Join Our Team!

Like Loons? Want to join an exciting and growing wildlife conservation organization in New York’s beautiful Adirondack Park? Eager to work with an enthusiastic and fun-loving team?

The staff of the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation are passionate about promoting the conservation of loons and their habitats in and beyond the Adirondacks. Our enthusiastic staff care deeply about our mission, are committed to improving the environment for loons and other wildlife, and excited about collaborating with other organizations and individuals.

If you are interested in being part of our small team, we welcome you to watch for position openings with the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, and bring your unique talents and skills to complement ours.

Are you friendly, social, outgoing, dedicated, cool under pressure, detail and deadline oriented, flexible, a quick learner, multi-tasker, have a great sense of humor and positive attitude, and willing to do what needs to be done to make things happen?

If you are happy to leap in and get your hands dirty (maybe even with loon poop!), and don’t know the meaning of “not my job,” then we are looking for you!

Philanthropy Director

Position Description: The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, based in Saranac Lake, New York, is seeking a highly motivated, experienced, and detail-oriented full-time Philanthropy Director to join our enthusiastic team. The Philanthropy Director will work closely with the Executive Director and Philanthropy Committee to plan, implement, and oversee the fundraising activities of the ACLC. The Philanthropy Director will be responsible for maintaining and expanding private donor support and foundation funding, and developing new partnerships in and beyond the Adirondack Park to increase delivery of the Center’s mission.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a development program for a unique wildlife conservation organization in a wonderful area of New York.

Our ideal candidate will have a deep passion for the mission of the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, leadership experience, and enthusiasm for connecting with stakeholders and supporters.

Qualifications: This is a stimulating position, and is best suited for an enthusiastic highly motivated individual who enjoys engaging with the public. Demonstrated fundraising skills and appropriate education level preferred. A familiarity with New York’s Adirondack Park and an interest in wildlife conservation is a plus.

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Public Relations, or Communications

  • Minimum of three years’ experience in philanthropy, fundraising, and grant writing for a nonprofit organization, or equivalent education and experience, with a successful record of achievement in personally cultivating and securing major and/or planned gifts.

  • Proven capacity to formulate and implement fundraising strategies 

  • Familiarity with environmental/conservation fundraising and New York's Adirondack Park a plus

  • Demonstrated ability to interact with a variety of people. 

  • Demonstrated competency in computer applications, including all Microsoft Office products, donor database software, the internet, and e-mail.

  • Prior experience with estate planning and major gift solicitation from a legal, accounting, tax and/or financial planning perspective a plus.

A valid driver's license and access to personal transportation (with proof of insurance) is required for occasional work-related travel, such as events or fieldwork.

Some travel and the flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for ACLC’s events or retail store will be required, particularly during the summer.

Responsibilities: The Philanthropy Director will perform a variety of skilled administrative and clerical duties related to the ACLC’s philanthropic and fundraising activities under the direction of the Executive Director and with guidance from ACLC’s Philanthropy Committee, including, but not limited to:

  • Developing and implementing the ACLC’s annual fundraising plan and calendar;

  • Maintaining the ACLC’s compliance with state charity registration regulations;

  • Developing effective working relationships with donors, volunteers, government and foundation representatives and others to nurture their connection to the ACLC;

  • Overseeing all aspects of prospect research and cultivation, donor relations, engagement, and stewardship of ACLC’s donors;

  • Research and develop cultivation plans for major gifts;

  • Maintenance of the ACLC’s donor database;

  • Assisting with the development and execution of the ACLC’s annual appeal, special appeals, and membership appeals, and special fundraising events,

  • Gift and donation acknowledgement;

  • Expanding the ACLC’s Adirondack Loon Legacy Society (planned giving program) and gifts of stock and other assets;

  • Solicit corporate and business sponsorships for ACLC’s research and education projects;

  • Produce essential research and content in support of ACLC’s grant application strategy, including preparation of letters of inquiry, proposals, and reports, and developing and maintaining an institutional donor tracking system;

  • Producing reports to provide analysis on all aspects of gift receipt and donor relations;

  • Help develop and implement an annual communications plan; and

  • Serve as a responsible, articulate spokesperson for ACLC in all professional situations.

To Apply: Please email your resume, a cover letter detailing your qualifications, and three references to info@adkloon.org before November 1, 2024. Note that a cover letter is REQUIRED. No phone calls please.

Start Date: January, 2025, or when position is filled.

Salary Range: $55,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year, Commensurate with experience; Health, vacation, and retirement benefits included.

Loon belly-skidding into a landing on a lake

Fly on in with your resume, cover letter, and references to learn more!


Internship Opportunities

We offer summer internships that allow students with diverse backgrounds and areas of academic focus to gain valuable experience in monitoring and research, environmental education and outreach and science communications. We post our open internship positions in the spring for our summer field season, and occasionally offer off-season internships to students with specific areas of focus or availability.

Please check back for internship openings, or email education@adkloon.org to learn more.


The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation is an equal opportunity employer, and actively encourages candidates with diverse backgrounds to apply. It does not discriminate against any candidate or employee based on race, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion or veteran status. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.