Development Relations Lead, Interdisciplinary and Engaged Science

Aspen Global Change Institute; Basalt (CO); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) seeks a Development Relations Lead to advance fundraising, strategic partnerships, and engagement with funders across core operating support, workshops, and engaged research programs. You will build donor plans, cultivate relationships, and translate AGCI’s mission into compelling asks.

This hands-on role targets growing AGCI’s donor base from federal and philanthropic sources, guiding development strategy and coordinating with leadership to maximize impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree preferred.
• 7–10 years of progressive responsibility in philanthropy, development, stakeholder engagement, or related roles.
• Direct experience owning funder relationships and fundraising strategy autonomously.
• Strong familiarity with science philanthropy and global change funding streams.

Responsibilities

• Own the development operating strategy for AGCI’s core operating support, Workshops series, and Engaged Research portfolios.
• Manage moves management process end to end: donor cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation.
• Conduct prospect research to identify institutional and HNWI prospects for gifts.
• Manage a portfolio of 50–100 donors, cultivating about half autonomously.
• Draft and maintain donor communications and briefing materials.
• Coordinate development proposals, reports, and budget/vendor materials with leadership.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Stakeholder engagement

Storytelling

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

ABOUT AGCI

Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to advance global change science and solutions. AGCI seeks to improve understanding of human and Earth systems, catalyze solutions at speed and scale, and nurture integrated communities across research and practice. We convene events, conduct research, provide advice to decision-makers, and develop innovative initiatives, including re-granting and fiscal sponsorships, for implementation through a wide network of partners. Running through AGCI’s DNA is a strong institutional commitment to excellence in science that is actionable and accessible. For more information visit agci.org.

AGCI was founded in 1989 and is a Colorado-based 501(c)(3) organization that supports staff and partners working to implement a mission that is international in scope yet grounded in local contexts and problem domains. As an "Institute Without Walls," AGCI staff and consultants are based in a variety of locations across the United States.

THE POSITION

The Development Relations Lead, Interdisciplinary and Engaged Science supports AGCI’s fundraising and strategic partnership cultivation efforts across three primary areas: core organizational support, AGCI’s workshop series, and its engaged research program. Reinforcing AGCI’s 37-year history as a trusted, influential node in the ecosystem of global change researchers, decision-makers, and funders, this individual will build on decades of successful federal and philanthropic fundraising efforts by AGCI to grow and diversify and expand the organization’s donor base. The Development Relations Lead, Interdisciplinary and Engaged Science will ensure AGCI's value and impact are clearly communicated and championed by strategic partners and funders.

This is a hands-on role for an experienced professional eager to act on new organizational development challenges and opportunities, both on their own and in collaboration with organization leadership. The Development Relations Lead, Interdisciplinary and Engaged Science will cultivate and solicit funders alongside program leads while running the day-to-day machinery of development. They will draw on AGCI’s organizational strategy and associated narratives to build compelling, funder-ready asks. This role is ideal for someone who can synthesize complexity into a powerful case for investment, build trusted long-term relationships, and help architect a strong foundation for AGCI’s future.

As part of its forthcoming strategic plan, AGCI is looking to grow core operating and program support by an additional $5M per year, from a broader and more diverse mix of funding sources and fundraising approaches. This target would build on AGCI’s existing budget of approximately $50M / year to leverage synergies across program areas and deep impact in emerging priority areas.

Responsibilities

• Own the development operating strategy for AGCI’s core operating support, Workshops series, and Engaged Research portfolios (e.g. annual fundraising plans, targets, prioritization frameworks) in coordination with AGCI’s Senior Leadership Team, Director of Strategic Advancement, and Advancement and External Relations Lead (Climate Reserve). Coordinate across a complex, multi-program organization across a diversity of internal stakeholders.


• Exercise experience-based judgement and intuition on funding opportunities and outreach based on AGCI’s priorities and capacities, advising program and senior leadership on where to focus fundraising efforts.


• Own the moves management process end to end: set and maintain the cadence of funder and donor cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation.


