Foundations Officer I

May 23

Anticipated Start Date: TBD

Description

The Foundations Relations team will be hiring both a Foundations Officer I and a Foundations Officer II. The Foundations Officers are an integral part of a currently 14-person foundation relations team, which raises approximately one-quarter of Earthjustice’s contributed revenue. The team has grown and evolved tremendously in the last 5 years and is now in a new phase of growth, organized by functional expertise.

The fundraisers on the team are supported by a writing team as well as a systems and operations team. The Foundation Officers are an externally-facing role focused on raising grant support for Earthjustice - managing a portfolio of current foundation donors and prospects. While the Officer I role will primarily manage an existing and robust mid-level portfolio and implement a streamlined stewardship model, the Officer II will take a more entrepreneurial approach both within and outside Earthjustice and the team, leveraging relationships to further enhance Earthjustice’s presence and supporter base among institutional donors.

Both roles report to Senior Foundation Officers on the Team. Both roles will excel at collaboration, working closely with attorneys, communications and policy staff, and the entire development department to develop and implement effective strategies for meeting revenue goals.

The Foundations Officers can work hybrid or remote (within easy commutable distance) from the following locations: San Francisco, CA, Chicago, IL, New York, New York, or Washington, DC.

Responsibilities

Foundations Solicitation, Relationship Development, and Grants Management: 65%

Manages portfolio of primarily mid-level (under $250k annually) foundation grants, targeting $1 - 2 million annually toward the team’s cash goal. Implement a streamlined stewardship model to steward current donors to ensure they are supporting Earthjustice at their maximum capacity. Leverage relationships with current foundations to identify new potential sources of funding.
Based on targets set annually by the team, and working with prospect management team, ensure growth of donor base and giving by identifying, researching, and cultivating potential sources of foundation support.
Research foundation guidelines and giving histories and talk to informed allies to determine best approach for Earthjustice solicitation, when possible.
Monitor program developments at relevant foundations. Stay abreast of foundation trends through philanthropic journals and other sources.
Coordinate appropriate program staff involvement at each stage of the foundation relationship. Identify and develop opportunities for personal communication between foundation contacts and Earthjustice staff, such as personal meetings, invitations to events, and program update briefings.
Serve as a resource to foundation staff seeking information about Earthjustice, about the environmental movement, and about environmental issues more broadly.
Work with program staff and the Foundations writing team to develop and submit the highest quality letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and reports to foundations guided by their manager. Ensure timely gift acknowledgments.
Monitor, communicate, and meet grant proposal and reporting deadlines and other deliverables in coordination with internal teams as necessary. Write briefing memos and prepare program staff for foundation meetings.
Manage travel and other logistics for funder meetings, in collaboration with the foundations associate.

Program Engagement: 15%

Follow issues related to Earthjustice litigation and remain conversant in the work of assigned Earthjustice programs. This includes reading all relevant New Matter Forms, news and communications generated by Earthjustice, and news from external sources such as E&E Publishing and Greenwire.
Develop a working knowledge of Earthjustice’s past accomplishments and current programs and budget.
Work with program staff to define and articulate broad program vision, goals, objectives, and specific strategies to attain them.
Maintain regular communication with program staff on grant management. Track the status of relevant legal cases and programs through ongoing conversations with program staff, and surveying Earthjustice’s web site and press releases.

Budget Creation and Financial Reporting: 10%

In coordination with program and finance staff, and occasionally with external partners, assist with the development of budgets and financial reports.
In coordination with litigation operations and finance staff, maintain working knowledge of relevant cases to inform budget construction and financial reporting. Keep program staff abreast of grant-related budget commitments.

General Responsibilities: 10%

Participate in the preparation of foundation revenue estimates for the annual budget. Develop and implement an individual work plan to meet revenue goals.
Periodically provide revenue re-projections based on actual year-to-date performance. Collaborate with development staff on donor cultivation activities, site visits, solicitations, and special events.
Support the senior development officers, director of foundation relations, and senior director of foundation relations as needed. Adhere to Foundations team’s data entry protocols to ensure accurate revenue and relationship tracking and data hygiene.
Attend departmental and organizational retreats for shared planning, team building, and professional development.
Represent development department in legal practice groups.
Advance Earthjustice’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals by: Proactively pursue and utilize internal and external resources to support a personal and professional journey that increases awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
Participating in internal committees and working groups to further institutional priorities and build an inclusive and equitable work environment that encourages and celebrates differences.
Ensuring the incorporation of inclusive practices in all duties and responsibilities, on a consistent and ongoing basis, including but not limited to verbal and written interactions with constituents and Earthjustice staff.
Elevating and building capacity of partner organizations by supporting them in their organizational journeys, elevating their work with Foundations as appropriate and assisting them in accessing philanthropic resources.
Additional duties as assigned. This position requires occasional travel. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required. 3-5 years of successful experience in foundation fundraising.
Knowledge of foundations that emphasize environmental giving preferred. Background in law, policy, and/or the environment preferred.
Excellent creative writing skills, including the ability to craft persuasive and successful grant proposals, reports, and other materials.
Ability to synthesize complex material, to translate it into readable and engaging prose, and to communicate it clearly and succinctly to various stakeholders. Excellent relationship-building skills.
Outstanding verbal and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to build and interpret a program budget and financial reports. Extraordinary attention to detail.
High level of intellectual curiosity and a learning mindset. Outstanding commitment to producing high quality work products.
Ability to prioritize and to manage work independently; ability to perform effectively and with minimal supervision under pressure of multiple deadlines. Keen ability to troubleshoot complicated projects to their completion.
Ability to adapt and take initiative when challenges arise and creatively solve problems.
Ability to work and communicate effectively with a wide range of people, including the public, foundation staff, and in-house staff.
Ability to work constructively as a member of a team; bring and foster a collaborative spirit. Interest in environmental protection and public health issues.
Ability to use relational database systems. Welcomes feedback from supervisors, peers, and other partners.
An awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
Commitment to helping create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.

Salary and Employee Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive. Salary is dependent on position level, experience, and location.

Foundations Officer I Salary in San Francisco, CA and New York, NY: $112,100 - $124,500

Foundations Officer I Salary in Washington, DC and Chicago, IL: $106,500 - $118,300

How to Apply for this Job

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About the Organization

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals and communities to engage the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment.

Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, Tallahassee, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, and Washington, DC. In addition to a talented cadre of environmental lawyers, legislative advocates, and other staff, Earthjustice has a robust and savvy communications team that works in strategic partnership with every department at the organization to advance our public affairs and public relations objectives.

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