Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is hiring a relationship builder with strong project management skills to join our team as a Foundation Relations Officer. Under the direction of the Associate Director of Foundation Relations, the Foundation Relations Officer (FRO) will play a critical role in fundraising efforts, meeting WRA’s annual revenue goals, and maintaining and growing financial support from foundation donors. The FRO will raise philanthropic revenue by managing and growing a portfolio of approximately 25-35 four-to-six figure foundation funders and prospects and working closely with other staff to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward support. The FRO will work collaboratively across the organization to develop grant proposals and corresponding reports and other written materials for foundation funders. This position will spend a significant amount of time overseeing a complex schedule of deadlines, tracking workflow, and ensuring the timely completion of compelling grant materials.
About Western Resource Advocates
WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. We respect the different needs of diverse people and partner with them to develop a shared vision for progress—one that advances communities while protecting biodiversity.
Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decision makers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.
Location
This position may work remotely in our seven-state region, in one of our six offices, or a hybrid of the two. Our seven-state region includes Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. WRA has offices located in Boulder, CO; Carson City, NV; Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Santa Fe, NM. Access to a major airport required, as travel (15% or more depending on location) is required.
Responsibilities And Activities
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
- In partnership with the Associate Director and program and finance staff, prepare grant proposals that align with WRA funding priorities to foundations and longtime foundation partners as assigned.
- Coordinate with development, program, and finance staff to ensure grant impact reports and spend downs are completed, deadlines are met, and grant files are maintained with accuracy.
- Prepare and participate in grant-related meetings, ensuring expectations, meeting agendas and follow-up assignments and tasks are implemented and completed.
- Understand and effectively use available project management and grants submission technology.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
- Maintain a growing portfolio of four-to-six figure foundations to renew their support annually and/or over multiple years.
- Engage with external foundation program staff through meetings, phone calls and emails, tracking meaningful contacts in Raisers Edge.
- Engage in discovery by conducting prospect research using online foundation research tools.
- Execute departmental systems and processes to maintain records and accounting of portfolio grant funding.
- Track and report on portfolio grant activities through Raisers Edge and other means.
Required Qualifications
Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position, will be considered. For example, the requisite experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities would include:
- At least 3 years of experience cultivating, managing, and soliciting a portfolio of foundation donors and prospects, and/or equivalent experience.
- Ability to work under pressure, navigate multiple/competing deadlines, and effectively prioritize a varied and diverse workload.
- Ability to build collaborative relationships with both internal colleagues and external contacts.
- Understanding of philanthropy and foundations and a demonstrated aptitude for developing compelling outreach and proposals.
- Excellent writing and editing skills.
- Ability to understand grant budgets and spend downs.
- Problem-solving, research, and analytical skills.
- Detail and results oriented.
- Proficiency in project management tools.
Physical Requirements
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Some travel is required.
Salary And Benefits
The salary range is $70,000-$85,000 annually; salary depends on relevant experience and new staff rarely start at the top of the range. WRA’s excellent benefits package includes a 401(k) retirement plan with up to 5% matching and health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance with 100% of premiums paid by WRA. Annually, staff receive seventeen days paid vacation leave to start, twelve paid sick days, one paid volunteer day, twelve paid holidays, and WRA is closed for Winter Break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day for additional paid time off. Employees are eligible for up to twelve weeks of parental leave, and after five years, staff are eligible for up to twelve weeks of paid sabbatical leave. Position is full-time exempt.
Deadline To Apply: Open Until Filled with priority review beginning on Monday, April 8, 2024.
Diversity and inclusion are a critical component of our business strategy, mission and vision. We welcome candidates from an array of backgrounds and experiences to join our team. Learn more about our commitment here: https://wraoldsite.wpengine.com/#commitment-to-diversity.
Western Resource Advocates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital status, amnesty, or veteran status.
Apply To Be WRA’s Foundations Relations Officer!
Thank you for your interest in the Foundations Relations Officer position with Western Resource Advocates. You will need to upload the following in PDF format:
- Cover letter describing your relevant qualifications and the reason for your interest in WRA and this position;
- Resume; and
- Writing Sample (up to 5 pages).