Vice President, Institutional Giving at African Wildlife Foundation

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Develop and implement strategies to grow institutional funding and meet annual and 3-year fundraising goals.
• Create and oversee a comprehensive institutional giving plan, including setting and analysing metrics for success.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, program staff, and the development team to align fundraising strategies with organizational priorities.

Relationship Management

• Frontline functions of relationship management with AWF’s most important institutional donors including cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of relationships with current and prospective institutional funders including government, foundations and corporate partners.
• Represent AWF in meetings, presentations, and calls with funders and prospects.
• Build visibility and deepen engagement with institutional partners to expand AWF’s impact and resource mobilisation efforts.

Team Leadership and Management

• Build best-in-sector teams for AWF to be the ‘go to’ partner for key institutional donors.
• Lead, manage and mentor AWF’s teams of institutional giving professionals, supporting their professional development, driving compliance with the Account Management Framework and Business Plan, and empowering excellence in performance.
• Foster a collaborative and productive culture within the institutional giving team and between the institutional giving team and other teams across AWF.

Proposal and Grant Management

• Oversee the preparation and submission of technical and cost proposals, reports, and supporting materials for institutional funders.
• Ensure the institutional giving team contributes as outlined in the Account Management Framework and Project Management Guidelines to deliver best-in-class grants management including  compliance, accounting, and stewardship of grant-funded projects.
• Monitor grant progress and reporting requirements to ensure timely and accurate fulfilment of obligations.

 Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with program staff to develop a deep understanding of organisational initiatives and articulate compelling cases for support to funders.
• Support the CBOO, Chief of Staff, and Chief Executive Officer as needed on institutional fundraising matters.
• Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of institutional giving activities in the Balanced Scorecard, Board Dashboards and donor databases.
• Analyse data to inform strategy and report on progress to the CBOO.

Qualifications

• At least 15 years experience in institutional fundraising, including government, foundations and corporate partnerships.
• Knowledge of African conservation issues is a strong advantage.
• Proven track record of raising funds from institutional funders at seven and eight figure levels, especially foundation and government funders.
• Experience leading an institutional giving department generating at least $30 million annually and sustaining a diversified pipeline of opportunities of at least $200 million.
• Proven leadership and management abilities, with experience supervising and developing staff in a cross-cultural context.
• Strong relationship-building, communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic plans and meet ambitious fundraising targets.
• Knowledge of best practices in grants management, donor stewardship and compliance,
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree preferred.
• Relevant fundraising qualifications.