Chief Development Officer
Conservation Lands Foundation
Flexible/Remote
Anticipated Start Date: Early December
Description
This is a pivotal moment for CLF—one that calls for a Chief Development Officer (CDO) who leads with clarity, vision, and heart. As the organization deepens its impact and expands its reach, the CDO will play a critical leadership role in evolving CLF’s fundraising strategy, building team capacity, and embedding a culture of philanthropy across staff and Board. This is not just a fundraising role—it’s a strategic, relational, and cultural leadership opportunity.
You’ll be joining a values-aligned team with a strong foundation in place, and you’ll be empowered to lead the next phase of development with creativity, collaboration, and purpose. If you are a strategic thinker and values-driven fundraiser who thrives in team leadership and brings adaptive, people-centered energy to your work, this is a rare and exciting opportunity.
Responsibilities
Working in close partnership with the CEO, executive leadership, Board of Trustees, and staff, the CDO will:
Fundraising
Shape and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with organizational goals. Manage a portfolio of principal donors and help grow a pipeline of individual, foundation, and corporate funders. Deepen relationships with current funders and secure high-impact gifts. Collaborate with program and finance leaders to craft strategic proposals and reports. Partner with the CEO and Vice President of Development to align funding opportunities with organizational priorities. Support the Board’s role in fundraising and help strengthen its culture of philanthropy. Coordinate fundraising activities, communications, and collaborations across departments and staff to ensure cohesion and maximize impact. Uphold CLF’s Donor Bill of Rights and ethical fundraising practices.
Team Leadership & Management
Supervise the Vice President of Development and oversee a team including the Director of Development and Engagement, the Director of Funder Relations, and the Development Associate. Cultivate a collaborative, trust-based team culture focused on growth and excellence. Set clear goals, co-create work plans, and support professional development. Lead with transparency, compassion, and accountability. Conduct regular check-ins and performance evaluations to support retention and growth.
Organization-Wide Leadership
Serve on the Executive Team, contributing to strategy, budgeting, and organizational planning. Support cross-functional collaboration with our Conservation Programs, Policy, Communications, Finance, and Grassroots Advocacy teams. Help lead and advance equity, inclusion, and belonging as an organization-wide priority. Participate in/support board meetings, retreats, and staff convenings.
Requirements
We recognize that candidates come with a wide range of lived and professional experiences. While no single candidate will have every qualification listed, we’re looking for someone who brings many of the following qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Strategic & Adaptive Fundraising Leadership
You are both a strategist and an executor—able to elevate fundraising from a series of tactics to a mission-centered enterprise. You thrive in building infrastructure and donor pipelines that fuel long-term growth, and you know how to adapt strategy based on data, context, and collaboration. You’ve led integrated fundraising strategies across multiple revenue streams. You build strong systems, campaigns, and pipelines that position organizations for scale. You translate vision into execution and evolve strategies in real time. You bring creativity and discipline to donor engagement and communications.
Collaborative Leadership & Team Management
You are a grounded, relational leader who builds high-performing, inclusive teams. You bring clarity in times of change and foster a culture of trust, growth, and accountability. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you work seamlessly across functions to align fundraising strategy with organizational goals and deepen a culture of philanthropy across staff and Board. You’ve led teams through growth, transition, or change with clarity and care. You create strong cross-functional partnerships between Development, Programs, Policy, and Finance. You support Boards in building confidence as fundraisers, connectors, and ambassadors. You foster psychological safety and belonging within your team. You lead with humility and communicate clearly—even in moments of uncertainty.
Emotional Intelligence & Relational Leadership
You lead with self-awareness, emotional agility, and deep respect for others. Whether navigating team dynamics, donor relationships, or organizational change, you show up with presence, curiosity, compassion, and care. You understand that strong leadership is built on trust, listening, and relationships. You’re attuned to group dynamics and foster open, honest communication. You cultivate strong working relationships across all levels and functions. You’re receptive to feedback and lead with curiosity rather than ego. You see leadership as relational, not positional.
