Manager, Institutional Relations

POSITION SUMMARY:

Based in Washington, D.C. (or other U.S. location) and reporting to the Senior Manager, Institutional Relations, the Manager, Institutional Relations will work as part of a global team of fundraising professionals within a unit responsible for growing relationships and securing funding from bilateral and multi-lateral donor agencies. They will work closely with program and finance staff to develop detailed fundraising strategies, position RA for funding opportunities, and will produce and submit grant applications with the goal of meeting short-term revenue targets and adding to the long-term pipeline of institutional funding. The Manager, Institutional Relations will also help ensure high-quality and timely donor stewardship and reporting to Institutional Relations (IR) donors.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Rainforest Alliance’s Core Values are Impact, Change, Collaboration, Openness and Trust and as such they form the basis of the behaviors we demonstrate.
• Manage a distinct donor portfolio with a particular focus on bilateral, multi-lateral donor agencies, as well as development banks;
• Represent the organization externally, building relationships with institutional donors within their portfolio, to gather intelligence on strategy, policy, and future funding opportunities, and to develop new business opportunities;
• Engage in direct fundraising and proposal pitches, meetings, and industry events in D.C. and the U.S., and other donor cultivation efforts;
• Develop, advance, and implement strategies to secure bilateral and multilateral funding, with specific fundraising targets identified for the short and long term;
• Work across the organization to ensure that IR fundraising strategies complement RA’s programmatic goals and help achieve impact at scale desired;
• Proactively identify Rainforest Alliance initiatives and approaches aligned with bilateral and multi-lateral donor agency priorities and position these for high impact funding opportunities;
• Manage proposal design processes with limited supervision, independently leading bid development teams and advising on institutional donor requirements, quality standards, and program priorities;
• Write, adapt, and edit proposals, reports, and concept papers for international field projects and programs, working closely with program staff and field teams;
• Synthesize technical strategies into compelling narratives, often developing technical components of mid-sized to large proposals, in partnership with technical and thematic leads;
• Review proposal narratives and cost application documents for quality, consistency, and compliance with bilateral and multilateral donor requirements and interests;
• Input and track detailed pipeline and grant information, including budgetary projections, in RA’s donor database (Salesforce); and
• Other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree required, master's degree preferred;
• 7 years’ institutional fundraising experience with at least 5 years in a large, international development organization;
• Must be an excellent writer that is detail oriented, resourceful, and able to work under tight deadlines;
• Significant experience working with bilateral and multilateral donor agencies;
• Strong budgeting skills required;
• Clear ability to understand and articulate complex programmatic material in a detailed manner both internally and externally, and to audiences with different levels of background in these areas;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as be an effective team member;
• Experience with/knowledge of conservation and/or community development issues required;
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal);
• Proficiency in one other Rainforest Alliance working language (Spanish, French) preferred;
• Ability to work collaboratively with a culturally diverse and international organization;
• High degree of skill in using MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) required;
• Experience with Salesforce preferred; and
• Ability to travel internationally if needed.

Level: 3

Deadline: 15 March 2025

Salary:

• National Salary range (Excluding NY and DC) - $63,655- $90,906
• New York Salary Range - $75,605- $108,007
• Washington DC Salary Range - $73,180- $104,542

Notes: Only candidates legally authorized to work in the US will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department: recruitment@ra.org

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability and any other protected group.