To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to work@protectourwinters.org. We are not accepting bids from recruiting agencies. No phone calls, please.

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Protect Our Winters offers hybrid work hubs for candidates residing in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Vermont, or New Hampshire. While we prioritize candidates in CO, WA, OR, VT, and NH, we are open to considering qualified applicants from other states.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Background

Founded in 2007 by legendary snowboarder Jeremy Jones, Protect Our Winters (POW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit leading the climate movement for outdoor enthusiasts. POW’s work is led by inspirational snow, trail, and water athletes and also includes brands, scientists, artists, and communities. Together, they represent the “Outdoor State,” the 175 million people in the U.S. who spend time outside and care deeply about clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet. POW is cross-partisan and committed to building an inclusive Outdoor State that reflects the nation’s vibrant population. Through education and advocacy campaigns for clean energy, public lands, and civic engagement, POW turns outdoor passion into climate action.

The Opportunity

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will build on a successful foundation to lead the next chapter of POW's fundraising. Their goal will be to drive several million dollars of annual revenue growth over the coming years to scale POW's impact on one of the most urgent issues of our time: the climate crisis.

Reporting to the CEO, the CDO will oversee a comprehensive philanthropy portfolio, including major gifts, grassroots donors, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, membership, and merchandise. They will manage a strong and growing internal Development team, guiding their work on renewals, prospecting, and relationship management and working with them to develop innovative strategies to grow revenue in each vertical.

The CDO will work closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, and staff to align fundraising efforts with POW’s strategic and financial priorities. Strong candidates will bring extensive nonprofit fundraising experience, including a proven track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts and managing giving in each vertical of POW's portfolio. They will have a proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams, as well as drive revenue growth through scalable, data-driven fundraising systems. The ideal candidate will also have additional experience with fundraising matters for independent but affiliated non-profit entities such as 501(c)(4) organizations. A desire to learn about the outdoor community and climate advocacy is highly valued.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic leadership and execution

• Develop and implement a strategic philanthropy plan to meet annual and long-term revenue goals for POW’s next chapter.
• Develop a sustainable funding portfolio that aligns with our efforts to grow the “Outdoor State” to be more reflective of our nation’s vibrant population.
• Set fundraising strategy to grow revenue in alignment with POW and POW AF’s strategies while recognizing the importance of pacing and team health.
• Go deep on relationships with current and prospective high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Personally manage a portfolio of high-net-worth key donors and prospects, ensuring meaningful engagement and solicitation.
• Enable senior leadership to “plug and play” in donor engagement by providing structured briefing materials, scheduling key pitch opportunities, and leading donor training.
• Train the team on effective donor communication, ensuring clarity, energy, and decisiveness in conversations.
• Oversee the creation of compelling proposals, case statements, messaging, and other fundraising materials on POW’s impact.
• Plan and execute donor recognition programs and events to deepen relationships and demonstrate impact.
• Represent POW at partner and stakeholder meetings and conferences. Serve as a spokesperson in public speaking engagements, public presentations and communication with the press.

Team management and collaboration

• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing Development team, building on a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
• Drive cross-departmental collaboration, particularly with Programs, Campaigns, and Marketing & Communications, to integrate fundraising into POW’s broader work.
• Collaborate with Programs, Campaigns, and Marketing & Communications to articulate a clear and compelling case for support across multiple mediums, including website, pitch deck, and other written collaterals.
• Set and maintain clear revenue goals and tactics for each vertical, with a focus on consistent year-over-year growth; establish and improve systems for tracking the effectiveness of tactics.
• Lead Development team meetings and revenue pacing meetings with the CEO and COO to review pipeline health, goal progress, and strategy refinements.
• Manage the CEO, COO, and other key leaders' briefings and communication with key donors.

Development operations and systems

• Ensure accurate donor data management and reporting within Salesforce. (Salesforce is currently supported by an external contractor who provides analytics, dashboard development, and other services.)
• Identify areas to improve donation processing for gifts arriving via check, bank transfer, Classy, etc.
• Forecast annual revenue generation leveraging Salesforce analytics and market insights.
• Implement a systematic approach to tracking fundraising tactics — meetings, proposals, events, and touchpoints — and evaluating their effectiveness.

Financial reporting

• Develop and manage the department’s budget, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
• Work closely with the finance team to track revenue projections and fundraising performance.
• Partner with the CEO, COO, Board of Directors, and Finance & Audit Committee to provide regular updates on fundraising results, challenges, and opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in philanthropy, fundraising, or development, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with budgeting and financial forecasting.
• Demonstrated success in managing an annual fund and campaign appeals, as well as securing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and manage a high-performing team with various backgrounds, abilities, and personalities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a remote and onsite team of 5+ direct reports, fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and strategic planning skills.
• Deep understanding of fundraising best practices, donor motivations, and the philanthropic landscape.
• Strong user of Salesforce, including donor data management, pipeline tracking, and revenue forecasting.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop innovative fundraising solutions.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of fundraising trends and best practices.
• Passion for outdoor recreation with an enthusiasm for engaging donors through skiing, boarding, hiking, or other activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will have experience at double-digit million-dollar revenue organizations.
• Experience at a climate, environmental, or advocacy nonprofit and/or in the outdoor industry.
• Credentialed as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) or equivalent professional certification.
• Experience designing and optimizing membership programs to drive engagement, retention, and revenue growth.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. If you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description, we encourage you to apply.

Salary commensurate with experience, with a salary range of $160,000 - $180,000. Protect Our Winters offers a generous benefits package including 100% employer-paid (employee-only) healthcare, vision, and dental benefits as well as a retirement match. Additionally, POW offers sick and holiday time, above-industry-average paid time off, and a family-friendly, flexible work environment.

At POW, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. POW believes that building diversity is critical to the success of a global organization. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to work@protectourwinters.org. We are not accepting bids from recruiting agencies. No phone calls, please.