ABOUT FRESH ENERGY
Fresh Energy is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization with a mission to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies.
For more than 30 years, Fresh Energy has been a north star leader advancing a swift, equitable transition to clean energy in Minnesota and beyond. We’re working to decarbonize Minnesota’s five primary economic sectors—electricity, buildings, transportation, heavy industry, and agriculture—by designing and advocating for policies, advancing implementation in key venues, and informing and inspiring the public through multifaceted communications.
Together, we are committed to ensuring Minnesota has a carbon free economy by mid-century and vibrant quality of life where all can thrive. As we conduct our work, Fresh Energy lives its core values, creating a dynamic and welcoming workplace.
JOB OVERVIEW
The Director, Major Gifts is responsible for executing and advancing Fresh Energy’s major donor program, with a focus on identifying, securing, and increasing individual philanthropic support to advance the organization’s mission and strategic priorities. This role identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards a portfolio of major donors, while building meaningful, long-term relationships that deepen engagement and grow revenue. The Director collaborates closely with the Lead Director of Individual Giving, CEO, board members, and colleagues across the organization to align donor engagement with Fresh Energy’s programmatic goals. The position plays a key role in ensuring that individual giving remains relationship-driven, well-managed, and positioned for sustained growth over time with a special focus on major gifts.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Major Gifts
- Achieve organization and department-specific goals for securing new major gifts.
- Manage a healthy major gifts pipeline with clear next steps for each prospect.
- Identify and qualify new major gift prospects, in partnership with the Development team and organizational leadership.
- Manage a personal portfolio of major gift prospects with the purpose of cultivating, soliciting, and closing five- and six-figure gifts.
- Conduct face-to-face cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings with major donors and prospects.
- Collaborate effectively with the CEO, board members, and colleagues on donor strategy and engagement.
Individual Giving
- Maintain a consistent cadence of donor meetings, follow-ups, and stewardship activities that support progress toward Board approved annual fundraising goals
- Develop thoughtful solicitation strategies supporting the annual fund, planned giving, and any future campaigns.
- Collaborate with the Development team to screen prospects and prepare donor profiles.
- Work with the Lead Director of Individual Giving to engage key staff and board members in donor meetings and fundraising asks.
- Maintain accurate, timely donor records and contact reports in Fresh Energy’s fundraising database (EveryAction/Bonterra).
Moves Management
- Keep donor records, contact reports, and moves management plans accurate and up to date.
- Demonstrate reliability, sound judgment, data and privacy due diligence, and follow-through in all donor-facing work.
- Utilize moves management strategies to assess prospects with identified capacity and readiness to advance giving levels.
- Support the assignment and transition of donor portfolios across development staff, contributing to coordinated relationship management.
- Participate in regular pipeline reviews and planning conversations.
As a Director
- Serve as an independent point person, managing a specific initiative(s), system, program or line of business, including setting strategy, reporting on progress, and creating targets.
- Contribute ideas and process improvements to increase the effectiveness of your area in coordination with other teams and departments to achieve your targets.
- Own responsibility for operationalizing systems in your area.
- Support overall budget setting and monitoring and/or oversee a specific element of a Department/Program budget.
- Provide leadership in cross-department projects and external partnerships.
- As appropriate, supervise junior staff and contractors that are implementing specific activities, partnering with your supervisor and/or managing directors on target setting and other management as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS
Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to strategically design, oversee, and ensure implementation of projects or programs, including setting and meeting organizational targets.
- Skilled at proactive, strategic collaboration with strong emotional intelligence
- Strong written and oral external & internal communication.
- Excellent attention to detail and self-directed approach to achieving outcomes.
- Strong organizational skills, sound judgment, high emotional intelligence, and follow-through, while operating within shared systems, priorities, and goals.
- Experience managing high-level donor relationships with demonstrated success closing and renewing 5-6 figure gifts.
- Superior interpersonal skills and ability to communicate professionally with a culturally diverse group of volunteers, co-workers, and donors.
Minimum Education and Experience:
- Five or more years of relevant professional experience.
- Experience setting and meeting annual targets.
- Bachelor’s degree in relevant field.
- Prior management or leadership experience and/or experience working in clean energy, environmental, or related nonprofit fields preferred.
ORGANIZATONAL VALUES AND EXPECTATIONS
All staff are expected to:
- Participate in a culture of collaboration across the organization.
- Select and follow through on activities that support fundraising at Fresh Energy, in collaboration with the development team.
- Identify and track how your work advances Fresh Energy’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Act in a way that reflects Fresh Energy’s guiding principles and core values of courage, optimism, respect, and equity.
- Adhere to Fresh Energy’s personnel policies, found in our employee handbook.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Duties are performed in a flexible hybrid work environment. In the office, all staff members are expected to reserve meeting rooms as needed. When working remotely, a stable Wi-Fi connection and access to a functional computer are required.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Move equipment weighing up to five pounds or less
- The position frequently remains in a stationary position 75% or more at a time
- Travel to conferences and meetings is required (approximately 3-5% of work time)
EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Software: Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), Adobe Acrobat, and other software applications necessary for the role and as required
- WiFi connection and router for home or remote work
- Laptop computer or desktop
- Copier/scanner/copier machine
- Smartphone that can integrate MS365
- Video conferencing applications on laptop and cellphone (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and others as required)
STARTING SALARY RANGE
$85,000 – $100,000 based on experience along with opportunity for an annual salary change based on organization budget, its performance, equity across teams, and organizational strategy.
We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.
FRESH ENERGY OFFERS AN EXCELLENT BENEFITS PACKAGE
- A 36-hour work week where every Friday is a half-day.
- Front-loaded personal time off (PTO) starting at 24 days for the first year.
- 15 Holidays which includes a winter break from December 24 – January 1.
- Excellent benefit plans with Fresh Energy paying 90% of employee’s medical and 100% of dental as well as 50% for employee’s dependent in the same plan.
- Flex Spending Account (FSA) or Health Spending Account (HAS) Employer contribution of $1,200 for single plans and $2,400 for family.
- Fresh Energy pays for LTD and life Insurance and offers an employee paid vision plan.
- Contributes 5% towards and an employee’s retirement plan; also matches 100% of employee’s contribution up to 3% beginning the first day of employment. Employee’s are fully vested on day 1.
- Incentivizes biking, walking and the use of transit. Fresh Energy also has a parking program for employee with personal vehicles.
- Maintains a state-sponsored Paid Family Medical Leave of which 6 weeks are supplemented by Fresh Energy to ensure staff are paid full salary. Additional leaves are available.
- A one-time $300 home office expense incentive.
- Cell-phone reimbursement plan.
- A professional development budget.
Fresh Energy’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employer Policy reflect our commitment to ensure equality, treat everyone with respect, and promote diversity in the workplace.
APPLICATION DETAILS
Priority application deadline is February 27, 2026 with an ideal start date in April 2026.