Associate Director of Development

The Associate Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations, joins New England Aquarium's (NEAq) Development Team. Currently, the team raises over $14 million annually to drive NEAq's mission with ambitious plans for growth over the next several years. Reporting to the Director of Development, this position will plan, implement, and coordinate effective multi-year strategies leading to the solicitation of the Aquarium's institutional gift prospects, specifically corporate and foundation donors.

The position will also support the development, operations, growth, and sustainability of the New England Aquarium (NEAq) corporate and foundation fundraising program, helping lead NEAq's focus on the corporate sector, as well as its development of long-term and multi-dimensional relationships to advance NEAq's mission. The Associate Director is responsible for managing the staff and operations of the Institutional Giving team, including the Manager of Corporate Relations.

This is a full-time regular position offering a comprehensive benefits package. The typical schedule will be Monday-Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm with the option for a hybrid schedule, working some days on-site and some days remotely. This position requires work on occasional evenings and weekends for events, as well as travel approximately 25% of the time to meet prospective donors in the New England region. Remote days are only available for residents of MA, RI, NH, ME, NY and VT. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Lead New England Aquarium's efforts to raise corporate and foundations funding through philanthropy, sponsorship, and membership opportunities.
2. Working closely with the Manager of Corporate Relations, develop long-term strategic goals to build and maintain an identified corporate and foundation donor prospect pipeline.
3. Support senior Development team members as well as Executive Office team members in all corporate and assigned foundation approaches where they are the primary point of contact with the prospect.
4. Manage a portfolio of corporate and foundation prospects through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Meet associated performance metrics and fundraising goals.
5. Evaluate and recommend appropriate strategies for existing and newly qualified potential donors, including the assessment of a corporation's interests and knowledge of Aquarium programs.
6. Work strategically with stakeholders across the enterprise to develop and write proposals for a wide array of programmatic, special event, and other funding needs and creatively match funding opportunities with both new and existing corporate partners and foundation donors.
7. Manage and ensure appropriate reporting, recognition, compliance, and stewardship of corporate and foundation donors.
8. Represent NEAq at business trade association meetings, conferences, and community functions within the Greater Boston and New England regions.
9. Employ best practices to document all donor interactions and maintain accountability reports.
10. Develop and attain annual revenue goals and collaborate with NEAq staff to meet goals, provide performance feedback, and identify professional development opportunities.
11. Incorporate NEAq's mission, strategic plan, culture, values, history, programs, and initiatives into fundraising efforts.
12. Support the Development Team's fundraising priorities by communicating and coordinating effectively with Development team members.
13. Utilize the donor database (Raiser's Edge NXT), including filing timely and accurate online contact reports.
14. Ensure compliance with external (donor/legal/IRS) requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Training and Experience

Minimum of 7+ years of fundraising experience working in a complex organization, preferably in corporate and foundation relations.Minimum of 2 years' experience leading or supervising others in an academic or professional setting, with a focus on clear communication, mentorship, and team success. Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents, including corporations and institutional foundation representatives, required; experience soliciting these donors at the five- and six-figure gift level preferred.Experience developing independent and collaborative strategies and plans to identify and cultivate prospects and steward donors. Experience in donor cultivation and recognition, including prospect management of volunteer board members.Proven experience building productive and professional relationships with colleagues, clients, donors, prospects, partners, board members, senior staff, and other organizational contacts. Project and/or program management.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to learn and persuasively communicate the conservation mission and programs of the New England Aquarium with sincerity, persuasion, and passion.Strong writing, communications, and presentation skills and experience. Proven ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.Ability and desire to travel as needed to meet with donors, approximately 25% of the time.

For more information and to apply online please visit:

The New England Aquarium is committed to an inclusive workplace culture and is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, as defined by the EEOC. Here, we foster a culture of respect and inclusion. We strive to engage and inspire a broad audience with our efforts to protect the blue planet. We believe that an inclusive workforce provides diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives that enrich our programs, strengthen problem-solving, add creativity, and enhance our workplace culture.

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