The Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, IA is a non-profit organization and home to more than 2,800 animals representing nearly 240 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, and is fully accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The mission of the Blank Park Zoo is to inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education, research and recreation.
Position Purpose:
The Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager is responsible for developing, managing, and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to secure institutional support. This role actively builds and maintains strong corporate and foundation relationships to support the Zoo's mission, capital campaigns, and strategic priorities. Additionally, this position serves as primary director and logistical lead for the Zoo's annual signature fundraising golf tournament, Gators on the Green.
Essential Functions:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
- Corporate Partnership and Sponsors: Designs, pitches, and secures corporate sponsorships for Zoo events, exhibits, and programs, builds customized benefit packages and maintains a robust portfolio of corporate prospects and current partners.
- Post-Award Grant Compliance & Fulfillment: Directs the post-award process for all foundation grants, serves as the internal accountability lead to ensure all grant-funded deliverables, programmatic milestones, and explicit institutional recognition agreements are fully met and executed. Partners internally with various Zoo departments receiving grant funding to collect performance data, track project outcomes, and independently author simpler grant reports.
- Institutional Relationship Manager: Directs and maintains a portfolio of corporate partners and mid-level foundation relationships, serves as a strategic support partner on principal-level foundation grants where the primary relationship manager is the Chief Development Officer or Chief Executive Officer.
- Gators on the Green Management: Primary staff person for the annual signature golf tournament, Gators on the Green. In addition to volunteer committee coordination, will lead the procurement of corporate golf sponsorships, team registrations, and tournament related donations to maximize fundraising success for the event.
- Other duties as assigned: relating to the overall success of the Development department.
Competencies:
- Resourceful - Understanding of or can research all applicable topics as they relate to fundraising, corporate philanthropy, grant compliance, operations of an attraction, and strategic networking.
- Flexible - Ability to handle a flexible workload with a variety of assignments while also maintaining composure in and environment that can be stressful.
- Independent - Must be able to operate independently, exercise initiative and demonstrate capacity for detail and follow-up.
- Positive - Must be a positive, effective team member and be able to establish professional working relationships.
- Communicator - Communicates clearly, both verbal and written, effective listening skills.
- Critical Thinker - Ability to make decisions while under pressure or solve complex problems that arise daily.
- Innovative - Ability to propose creative corporate alignment strategies and unique sponsorship activations.
- Efficient - Ability to complete task in a thorough but quick manner.
- Customer-Oriented - Always exercises professional customer service skills, interacts with many different types of people and situations.
- Team Player - Collaborates with the Chief Development Officer and team to achieve common organizational goals.
Supervisory/Management Responsibilities
Supervises the Community Presence Coordinator, providing regular direction, performance evaluations, and strategic support to ensure the successful delivery of offsite outreach and internal tour programs.
Work Environment
Regularly required to work in a standard office desk setting. The role requires traveling to offsite locations and moving across zoo grounds in varied weather conditions to facilitate tours and events.
Physical Requirements
The physical requirements described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to successfully perform the essential functions.
Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces.
- Never Occasionally Constantly
Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Adjusting or moving objects up to 50 pounds in all directions.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Communication with others to exchange information.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Operating machinery and/or power tools.
- Never Occasionally Constantly
Operating motor vehicles or heavy equipment.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Driving.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling –
Never Occasionally Constantly
Reaching with hands and arms.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Tasting or smelling.
Never Occasionally Constantly
Vision
Close vision; Distant vision; Color vision; Peripheral vision; Depth perception; Ability to adjust focus
Lifting Requirement.
> than 50 pounds Up to 50 pounds Up to 40 pounds Up to 25 pounds Up to 10 pounds
Required Education and Experience
- Bachelors degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Non-Profit Management, or related field preferred.
- Proven experience in professional fundraising, account management, corporate sponsorship acquisition, or institutional donor stewardship required.
- Strong project tracking and organizational skills, with a track record of managing contract deliverables or compliance requirements preferred.
- Experience gathering data cross-functionally and writing basic progress reports or business communications.
- Demonstrated experience planning, coordinating, and executing large-scale fundraising events or golf tournaments preferred.
- 1-2 years of direct personnel or volunteer management experience preferred.
Additional Eligibility Requirements
- Must be able to maintain a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Affirmative Action/EEO Statement
Blank Park Zoo is an equal opportunity employer and gives employment and promotional consideration without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, and any other protected class as required by local, state, or federal law. We seek applicants for employment who are dedicated, hardworking and seek fulfilling employment. In return Blank Park Zoo offers competitive income, benefits, and an excellent working environment.
