Foundations Officer

Overview

Put your passion and skills to work for the planet. Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time, and we need people like you to help us build a vital Earth — for everyone.

We’re Environmental Defense Fund, a fast-paced nonprofit with a growing staff of more than 1,000 people in nearly 30 countries. We deliver game-changing solutions that cut climate pollution and strengthen people’s ability to thrive despite the effects climate change is already having. We work wherever we can have the most impact, from local communities to top companies to governments worldwide, and even in space.

Our culture, values and commitment to diversity make EDF an exciting and meaningful place to work. Every job here makes a difference. Won’t you join us?

Responsibilities

Overall Function

The Foundations Officer will manage fundraising efforts for a select portfolio of foundation donors and prospects (five-to-seven-figure gifts), as part of the Institutional Giving team. Reporting to the Director of Institutional Giving. This individual may also support the management of EDF’s top-tier foundation relationships at the seven-to-eight-figure level. The Foundations Officer will be an experienced development professional with the skills and drive needed to contribute significantly to a dynamic results-oriented Development program.

This position is part of the Institutional Giving team within EDF’s Development Department.

Location

This position can be located in EDF’s Washington DC, New York, Boston, Austin, or Boulder office (with an option of geographic flexibility for the right candidate).

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner closely with program, finance, other development staff, and executive staff to raise and manage five-to-seven figure gifts from foundations to support the work and mission of EDF.  This entails a range of strategic stewardship and cultivation activities, including but not limited to:
  • Participating in the development and implementation of donor cultivation plans.
  • Preparing high-quality proposals, reports, and other donor-facing communications in collaboration with program staff, grant writers and sometimes other development staff.
  • Crafting strategic talking points and other materials for the program and executive staff to use in donor meetings.
  • Developing relationships with foundation staff and participating in funder meetings.
  • Contributing to accurate financial projections and donor information in our Salesforce database.
  • Leveraging the resources of department-wide research and donor engagement (communications/events) teams, as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain strong knowledge of EDF’s program work to effectively represent, through both written and oral communications, a wide array of regional, national, and global environmental programs to inspire donors to support EDF.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships within the Development department and with all levels of EDF staff.
• Use software and systems to track key metrics, prioritize activities and analyze portfolio status.
• Serve as a key contributor of the Development team and accept responsibility for achieving assigned financial, cultivation, and stewardship goals.
• Work effectively with staff across all departments throughout all EDF offices.
• Participate in advancing EDF DEI goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• A minimum of six years’ demonstrated success and progressive responsibility in nonprofit fundraising, preferably with foundation donors.
• Exceptional writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• The highest level of personal and professional integrity, discretion, and quality standards; poise and comfort with donor interactions.
• A high degree of proficiency working in a fast-paced, flexible, goal-oriented, and entrepreneurial environment.
• Excellent planning, organization, time management, and analytical skills; experience working with a team to successfully manage multiple projects with competing timelines.
• Capacity to work easily and effectively with a wide range of people; adept at building relationships.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and donor tracking software (preferably Salesforce).
• Experience working in a non-profit institution of comparable complexity and scale, including the ability to work effectively with geographically-dispersed colleagues, is preferred.
• Commitment to the mission of the Environmental Defense Fund.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Pay Ranges

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

The pay range for this role is shown below.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.

Minimum Salary

USD $92,000.00/Yr.

Maximum Salary

USD $102,000.00/Yr.

EEO Information

Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Keywords

foundations officerfundraisingdevelopment professionalstewardshipcultivationdonor meetingsenvironmental programsnonprofit fundraisingwritingcommunicationpresentation skillsplanningorganizationtime managementanalytical skillsrelationship buildingMicrosoft OfficeSalesforcenon-profit institutiontravel