Manager of Major Gifts and Stewardship

The Manager of Major Gifts and Stewardship is responsible for expanding the current donor base, including individuals, foundations, corporations and other philanthropic community members, nurturing existing donor relationships with the aim of retention and forging new relationships with prospective donors. As a member of the Donor Relations team, this position will focus on obtaining philanthropic support for both annual operations and various capital campaigns and capital projects, to sustain the Zoo’s advancement in the near and long-term. The successful candidate will collaborate within the Donor Relations team to implement strategies to broaden donor sources, manage grant writing and reporting, and manage the Premier Passport Program. This position will lead the development and execution of impact reporting strategies to communicate the effectiveness of the Zoo’s programs to donors as well as internal and external stakeholders.

Essential Duties:                      

• Provide quality guest service to both internal and external guests by maintaining a WILD (friendly, helpful, positive, and professional) working attitude and appearance.
• Participate with the Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement in defining and evaluating annual fund program elements, with specific focus on identification of prospects and fostering relationships through the various phases of donor engagement. 
• Solicit support for the Zoo, either individually or in concert with other Donor Relations team members using existing offerings such as membership programs, learning and engagement program support, conservation support opportunities and fundraising events as the principal means to acquire new donors.
• Foster positive and enduring relationships that produce reciprocal benefits for current and future donors with the objective of retaining and expanding those relationships.
• Develop and implement strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors ($10,000+).
• Build and manage a portfolio of individual major gift prospects, conducting research and analysis to identify new potential supporters.
• Research and identify new foundation and grant opportunities aligned with the Zoo’s mission and needs, including managing the efforts of Zoo-wide  grant writing, reporting, and creation of impact reports.
• Prepare and submit compelling grant proposals, ensuring all requirements and deadlines are met.
• Prepare and distribute impact reports that demonstrate how donor contributions are making a difference.   
• Meet or exceed fundraising goals and establish measurable milestones toward that end.
• Participate in capital campaign efforts with major gift efforts from individuals, corporate grants and foundations, by building relationships and identifying campaign donor prospects.
• Manage and administer the Premier Passport Program to further donor engagement in collaboration with other Donor Relations team members
• Participate in planning and executing donor special events.
• This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. 
• Management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments.)           

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or non-profit administration or related field preferred.
• Minimum of five years fundraising experience with a proven track record of successful major gift fundraising and grant writing, donor stewardship and measurable success against goals.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams) and donor database proficiency.
• Effective written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Must be goal and detail-oriented; ability to be proactive, take initiative and be productive.
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and participate effectively in a team.
• A positive personality and respect for confidentiality are a must.
• Ability to work some weekends, evenings and reliable transportation for off-site meetings and events.
• Possession of a valid driver license.
• Ability to pass pre-employment background check and DMV check, drug test and annual TB test.

Perks

• The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation is committed to maintaining the health and well-being of its employees.
• We offer a wide range of benefits for qualified employees designed to address the diverse needs of our employees and their families, such as: Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Coverage (Domestic Partnership Benefits Available) Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and Long Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Sick Leave (PSL)
• 401(k) Plan with Match
• Phoenix Zoo Membership
• Employee WILD Rewards Program
• Service Awards
• Employee Cultural Exchange Program
• Tuition Reimbursement Program (for qualified courses)
• Outside Vendor Discounts