Director of Major Gifts

The Director of Major Gifts role reports to the VP of Development and is responsible for ACC’s individual major giving pipeline end to end: identifying and qualifying new prospects, cultivating them in person, closing five-, six-, and seven-figure gifts, and stewarding donors into long-term partners. They will take over management of an established portfolio of major donors and grow it substantially through new acquisition. Their prospects include energy sector leaders, conservative philanthropists and family offices, business owners with deep ties to the American West, and Republican donors with a personal stake in conservation, public lands, and the outdoors.

Director of Major Gifts

Full-Time | Washington, D.C./Remote | Senior Level

The American Conservation Coalition is building the conservative environmental movement to realize a cleaner, more prosperous world that fosters collaboration in the pursuit of environmental conservation. Our growing team operates with excellence, executing our theory of change across grassroots, grasstops, communications, and administrative functions.

The Director of Major Gifts role reports to the VP of Development and is responsible for ACC’s individual major giving pipeline end to end: identifying and qualifying new prospects, cultivating them in person, closing five-, six-, and seven-figure gifts, and stewarding donors into long-term partners. They will take over management of an established portfolio of major donors and grow it substantially through new acquisition. Their prospects include energy sector leaders, conservative philanthropists and family offices, business owners with deep ties to the American West, and Republican donors with a personal stake in conservation, public lands, and the outdoors.

ACC’s Development team is collaborative, fast-moving, and growth-oriented. We’re building a best-in-class fundraising shop for the next generation of center-right conservation and energy leadership. We’re looking for a teammate who shares ACC’s belief that conservation and prosperity go hand in hand. Someone who embraces a conservative, market-driven approach to America’s energy and conservation challenges and values stewardship, entrepreneurship, and opportunity as the path to lasting impact. Every candidate who applies to work at ACC should demonstrate strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a commitment to operate with excellence while living out our team values of Ownership, Resolve, Solidarity, Servant Leadership, Honor, and Excellence.

Responsibilities.

• Pipeline Development: Identify, qualify, and cultivate new high-capacity conservative individual prospects. Bring an existing network to ACC from day one and systematically expand it. Own the prospect list, the research behind it, and the movement of donors through it.
• Travel & In-Person Cultivation: Travel regularly to meet donors where they are, including Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Florida, and the broader Mountain West, as well as in Washington, D.C. and across the conservative movement circuit.
• Solicitation: Make direct asks at the five-, six-, and seven-figure level for the entire ACC enterprise. Partner strategically with the President on major solicitations while owning the process before and after each meeting.
• Portfolio Stewardship: Assume day-to-day management of ACC’s existing major donor relationships and deepen them through thoughtful, sustained engagement.
• Donor Retreats & Convenings: Design and lead signature donor experiences, including outdoor and sporting retreats, policy dinners, Western property convenings, and briefings alongside major conservative gatherings. Own the concept, invitation list, and follow-up.
• Pipeline Reporting: Maintain accurate records of moves, asks, and commitments in the departmental CRM so leadership and the board have a clear, current view of the portfolio.

Qualifications.

• 10+ years of direct fundraising experience in the conservative or Republican world, such as PACs, political campaigns, conservative institutions, movement organizations, or right-of-center advocacy.
• An established rolodex of high-capacity conservative individual donors and a credible plan for engaging it on ACC’s behalf.
• A track record of personally closing five- and six-figure individual gifts; seven-figure experience strongly preferred.
• Fluency in conservative politics and the ability to make the conservation case persuasively to Republican donors.
• Comfort raising for the entire ACC enterprise, with the judgment to know which case fits which donor.
• Willingness to travel extensively.

Preferred Qualifications.

• Personal connection to hunting, fishing, ranching, or outdoor recreation.
• Experience designing and executing donor retreats or high-touch convenings.
• Existing relationships within conservative think tank, family office, or sportsmen’s conservation donor communities.

Compensation & Benefits.

• Salary: The range for this position is $160,000 - $200,000, commensurate with experience, as well as a bonus structure.
• Insurance: Medical insurance options are covered 100%. 99% coverage of dental and vision insurance. Short-term disability and life insurance are also offered at 100% cost coverage.
• Retirement: 401(k) offered with employer match.
• PTO: Unlimited, plus 11 paid holidays, multiple flexible work periods throughout the year, and paid parental leave.
• Other Benefits: Tech reimbursement and quarterly wellness stipends.
• Professional Development: Team-wide and individual opportunities available.

In lieu of a cover letter, please submit a brief (250-400 words) reflection on EITHER "Message to Garcia" or Teddy Roosevelt's "Citizenship In A Republic" speech. Please also include a brief runthrough of your historical fundraising successes.

Note to Applicants.

At the time of applying, you must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. ACC complies with applicable E-Verify requirements.