careers at colorado open lands

Open Positions:

Philanthropy Coordinator

Summary of Position:

Colorado Open Lands (COL) is a nonprofit land trust that works to enhance Colorado’s quality of life by protecting its most treasured asset: open lands. Since 1981, COL has helped landowners conserve more than 680,000 acres across the state.

At COL, our Philanthropy and Outreach & Education departments engage with a variety of audiences over the course of the year. Each year, we implement more than 50 programs and events that can serve as few as 10 people or as many as several hundred.  The Philanthropy Coordinator will support these programs and events that include outreach hikes, donor dinners, fundraising galas, teacher workshops, and learning webinars. The Philanthropy Coordinator will also work in our donor database to enter gifts, update donor information, and complete gift acknowledgement.

The position is based in our Lakewood, Colorado office and reports to our Director of Philanthropy. A hybrid work schedule is possible, but flexibility is needed.  Evening and overnight travel across Colorado is required.  This position will support 5-7 evening events and 7-10 overnights or weekends throughout the year.

Whether you are early in your career and interested in philanthropy or a seasoned administrative professional looking to take a step back and contribute your skills and experience to cause you love, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Primary Responsibilities:

Gift Processing, Donor Acknowledgment, and Reporting

• Execute all philanthropy-related data entry, including gift entry, coding, and account updates. COL currently uses DonorPerfect, Constant Contact, and DonorSearch.
• Ensure that data is accurate, clean, and organized to support donor-centric communications.
• Prepare and mail weekly donor acknowledgment letters and gift receipts.
• Produce database reports to support various departments.
• Create mailing lists and help coordinate the production of campaign materials.
• Maintain public profiles for external transparency (GuideStar Certification, Community First Foundation, etc.)
• Other duties as assigned.

Philanthropic Event and Donor Engagement Support

• Support the planning and execution of philanthropic events (e.g. donor dinners, fundraising galas, donor impact tours), under the direction of the Events Coordinator.
• Attend events and donor tours to assist with logistics and support the lead staff person.

Education Event Support

• Support the execution and logistics of education events (e.g. teacher workshops, Conservation Leadership Series events, outreach hikes, learning webinars), and attend events as needed for additional onsite support.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Interest in supporting fundraising activities for a conservation-based nonprofit.
• Minimum of 1-2 years of experience with precise data entry and active maintenance of CRM software (customer relationship management software).
• Friendly demeanor and ability to communicate with a wide range of audiences.
• Strong written communication skills, including editing and proofreading.
• Detail oriented, organized, and the ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Willingness and ability to travel within Colorado, including occasional evening, weekend, and overnight trips.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Valid driver’s license. Company vehicle provided for work travel.
• Knowledge of and/or interest in Colorado’s natural and cultural landscapes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced experience administering donor management platforms, DonorPerfect preferred.
• Hospitality minded (aware of event flows and guest experience).
• Education program facilitation experience.
• Design experience for marketing material creation (Photo Shop, InDesign).
• Experience working for a land trust or other conservation organization.

Physical Requirements:

General office environment, time spent sitting and operating a computer and other office machinery. Event participation will require physical activities such as hiking or snowshoeing (1-4 miles per event), transporting supplies, and occasionally setting up tents, tables, and chairs. Must be able to occasionally lift up to 35 pounds for transporting print materials and program supplies.

Compensation and Benefits:

• This position is a permanent, part-to-full-time (25-40 hours/week, based on experience) position. On occasion, evening, weekend, and overnight hours will be required.
• Compensation: $42,000 – $48,000, commensurate with skills and experience.
• Colorado Open Lands offers a competitive benefits package to full-time employees, including 401k plan with company match, health insurance (medical, dental, vision, and HSA), life and disability insurance, paid time off (sick leave, vacation, and holidays) and a collaborative, flexible work environment.

 Application Instructions:

• Please submit resume and cover letter to Elizabeth Silverman, Director of Philanthropy, to jobs@coloradoopenlands.org.
• The subject line should be in this format: “Last name, First name: Philanthropy Coordinator”
• Applications accepted until midnight on January 31, 2025, but will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early if interested!

EEO Statement

Colorado Open Lands provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. For information about Colorado Open Lands, please visit our website at www.coloradoopenlands.org

For a list of job opportunities in the conservation field, please visit the Land Trust Alliance Jobs Board or the Keep it Colorado Jobs Board.