Principal Gifts Officer I

Earthjustice is the nation's leading environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change. We are here because the Earth needs a good lawyer.

Driven by a passion for justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence, our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected.

Principal Gifts Officer I (PGO) reports to the Director of Principal Gifts and is a member of the Principal Gifts team. The Principal Gifts team reports to the Associate Vice President of Development and works in close collaboration with organizational senior leadership and Development colleagues to develop and implement plans and strategies to achieve Earthjustice and Earthjustice Action revenue goals. PGO builds and manages an individual portfolio of 25-30 (Ultra) High Net Worth donors and prospects who are capable of outright commitments of $5M+ or annual commitments of $1M+.

They conduct initial exploratory meetings with donors, prospects, and their advisors to determine capacity and interest for principal-level giving, identify and qualify a portfolio of principal donors, prospects, and advisors, and manage their relationship with Earthjustice accordingly. PGO will qualify prospects to build a portfolio that has a minimum fundraising target of $3 million per year.

PGO has latitude to make decisions about their work priorities and is expected to be entrepreneurial and show agency in their approach. They identify wealth events, and they understand and apply methods to secure complex gifts of noncash assets. PGO develops and executes comprehensive donor strategies and is responsible for direct asks that are in alignment with Earthjustice’s program needs. PGO builds constructive relationships with donors, prospects, advisors, and volunteer leadership, and engages and supports appropriate natural partners and primary players across the organization, keeping them apprised of interactions, issues and/or concerns, and addressing questions as needed.

They are capable of featuring organizational priorities in detailed terms, understanding capital campaign and project budgets, and capitalizing on funding opportunities utilizing this knowledge. They are required to use Earthjustice’s donor database, systems, and other Development Department resources. This position will focus primarily on principal gift donors, prospects, and advisors across the U.S. with an emphasis in the eastern region with up to 50% travel throughout.

This is a non-supervisory position.

The Principal Gifts Officer I is expected to work a full-time (37.5 hours/week) schedule and may work hybrid or remote from the following locations: New York City or Washington, D.C., preferred. (Other major Eastern U.S. cities and remote locations negotiable.)

What You'll Do

Core Fundraising (40%)

• Manages an active portfolio of 20-25 principal gift donors and advisors; Builds relationships via personal visits, phone calls, ongoing written contact, events, immersion experiences, and engagement with Earthjustice’s leadership and program staff.
• Develops and implements strategies for principal donors and their advisors that lead to transformative gifts in support of annual revenue and multi-year capital campaign targets.
• Responsible for meeting revenue, solicitation, visit, and outreach goals set forth in annual work plan and regularly discussing progress with supervisor. Achieves minimum year one fundraising target of $1million for Earthjustice and Earthjustice Action and develops portfolio toward $3 million in annual revenue for both organizations.

Fundraising Discovery and Development (40%)

• Builds and manages a portfolio of 30-35 principal prospects with the intent to qualify them for active engagement and contribution to annual fundraising targets for Earthjustice and Earthjustice Action.
• Develops and deploys expert familiarity with inter/national programmatic needs and priorities to help grow Earthjustice’s base of support in New York Metropolitan area and other key geographies.
• Guides and supports Executive Leadership, Program Leadership, Volunteer Leadership, and program staff in strategy development, and the identification and cultivation of prospective principal donors.

Communications and Partnership (15%)

• Contributes to the creation of personalized funding collateral, budgets, and correspondence that demonstrate opportunity, impact, recognition, and engagement of supporters.
• Regularly collaborates with team members across different units within development, cross-departmentally, and regionally, to strategize and implement tactics that maximize fundraising opportunity.
• Collaborates with Gift Planning team to develop complex noncash funding strategies for Ultra High Net Worth donors.

Professional Development (5%)

• Promotes an interdisciplinary culture of philanthropy and fosters a respectful and productive working environment.
• Pursues professional growth opportunities that are relevant to industry trends, regional/programmatic priorities, and organizational values and mission.
• Integrates the above understanding into work projects and interactions by recognizing and addressing structural implications and disproportionate impacts of policies, activities, and decisions on groups and individuals within the context of job responsibilities; Evaluates processes and systems at Earthjustice to ensure equity.

Ongoing Learning

• Actively pursue professional development and contribute to a culture of learning by building skills and sharing knowledge.

Please note that the percentage breakdowns provided above serve as a guideline and that other duties may be assigned as part of the job’s requirements.

What You'll Bring

• Eight+ years demonstrated successful experience in major gifts fundraising with a focus on prospect identification, relationship building, and solicitation.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with CRM databases. Working knowledge of current trends in charitable giving, particularly in the areas of major and principal gifts and gift planning.
• Proven experience directly soliciting and closing seven-figure gifts from individuals.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing initiatives in support of a multi-million-dollar capital campaign and annual fundraising targets.
• Skill in absorbing and synthesizing complex program information and translating it into a compelling case for external audiences.
• Well-developed written and oral communication, negotiation, and organizational skills and the ability to drive projects both autonomously and collaboratively.
• Proven experience in using effective interpersonal skills, listening, diplomacy, and tact to build strong relationships with donors, volunteers, and all disciplines and levels of staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to Earthjustice’s values of Justice, Excellence, Inclusion, and Partnership.

Physical Requirements

This role may require the ability to:

• Sit for extended periods with occasional standing and walking
• Type, file, and/or handle office equipment
• Lift and carry materials
• Read documents, conduct computer work and document review
• Conduct consultations, meetings, and have telephone communications

Salary & Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and excellent, comprehensive benefits. We also offer a casual and congenial work environment.

Salaries at Earthjustice are determined by working location and are commensurate with the experience required.

The annual salary range for this role in New York, NY is $177,800 - $197,500.The annual salary range for this role in Washington, D.C. is $168,900 – $187,700.Remote location salary range will depend on specific location ($151,100 - $197,500).

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following materials via Jobvite. Applications submitted by January 5, 2026 will be given priority, and applications received after the priority deadline may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the role is filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Resume.
• Cover letter.

Information about our hiring process and tips for success can be found at https://earthjustice.org/about/jobs/hiring-process. Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application.

Please Note

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for personnel so classified.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

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