Associate, Development

Associate, Development

Department: Development
Reports to: Associate Vice President, Institutional Advancement
Position Managed: N/A
Location: Bronx Zoo
Scope: Bronx Zoo
Position Type: Full Time

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

WCS stands for wildlife and wild places. As the world’s premier wildlife conservation organization, WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. We run field programs spanning 60 countries and the entire ocean. We build on a unique foundation: Our reach is global; we discover through best-in-class science; we protect through work on the ground with local and indigenous people; we inspire through our world-class zoos, aquarium, and education programs; and we leverage our resources through partnerships and powerful policy influence. Our more than 4,000 diverse, passionately committed team members in New York City and around the world work collectively to achieve our conservation mission.

Job Summary

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is looking for an Associate to join the fundraising team. As an integral member of the development team at WCS, you will provide critical support to the Associate Vice President and to the Philanthropy Director, a new position that will be based in Europe, in their efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward existing donors and prospects for gifts to WCS. This position reports to the Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement and supports a team of frontline institutional fundraisers, with a global mandate extending beyond the US. The ideal candidate will be a team-oriented individual with a mind for process, excellent attention to detail, and strong writing and communication skills. We are looking for a proactive individual with an interest in WCS’s global mission who is excited to dive into a fast-paced development environment and begin adding value immediately.

Major Responsibilities

The individual’s main responsibilities will be in supporting frontline fundraisers by executing the processes that ensure successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of WCS donors. Responsibilities include:

• Support at least two (2) relationship managers’ portfolios. With direction from each relationship manager, track, monitor, and prompt actions related to prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. This includes data entry, preparing status reports, tracking all opportunities, flagging upcoming actions, coordinating moves management, and drafting correspondence and donor communications.
• Coordinate with and schedule meetings with internal stakeholders to proactively manage the calendar of deliverables for the frontline fundraisers who are being supported to ensure efficiency in content creation.
• Provide additional support to the frontline fundraisers on the Foundation Relations team, as directed.
• Work with the Operations team to process gifts and acknowledgement letters. Assume primary responsibility for drafting relevant gift and grant acknowledgement letters and thank-you emails from fundraisers and senior staff.
• Serve as point of contact for all internal (Development and other departments across WCS) inquiries for the Foundation Relations team, including liaising with the Research team to request information/materials and the Donor Engagement team on invitation list reviews.
• Stay updated on database procedures and attend all required training sessions.
• Assist and support fundraising events, donor meetings, and zoo tours. This includes preparing briefings and biographies pre-event and coordinating comprehensive follow-up strategies post-event. At times, this may include greeting donors for tours and accompanying the tour to represent WCS. For this responsibility, a Driver’s License is required.
• Reconcile Foundation Relations team’s annual budget, track spending, and submit expenses for frontline fundraisers who are being supported and for the rest of the Foundation Relations team.
• May require occasional travel, including internationally – less than 5% of the time.
• Perform other administrative duties as needed.

Qualification Requirements

• 1-2 years of fundraising or relevant work experience
• Excellent writing, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Experience communicating across a variety of departments and managing multifaceted projects
• Fine attention to detail
• Interest in WCS mission
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet-based research
• A Bachelors or Associate Degree preferred
• Valid Driver’s License
• Experience with Salesforce or another relevant development and donor software

Physical Demands

The physical demands include but are not limited to the use of a Keyboard, 10-key, Mouse, and Telephone Use, Handwriting, Sitting, Standing, Crouching, Kneeling, Bending, Walking, Stair Climbing, Driving, and Lifting up to 20lbs.

Workplace Conditions and Environment

The workplace conditions and environment of the role include working indoors, closely with others, and/or alone, and occasional exposure to excess noise.

Key skills/competency

• Fundraising
• Donor Relations
• Development Operations
• Salesforce
• Gift Processing
• Budget Management
• Event Support
• Communication Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Attention to Detail