About the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC)

CLCC is the statewide service provider and umbrella organization for Connecticut’s ~115 land trusts. We are a leader in advocacy and policy, education and training, and technical and financial assistance, empowering land trusts and other conservation organizations to ensure the long-term viability of land conservation efforts in the state. Since its formation in 2006, CLCC has grown into one of the most effective land trust service associations in the country, offering a wide range of programming and services, including traditional capacity building, training, and grant programs, along with new and creative opportunities for land trusts to better connect to one another and their communities for greater conservation, economic, and social impact.

Position Overview

The Development Manager plays a central role in supporting and coordinating CLCC's fundraising activities, strengthening donor relationships, and expanding philanthropic support. We are seeking a highly organized, energetic professional who enjoys building systems, working with people, and is excited to help shape the next phase of CLCC's fundraising program. This position combines strong operational and interpersonal skills, research and analysis, and collaboration with the entire CLCC team to advance the organization’s development goals and overarching conservation mission. This is a new position and reports to and works closely with the Executive Director. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Major Gifts Program

• Support the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and program staff in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding current and prospective major donors through donor research, outreach, meeting preparation, follow-up, relationship and goal tracking.
• Coordinate donor recognition and stewardship activities that foster long-term engagement, including personalized communications, meetings, field trips, site visits, and other special gatherings with staff and invited guests.

Annual Fundraising

• Help develop, implement, and evaluate annual fundraising strategies and campaigns, including direct mail, online giving, annual appeals, and donor renewal efforts.
• Manage the annual fundraising calendar and prepare donor communications while tracking campaign performance and giving trends to identify opportunities to retain donors, increase giving, and attract new supporters.

Development Operations and Communications

• Collaborate with the Office & Operations Manager to ensure data integrity and consistent record-keeping practices.
• Collaborate with the Communications Manager and other staff to create and support donor communications and outreach efforts that increase awareness of CLCC's programs, priorities, and impact.

Prospect Research and Grants

• Conduct prospect research and prepare donor briefings to identify and advance funding opportunities from individual, corporate, foundation, and government sources.
• Research and identify grant opportunities that align with CLCC priorities.
• Manage the grants process by maintaining the grants calendar and assisting with proposal development, submission, and reporting in coordination with program staff.

New Initiatives

• Activate and enhance other fundraising initiatives, including planned giving and bequest programs.
• Assist in developing implementation plans, supporting materials, and measures of success for new initiatives, and identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Attend organizational events and fundraisers to cultivate new donors, strengthen existing relationships, and support development activities.
• Participate as an active member of a small, collaborative team and perform other duties as assigned to support organizational priorities.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Three or more years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, or related field.
• Commitment to CLCC's mission and an interest in land conservation and environmental stewardship.
• Experience supporting fundraising campaigns, annual giving, grant writing, or other donor engagement activities.
• Experience managing donor databases, including data entry, reporting, segmenting, and donor record management.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including writing donor correspondence, fundraising materials, and grant proposals.
• A friendly, professional, and service-oriented approach, with the ability and enthusiasm to build relationships with donors, foundations, partners, board members, and colleagues.
• Demonstrated initiative and the ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with donor management systems (preferably Little Green Light), prospect research systems (such as iWave and GrantStation),  and email marketing platforms (such as Constant Contact).
• Experience conducting prospect research, supporting major donor cultivation, and using moves management systems.
• Experience planning or supporting fundraising and donor cultivation events.
• Professional experience in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Experience with digital communications, including email marketing, social media, and basic graphic design.
• Experience helping develop or launch new fundraising initiatives, such as planned giving, giving circles, or donor stewardship programs.
• Familiarity with nonprofit fundraising best practices and charitable giving regulations.

We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply, even if they do not meet every preferred qualification.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $70,000 - $85,000, depending on experience. Upon eligibility, CLCC benefits include employer-covered health care with dental and vision options, a SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with up to a 3% employer match, a generous holiday schedule, and vacation and paid time off.

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The Connecticut Land Conservation Council is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. We strive for a collegial, diverse environment where people generate innovative ideas and work hard to implement them. Read about our board, staff, mission, and values on our website at www.ctconservation.org