This is a hybrid position that requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington D.C., London, The Hague. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.
About the Program:
The world needs to shift from economies based on exploiting people and nature to low-carbon economies that are good for people and good for the planet. Achieving the worldโs people, nature, and climate goals will require major transformations of every human system that supports life on Earth โ from the ways we produce and use food and energy to how we design cities and to the economic, financial and political governance systems which underpin them. WRI works to drive transitions in focus countries where we can test, evaluate, and scale strategies and lessons learned, and to set ambitious global commitments and initiatives. We bring change-makers together from governments, businesses, non-profits, and others to advance rigorous, evidence-based solutions and learning.
The Climate, Economics, and Finance Program is responsible in WRI for both driving forward changes in finance, economic, and governance systems at the global, country transition, and human system-level, and stewarding the Instituteโs climate goal, with a focus on both adaptation and mitigation. It is responsible for delivering outcomes on climate ambition, country transitions, finance, adaptation, and corporate action.
Job Highlight:
Reporting to Chief of Staff of the Global CEF Program, you will integrate equity into your work. You will lead fundraising strategy development and coordination for the Global Climate, Economics & Finance (CEF) Program as a key resource for project managers and a senior advisor to the Global CEF Director. You will be responsible for all donor relations managed through the Global Program, overseeing a team of fundraising professionals within the CEF Program as well as working with the WRIโs Development Department to guide CEF Program leaders through engagement with U.S. and international governments, multilateral institutions, foundations, corporations, and major individual donors.
This role requires a strategic thinker and relationship-builder who is also an excellent communicator capable of translating complex research into fundable projects. You will work with technical teams to develop targeted fundraising strategies that advance program objectives, helping conceptualize theories of change, highlighting WRIโs unique capabilities to deliver impact, and shaping compelling proposal narratives. Along with other Program Development staff, you will oversee donor stewardship, prospect research, proposal writing, and internal project framing. You will lead and participate in joint fundraising efforts across WRI to produce multi-faceted proposals for major awards, routinely in the $1,000,000+ range. You will manage a team of other nonprofit fundraising professionals too.
What will you do:
Fundraising Strategy Development and Leadership (40%):-
- Collaborate with CEF Program leadership to develop targeted fundraising strategies to achieve continuous, sustainable funding that scales to the ambition and opportunities of WRIโs Climate goal and objectives
- Provide advice, training, and strategy development support to managers across the Global CEF program and help advance CEF-related fundraising in WRI country offices through strategic guidance and collaboration
- Support long-term project planning efforts to ensure the development of clear and compelling offers that are aligned with CEF and WRI fundraising priorities and opportunities
- Manage the fundraising pipeline, enduring timely identification and tracking of prospects and proposals across the CEF Program. Oversee the progression of proposal and donor engagement through various stages while maintaining detailed records of outcomes
- Develop and nurture the growth of fundraising communication and skills among technical leads across the Program
Donor Stewardship and Prospect Research (25%): -
- Mobilize teams and Directors across the Global CEF Program and related teams to ensure consistent, coordinated outreach and engagement with key partners and donor organizations
- Proactively monitor and guide stewardship of high-value donors and prospects including 30+ annual grants, as well as multi-year and multi-million-dollar awards
- Cultivate long-term strategic relationships with donors, in line with WRI and Global CEF fundraising and programmatic strategies, to generate new opportunities for revenue for the CEF Program
- Oversee the coordination and tracking of regular communications with current and prospective program donors
Proposal Development (25%):-
- Manage coordination of multi-team, multi-million dollar proposals, supporting drafting of narrative proposal and donor reporting elements
- Draft strategic briefs and presentations to guide key interactions with prospective donors
- Work in coordination with WRIโs Development Department to stay well-informed of joint proposals, evolving donor interests, and potential overlaps with centrally-managed institutional donors
Team Management (10%):-
- โข Manage and mentor a team of nonprofit fundraising professionals, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment
- Guide the team in delivering on high-impact fundraising efforts and supporting WRIโs broader climate, people, and nature goals
What will you need:
- Education: You have a completed masterโs degree in a related field. Relevant work experience in lieu of masterโs is accepted
- Experience: You have a minimum of 10 years of full-time relevant experience in fundraising preferably in the nonprofit sector, including at least 2 years of management responsibilities
- Experience leading major fundraising efforts, securing $1M+ from multiple donor types
- Documented successes personally implementing complex, multi-year cultivation strategies based on strategic relationship-building and a moves management approach leading to successful closure of significant gifts
- Experience working with individual, corporate, and foundation funders; bilateral and/or multilateral agencies; government grants; boards from corporations and foundations; and other executive or high-level, high-capacity volunteers
- Exceptional writing and proofreading skills; ability to translate technical information into layperson language; experience in developing and organizing proposals for varying audiences
- Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills; a demonstrated ability to diplomatically and effectively guide peers and senior-level staff though strategy conception to concrete proposed deliverables for donors that are focused on impact at global scale
- Experience working in an international team environment; must be comfortable in a fast-paced organization with a diverse staff across multiple time zones and often tight deadlines
- Languages: Fluent in English
- Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization
Potential Salary: US salary range is between 116,000 and 139,000 USD.UK: 65 โ 82 K GBP; NL: 80K โ 101K EUR; GER: 72-96K EUR. If located in another country office, salary will be determined by local market conditions. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.
How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of February 3, 2025. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.
We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.
You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.