Director of Institutional Giving

About Amazon Frontlines

Amazon Frontlines (amazonfrontlines.org) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Amazon Frontlines fights the climate crisis by securing indigenous stewardship of the Amazon rainforest. We build power with Indigenous leaders to form a bulwark of resistance throughout the upper Amazon, working together deep in the forest, at our organizing hub in northeastern Ecuador, and in the halls of power worldwide. Our mission is driven by a commitment to environmental conservation and empowering indigenous communities through partnership and sustainable practices.

About AF’s Development Program

The Amazon Frontlines Development team is a small-but-mighty team that excels in a dynamic and fast paced working environment to deliver big results. The team believes in a collaborative and leaderful approach to fundraising, in which every team member has an important role to play, and is driven by a commitment to mobilize resources to frontline communities.

Position Overview

Amazon Frontlines (AF) seeks a passionate, highly motivated and experienced fundraising professional for the new position of Director of Institutional Giving. This individual will join AF’s growing Development Team to lead a growth strategy that leverages recent organizational successes and high-profile recognition (including the 2024 Hilton Prize) to expand the organization’s institutional revenue stream and portfolio of funders, with an emphasis on 6 and 7-figure grants. Reporting to the Director of Development and working closely with the Development Coordinator and Fundraising Storyteller, the Director of Institutional Giving will identify new fundraising prospects, seize opportunities to develop funder relationships; and craft persuasive funder pitches and proposal narratives. The Director will also work closely with program teams and executive staff to stay current and informed on developing philanthropic trends and changes in the field.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Prospect Engagement

• Create and implement an annual institutional fundraising strategy that aligns with Amazon Frontlines’ mission and program goals, and manage execution to ensure all targets and deadlines are met.
• Manage Amazon Frontlines’ portfolio of high-capacity institutional donors, including the development of customized engagement strategies for each and working closely with the Development team and Executive Director to implement on a timely basis.
• Build strategic partnerships and leverage relationships within the environmental and Indigenous rights sector to broker new introductions that foster opportunities for pitching Amazon Frontlines’ work to foundation prospects, with a focus on securing multi-year support and 6 to 7-figure grants.

Communications & Assets

• Act as an external-facing representative of Amazon Frontlines’ mission and programs to foundation staff and other key stakeholders.
• Oversee the creation and submission of all grant proposals.
• Develop and present key pitch documents to prospective institutional funders.
• Collaborate with the Development team and Program staff on grant writing, reporting and other external communication materials.
• Increase Amazon Frontlines’ presence in and exposure to funder spaces and convenings, including participation on panels, speaking engagements and networking events.

Grant Management

• Develop and maintain annual grants and reports calendar to be shared with Executive and Program staff to ensure timely and comprehensive input for key foundation deadlines.
• Work with the Development Coordinator to maintain CRM records and moves management strategy.

Budgeting/Finance

• Support the annual budgeting process, with a focus on developing institutional revenue budget and updated monthly forecasts.
• Work closely with the Finance team to create compelling program and project budgets that align with proposal narratives and thorough financial reports.

Who you are and must-haves to be successful in the role

• Passionate about Amazon Frontlines’ mission
• A motivated self-starter, capable of working independently and balancing multiple priorities in a fast paced work environment
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in grant writing and/or strategic communications, with a deep knowledge of and potential connections to the foundation world and proven track record of writing successful grant applications, including multi-year funding proposal and larger grants ($100,000 – $1,000,000+)
• High understanding of institutional fundraising life cycle, including but not limited to prospect research; pitch and proposal development; grant tracking; and relationship stewardship.
• Highly developed written, verbal, research, and editorial skills, with ability to synthesize information and compose clear and effective prose.
• Ability to work collaboratively with AF staff to develop content and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent donor research on prospective institutional funders.
• Experience with juggling multiple priorities in a fast-paced non-profit environment with strong organizational, project management and leadership skills, and attention to detail.
• Experience working in Salesforce database, preferred.
• Fluency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Understanding of climate, deforestation and Indigenous rights issues and the funding landscape are a strong plus.
• AF is a multilingual team. To be effective in your role, you’ll need to be bilingual in both English and Spanish and able to communicate at a high level in both.

Location

This is a remote position within the Americas. Must be willing to travel to the region where our work takes place several times a year.

Amazon Frontlines is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, age, gender, sexual orientation, or class. Amazon Frontlines is also known for having a diverse group of people within its different spaces, which is why we strongly encourage people who belong

to indigenous and/or Afro-descendant peoples and nationalities to apply. They will be welcomed.