Values Alignment and Integrity in Development
You bring a deep connection to CLF’s mission and a commitment to fundraising that reflects organizational values. You’re thoughtful about the role of philanthropy in systems change and strive to approach fundraising with humility, transparency, and curiosity. You operate with consistency, integrity, and respect in donor and team relationships. You view fundraising as a service to the mission and collaborate closely with program and policy teams. You are committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and access—within the organization and through the execution of your work—and you support the continued evolution of CLF’s Equity, Inclusion, and Access objectives. You stay attuned to evolving philanthropic norms and champion inclusive, trust-based practices. You embed reflection and continuous learning into your leadership and decision-making.
DESIRED BACKGROUND & QUALIFICATIONS
10+ years of experience in development, fundraising, or external relations, with a strong record of securing major gifts. Proven ability to lead fundraising at the $8–10 million level and to build the strategy, systems, and relationships needed to grow revenue beyond that threshold.
5+ years of direct people management experience, including leading high-performing teams and managing effectively across time zones. Experience building integrated development strategies across multiple streams. Skilled in Board engagement and fostering a culture of philanthropy at the governance level.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, especially with finance and program teams. Excellent strategic planning, writing, and communication skills. Comfort with CRM systems, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and remote work environments.
Willingness and ability to travel approximately 25–30% in year one and 20% in subsequent years for donor meetings, team gatherings, CLF trips and events, including occasional evenings or weekends.
Note: Research shows women and people of color often only apply when they meet 100% of qualifications. Please consider applying even if you do not have all of the qualifications noted above.
Salary Range and Employee Benefits
The salary range for this role is $140,000–$180,000, commensurate with experience.
Conservation Lands Foundation offers a competitive compensation package with an organizational culture that supports staff well-being and professional development. Benefits include generous vacation and sick time; 13 paid holidays; 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match; health, dental, and vision insurance plan; Flex Spending program or Health Savings Account; life insurance; short and long-term disability insurance; three month sabbatical every seven years of employment. CLF offices are closed the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
LOCATION
Location is flexible. While the Conservation Lands Foundation is headquartered in Durango, Colorado, the team is primarily remote, with staff based across the West and in Washington, DC. Key donor hubs include San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC. The ideal candidate will be based in a location with access to major philanthropic networks and a major airport, and will be able to travel regularly to support donor engagement, staff gatherings, and board meetings.
How to Apply for this Job
About the Organization
The Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) is a national nonprofit based in Durango, Colorado, with staff located across the West and in Washington, DC. Founded in 2007, CLF was built on the belief that public lands are best protected when supported by a national network of local advocates. Today, CLF partners with more than 96 community-based organizations—its Friends Grassroots Network—to protect the National Conservation Lands: a 38-million-acre collection of iconic landscapes under the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) care. These lands include National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails—mostly in the American West and Alaska.
Although the BLM oversees 248 million acres of public lands, only 15% are currently protected. CLF’s mission is to expand National Conservation Lands to ensure a healthy, climate-resilient, and equitable future for all. CLF’s work ensures that these lands are protected not only for their natural and cultural significance, but also for the communities that rely on them. Whether you are an avid hiker, Indigenous with ancestral ties to the land, or someone who rarely visits public spaces, the protection of these places is vital for clean water, wildlife corridors, climate stability, and cultural preservation. CLF also works to support smart renewable energy siting and prevent development that would fragment landscapes or threaten sacred, historic sites. CLF protects, restores, and expands the National Conservation Lands through education, advocacy, and partnerships—with a deep commitment to equity and Indigenous-led conservation.
With an annual operating budget of $8.5 million, CLF is known for its nimble, bold, and collaborative approach to public land protection. Highlights and Accomplishments Helped secure protection for 15.5 million acres and over 200 miles of rivers and trails through expansion of the National Conservation Lands system since 2008. Awarded nearly $19 million in grants since 2008—nearly $1.9 million in 2024 alone—to support grassroots-led conservation, advocacy, and restoration. Over the last two years, added over 2 million acres of National Conservation Lands, including Chuckwalla National Monument (CA) and the expansion of Berryessa-Snow National Monument (CA) to include Molok Luyuk in 2024, supporting clean air and water, economic resilience, sacred landscapes, and public health. Defended 3.275 million acres of public lands through legal action. In 2024, achieved and defended the Public Lands Rule.
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