Corporate and Foundations Relations Officer

We Share Our Joy of Nature to Help Wildlife and People Thrive

Established in 1986, the East Coast Zoological Society of Florida (ECZS) is a nonprofit organization in Melbourne, Florida, best known for its flagship campus, Brevard Zoo. Regularly voted one of the 10 best zoos in the nation in the USA TODAY10Best Readers’ Choice awards, Brevard Zoo cares for over 800 animals and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year.

Position: Grants and Foundation Relations Officer

Status: Full-time (Exempt)

Department: Philanthropy

Reports to: Associate Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations

Basic Function: The Grants and Foundation Relations Officer (GFRO)is responsible for supporting the growth and stewardship of ECZS’s corporate, foundation, and government grants program. A frontline fundraiser for ECZS’s $100 million Our Legacy Campaign, the GFRO manages a portfolio of approximately 50 existing and potential grantors and leads the preparation of all grant reports. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following reflects ECZS’s definition of essential functions for this position but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. ECZS may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

POSITION DUTIES

ECZS is seeking an experienced fundraising professional with exceptional writing skills to join our Philanthropy team as a Grants and Foundation Relations Officer. This position will play a key role in raising $100 million over 5 years to support the construction of a new Aquarium and Conservation Center at Port Canaveral and strategic enhancements to Brevard Zoo.

Serving as a frontline fundraiser and grant writer, this position is responsible for building lasting donor relationships; researching, writing, and submitting high-quality grant applications, proposals, and Letters of Inquiry; and stewarding the Zoo’s grant donors through the development and submission of impact reports. The GFRO will work collaboratively across the Zoo, partnering with program, finance, philanthropy, and administrative staff to obtain a strong working knowledge of the Zoo’s funding needs and collect the information and materials required for grants. This is an exciting opportunity to align your exceptional written communication skills with your passion for Florida wildlife and ecosystems.

RESPONSIBILITES

· Work with supervisor to develop and implement cultivation and solicitation strategies for a portfolio of approximately 50 foundation (private and corporate) and government prospects, with an emphasis on gifts and grants up to $50,000.

· Write, edit, and submit tailored grant applications, proposals, and Letters of Inquiry to potential grantors, meeting all application requirements and internal and external deadlines.

· Lead the preparation and submission of all grant impact reports.

· Work with philanthropy, communications, interpretation, and other staff to coordinate the implementation of grantor recognition (Our Partners webpage, donor boards, social media, etc.).

· Work with program, finance, philanthropy, and administrative staff to collect information and materials required for grant applications and reports. Provide hands-on assistance in developing budgets, S.M.A.R.T. goals, logic models, and attachments as needed.

· Build and maintain positive philanthropic relationships with institutional leaders and staff.

· Participate in and/or lead tours, presentations, site visits, technical assistance meetings, and donor meetings and calls.

· Develop and maintain familiarity with programmatic needs, budgets, and priorities for the Zoo and Aquarium. Represent ECZS’s mission and persuasively articulate ECZS’s impact and conservation strategies.

· Track donor interactions, solicitations, and outcomes in the Zoo’s donor database and annual Grants Calendar.

· Assist in the writing of gift proposals, invitations, emails, event programs, donor reports, and other philanthropy materials as needed.

· Attend and contribute to the success of donor events.

· Other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE/SKILLS

· BA/BS degree required; master’s preferred

· At least 4 years of experience in a nonprofit fundraising role required

· At least 2 years of grant writing experience required

· Outstanding writing, editing, and proofreading skills required, including understanding of different external audiences and ability to tailor materials to their needs

· Expertise in English spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax

· Understanding of best practices in fundraising, donor relations, and proposal development

· Ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously while meeting rigorous deadlines

· Ability to work both collaboratively and independently

· Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface effectively with the highest level of ECZS donors, board members, and senior leadership

· Analytical, inquisitive, and proactive, with an impeccable attention to detail

· Ability to deliver results, influence others, and problem solve

· Positive attitude, with the ability to accept and apply constructive feedback on written work

· Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for donor events and to meet department goals

· Passion for ECZS’s mission and demonstrated experience in the conservation field preferred

· Industry CRM knowledge; Raiser’s Edge experience a plus

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position will work on-site at Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida. A hybrid work schedule will be considered. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The environment may include:

· Zoo and Aquarium environment involves both indoor and outdoor working conditions.

· Ability to travel between ECZS locations, and other travel as required by position responsibilities.

· Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and writing sample to hr@brevardzoo.org.

Brevard Zoo is committed to an inclusive environment where employees are encouraged to be their authentic selves. We value the diverse qualities, perspectives, and experiences of all individuals. Join us in sharing the joy of nature to help people and wildlife thrive.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $53,000.00 - $58,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Are you willing to undergo a background check in accordance with local laws and regulations?
• Are you willing to undergo pre-employment drug testing in accordance with local laws and regulations?
• Are you able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and evenings?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• corporate and foundation grant writing: 3 years (Preferred)
• donor-facing nonprofit fundraising: 5 years (Preferred)

Work Location: In person