POSITION OVERVIEW

Established in 1986, the East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF) is a nonprofit organization in Melbourne, Florida, best known for its flagship campus, Brevard Zoo. Regularly voted one of the 10 best zoos in the nation in the USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards, Brevard Zoo welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year. The Brevard Zoo is an AZA-accredited facility with a diverse collection of over 900 animals representing nearly 200 species. It is also home to the Sea Turtle Healing Center for rehabilitation of wild marine turtles. Brevard Zoo is well-known for its strong conservation ethic and unique attractions, such as kayaking through the Africa area, giraffe feeding, and rhinoceros and various other animal encounters.
The Associate Director of Foundations & Corporate Giving is responsible for overseeing and growing revenue from corporations, foundations, and government entities in support of the East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF)’s mission. This role serves as a key leader on the philanthropy team and manages the team responsible for securing corporate sponsorships, philanthropic partnerships, and institutional grants as part of the Our Legacy Campaign.
Reporting directly to the Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO), the Associate Director will lead strategy development, portfolio management, and cross-functional collaboration to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward institutional funders. In addition to managing staff and campaign strategy, the Associate Director will personally manage a select portfolio of 50–75 institutional partners and prospects, with a focus on high-impact relationships and strategic funding opportunities. The successful candidate is an experienced fundraiser and team leader with strong communication skills, strategic vision, and a passion for connecting institutional funders with transformational impact.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit institutional giving with a strong track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts from individuals.
• Prior experience managing or mentoring a team of fundraisers.
• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to influence and engage high-net-worth individuals, board members, and senior leadership.
• Strong understanding of fundraising best practices, portfolio management, and campaign strategy.
• Proficiency in donor database systems such as Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, goal orientation, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and competing priorities.
• Passion for ECZF’s mission, with a background or interest in conservation, science education, or environmental causes preferred.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends for donor meetings and events.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

(L) Light work
Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force as frequently as needed to move objects. If the use of arm/leg controls require exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated as light work.

TRAVEL:

Occasional local or regional travel may be required for donor visits and events.
The above information in this job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the Zoo’s policies on evaluation of personnel.
Brevard Zoo provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Brevard Zoo complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Brevard Zoo expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Brevard Zoo’s employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.
Brevard Zoo will not tolerate retaliation against employees who raise concerns or who file a claim of discrimination whether through external agencies or through Brevard Zoo’s internal procedures.
Brevard Zoo is committed to an inclusive environment where employees are encouraged to be their authentic selves. We value the diverse qualities, perspectives, and experiences of all individuals. Join us in sharing the joy of nature to help people and wildlife thrive.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Are you willing to undergo a background check in accordance with local laws and regulations?
• Are you willing to undergo a pre-employment drug screening in accordance with local laws and regulations?

Work Location: In perso

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Corporate and Foundations Fundraising & Strategy (60%)
· Lead ECZF Foundation’s strategy for institutional giving, encompassing corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and government funding opportunities.
· Personally manage a portfolio of 50–75 institutional funders and prospects, including corporations, foundations, and public entities capable of five- to seven-figure support.
· Develop and implement an annual plan for institutional giving, including revenue projections, proposal timelines, and stewardship calendars.
· Oversee proposal and sponsorship package development, tailoring materials for capital, programmatic, and campaign-specific opportunities.
· Partner with the CPO, Director of Philanthropy and Director of Strategy & Operations to align institutional priorities with ECZF’s impact areas, working across departments to translate needs into compelling funder cases.
· Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective corporate and foundation partners through proactive research and qualification.
· Collaborate with the Marketing and Events teams to deliver sponsorship benefits, activations, and public recognition.
· Ensure compliance and successful execution of grant agreements, including tracking deliverables, managing reporting requirements, and coordinating with finance.
· Monitor team and individual KPIs related to proposal success rates, stewardship activity, and revenue performance; prepare regular updates and analysis for leadership.
· Represent ECZF Foundation in donor meetings, site visits, and public presentations as needed.
· Collaborate with leadership to integrate institutional giving into the broader Our Legacy Campaign and future strategic initiatives.
Staff Leadership (30%)
· Serve as a frontline fundraiser while also providing leadership and strategic guidance to a team of major gift officers, helping to develop goals, portfolios, and KPIs.
· Manage and mentor staff responsible for institutional portfolios, ensuring clarity of roles, professional development, and achievement of revenue and stewardship goals.
· Help shape and support a culture of philanthropy internally by mentoring staff and encouraging cross-functional collaboration across departments.
· Establish, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) for individual and team fundraising goals, ensuring accountability and progress toward both short-term metrics and long-term campaign benchmarks.
· Lead (with direction from the CPO) strategic portfolio planning across the corporate and foundation team, ensuring optimal donor coverage, minimizing overlap, and aligning donor assignments with institutional priorities and staff strengths.
Other (10%)
· Assist with campaign planning, impact reporting, and institutional donor briefings.
· Support cultivation and stewardship events involving institutional partners.
· Other duties as assigned.