ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY

Ocean Conservancy educates and empowers citizens to take action on behalf of the ocean. From the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico to the halls of Congress, Ocean Conservancy brings people together to find solutions for our water planet. We engage on a range of issues from fisheries recovery to marine wildlife protection to ecosystem conservation and more. Informed by science, our work guides policy and engages people in protecting the ocean and its wildlife for future generations.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Foundation and Government Support Team is a fast-paced, mission-driven group of professionals with expertise in all aspects of portfolio management and new business generation from a wide range of philanthropic institutions. Together, the team advances Ocean Conservancy’s philanthropic partnerships with foundations and government agencies and manages a roughly $20 million portfolio. They work in close coordination with Ocean Conservancy staff from across the organization, harnessing the talents of program, executive office, communications and finance colleagues, among others, to ensure strong and healthy relationships with the organization’s foundation and government funders. They also work together closely with Ocean Conservancy’s other revenue units, including Individual and Corporate Giving, to maximize opportunities and ensure high-quality, donor-centered approaches to fundraising.

This is a dynamic position that assists in communicating the voice of Ocean Conservancy to potential and current funders and includes significant interaction across the organization and with external stakeholders. The Senior Portfolio Manager/ Government Grants Specialist provides comprehensive portfolio management to a docket of government (U.S., bilateral and multilateral) funders, including overarching relationship management, grant writing and reporting, donor record maintenance, financial report preparation, and daily review of new opportunities. This position also supports government grant compliance functions across the organization by ensuring that organizational processes reflect government grant requirements, supporting training for staff in compliance issues, and answering questions that arise. In addition to government fundraising and relationship management, the Senior Portfolio Manager also supports foundation prospect research, cultivation, proposal and report writing, and grant management to a lesser degree. This role requires the ability to translate science and policy language into accessible, compelling and informative material for target audiences, while multi-tasking and working under the pressure of tight deadlines.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Works collaboratively with development and senior program staff to articulate our mission and program objectives to new and existing institutional partners. This includes planning and facilitating interdepartmental meetings with key program staff to identify and prioritize project needs and key messages for funders.
• Cultivates, solicits, and stewards government funders by developing compelling cases for support in ways that convey the impact and imperative of Ocean Conservancy’s programmatic initiatives. This includes but is not limited to preparing proposals, letters of inquiry, grant reports, email correspondence, presentations, and acknowledgment letters. Responsibilities include drafting original copy, copyediting and proofreading, and formatting documents.
• Works with finance and program staff to prepare project budgets and financial reports and disseminate information to ensure compliance with requirements for various government grants. This also includes liaising with finance and program staff to track and manage grant budgets and ensure proper expenditure of funds to advance funded programs and grant objectives.
• Researches and identifies new U.S., bilateral and multilateral government grant opportunities and stays abreast of trends. This includes providing support to senior leadership on new government funding opportunities by developing research briefs as well as preparing senior staff for meetings and phone calls with government and foundation staff.
• Works with the Director to develop fundraising strategies, especially as part of the annual revenue projection process.
• Contributes to other written materials that serve the organization’s mission and conservation agenda as needed.
• Ensures continuity in and accountability for relationship management by maintaining systems and files to track funder contacts, funder profiles, proposal and reporting deadlines, and philanthropic commitments in Raiser’s Edge and hard-copy files. In addition, tracks proposals and report preparation assignments with program staff.

REQUIRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of three to five years of experience in grant writing, editing and related work (with proven track record of successful grant awards);
• Full command of grants and contracts systems;
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal rules and regulations relating to grant and contract activity and ability to apply knowledge to Ocean Conservancy policies and procedures;
• Successful track record in crafting effective and compelling proposals, reports and budgets to meet specified guidelines;
• Superior written communication skills, including capacity to communicate complex ideas in a compelling way to a variety of audiences;
• Strong grammar and editing skills (knowledge of AP style a plus);
• Strong preference for experience working at a nonprofit organization, especially either domestic or global policy advocacy groups;
• Preference for experience reviewing budgets and financial reports;
• Knowledge or experience with environmental policy issues a plus;
• Strong computer skills, including experience with prospect research tools, Excel and funder databases (Raiser’s Edge experience a plus);
• Attentiveness to details and strict adherence to deadlines and deliverables;
• Ability to work flexible hours (i.e., occasional evenings and weekends) demanded by a deadline-driven position;
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills;
• Highly collaborative with an appreciation of the benefit of a multi-disciplinary team approach.

EDUCATION/TRAINING

• Bachelor’s degree, (degree in English a plus), or relevant/related field experience.

COMPENSATION

Ocean Conservancy is committed to equity in its pay practices and posts expected hiring ranges for each of its positions. Salary minimum is $91,361; salary midpoint is $114,124. The midpoint represents the market rate for a position, and a fully experienced employee may be paid at this level. Compensation will be commensurate with the candidate’s specialty skills, years of experience, location, and unique background. We would welcome the opportunity to connect with potential candidates whose salary requirements may be outside of the expected hiring range.

TO APPLY

If you think you’d be a great fit for the job and are interested in joining Ocean Conservancy’s team, please apply here.

HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT

Ocean Conservancy embraces a hybrid work environment, which allows our staff the flexibility to work virtually and in-person while building strong connections across the institution.

Ocean Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer.