Year one will be focused on retention and relationship-building with existing donors and year two will be focused on building a robust pipeline to drive growth.

The ideal candidate pairs sophisticated major gifts fundraising skills with a genuine connection to environmental conservation and ability to translate the ecological complexity of the Connecticut River watershed into compelling stories that inspire transformational giving.

Manage a portfolio of active major gift donors (30-40) and new prospective major gift donors (20-30) for a total portfolio of 50-70 donors, with a strategic focus on cultivating and soliciting four- and five-figure gifts.

Develop and implement individualized cultivation and stewardship plans for each donor and prospect in your portfolio, moving donors through the giving cycle with intentionality and care.

Lead CRC's major gifts expansion, particularly in the southern watershed, deepening relationships with existing donors and identifying and cultivating new prospects in a region with significant untapped philanthropic potential.

Conduct prospect research independently to identify new major gift prospects from CRC's existing donor base, lapsed donors, and new audiences to add to your portfolio.

Develop and maintain major gift portfolios for the Executive Director and Chief Development Officer, conduct prospect research, and help schedule visits to support donor engagement and solicitation work.

Prepare compelling gift proposals, impact reports, acknowledgment letters, and other donor communications that connect individual philanthropic interests to CRC's conservation priorities.

Support legacy-giving conversations when organically appropriate, in coordination with the Chief Development Officer.

Collaborate closely with the Chief Development Officer on portfolio strategy, goal-setting, and moves management, maintaining accurate and timely records of all donor contacts and activity in CRC's CRM.

Plan and execute donor cultivation and stewardship events, including house parties, field site visits, and watershed experiences in coordination with CRC staff and volunteer hosts.

Partner with program staff, particularly CRC's River Stewards, to stay current on conservation work in the region and translate outcomes into donor-ready stories.

Represent CRC at community events, donor gatherings, and regional conservation convenings across the entire watershed as needed.

Work collaboratively with the development team to support broader fundraising efforts, including year-end campaigns, as needed.

Minimum 5 years of experience in major gifts fundraising, with a demonstrated track record of successfully soliciting and closing four- and five-figure gifts.

Proven ability to build authentic, long-term relationships with donors and move prospects through a full cultivation and solicitation cycle.

Experience conducting prospect research and translating findings into actionable donor strategies.

General familiarity with CRM systems to track donor activity.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling proposals, impact reports, and donor correspondence.

Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple donor relationships and deadlines simultaneously.

Ability to work well independently and…