• Conduct prospect research and qualification to identify institutional and high net worth individual prospects capable of first-time gifts ranging from five to seven figures.


• Manage a portfolio of ~50-100 institutional and individual donors and prospects. Directly cultivate and solicit roughly half of this portfolio, carrying relationships autonomously, and support AGCI leadership in relationship management for the remaining half.


• Draft and maintain consistent communications with funders and prospects. Prepare donor briefing materials, as needed.


• In partnership with AGCI’s Executive Director and program leads:
  
  
  
  • Coordinate development of proposals, reports, and other written materials.
  
  
  • Advise on ways to adapt programmatic workstreams formerly funded by federal grants and reposition their value propositions and program strategies toward philanthropic and private audiences.
  
  
  • Translate AGCI’s institutional narrative and case for support into funder-ready proposals and asks.
  
  
  • Help surface what centralized development capacity AGCI needs as this function matures, informing the growth of AGCI’s development roles and structures.
  
  
  
  


• In partnership with development leads for other AGCI programs (Climate Reserve, Crux Alliance):
  
  
  
  • Coordinate cross-team funding opportunities, prioritization, and moves management
  
  
  • Align development strategies for cross-team support as opportunities emerge
  
  
  • Develop cohesive narratives about the value of investing in AGCI
  
  
  
  


• In partnership with AGCI’s Operations and Finance team:
  
  
  
  • Draft proposal budgets and financial reports, managing deadlines and compliance across the grant lifecycle.
  
  
  • Lead AGCI’s funder CRM, consolidating historical donor records into Salesforce, adding and maintaining prospects, and establishing data- and file-management systems.
  
  
  
  

Experience and Background

• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree in relevant field preferred


• 7–10 years of progressive responsibility in philanthropy, development, stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, or related roles.


• Direct experience owning funder relationships and fundraising strategy autonomously.


• Strong familiarity with the landscape of science philanthropy and global change funding streams (government, foundation, corporate, and individual), with enough fluency to navigate it independently.

Technical Competencies

• Exceptionally strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to balance multiple donor and communications priorities in a fast-moving environment.


• Clear, compelling communicator—able to develop and translate complex impact stories into persuasive written, visual, and verbal narratives for diverse audiences.


• Comfortable navigating modern collaboration tools (Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Slack, and similar platforms), with a willingness to adopt new systems.


• Proficiency with Salesforce to build and maintain new fundraising database infrastructure on behalf of the organization.

Relational Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse partners.


• Demonstrated ability to contribute to inclusive teams and integrate equity perspectives into programs and partnerships.


• Strong external presence; able to represent AGCI publicly across audiences and build authentic, trusted relationships with funders and partners.

Mindset and Attributes

• A team player equally willing to close a major gift and to update a Salesforce record—sees no task as above or below the role.


• Energized by the prospect of helping shape new-to-organization development capacity that will evolve as the workstream m…​

WORK SCHEDULE AND COMPENSATION

The anticipated start date is as soon as possible but no later than November 2, 2026. AGCI operates a physical, primary office in Basalt, Colorado, with staff working from other states as part of its “Institute Without Walls” approach. Remote work within the United States is permitted in this role provided the location has reliable internet and cellular phone access.

Compensation: Anticipated salary range is $125,000 - $150,000 annually. This hiring range is based on the general US market - this range may be increased based on an individual candidate's geographic location. AGCI offers a generous benefits package, including organization-paid employee and dependent medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability, 401(k) with up to 10% employer contributions, PTO, paid parental leave, flexible scheduling, wellness benefits, and professional development opportunities.

Aspen Global Change Institute is committed to providing an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and to ensuring a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We welcome people of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences to apply.

If you feel you do not meet all the listed qualifications but are capable of accomplishing the aims of this position, we encourage your application. You will have the opportunity to share additional details about your work experience that are not reflected in a traditional resume. Our employment decisions are based on our organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, family or parental status, disability, age, national origin, or any other protected status.