Coordinator, Corporate & Foundation Relations

As the Chicago Zoological Society embarks on a major capital campaign, we are seeking to fill the role of Coordinator, Corporate and Foundation Relations in our Development department. The position will offer the opportunity to use your entrepreneurial skills and contribute fresh ideas to a dynamic department.  The successful candidate will be creative with the ability to think strategically and deal with changing priorities, emergent issues, multiple projects, and clients simultaneously.

The Coordinator, Corporate and Foundation Relations contributes to the success of the Chicago Zoological Society (”CZS”) and its financial sustainability through the coordination of the foundation grants program and the fulfillment of benefits for the Corporate Partners Program, with a focus on a portfolio of entry and mid-level giving.  This position assists with securing new and renewed advertising for the Gateways member magazine in addition to assisting with other corporate fundraising initiatives.

The primary duties and responsibilities: 

• Under the direction of the Senior Director, support the management of the fulfillment of all benefits for the Corporate Partners Program. Working closely with the Senior Director, manage portfolio of entry and mid-level corporate partners including assisting with corporate volunteer events.  Identify, research, cultivate and solicit new prospects for the Corporate Partners Program. 
• In cooperation with the Senior Director, manage the advertising sales of the Gateways member magazine by sustaining current advertisers and securing new advertisers.
• Provide support to the Senior Director, Institutional Giving and Events, the Director of Foundation and Government Funding and the Director of Corporate Partnerships by scheduling meetings, performing data entry into the Raiser’s Edge database, and managing the grant and corporate portfolio. 
• Support the Director of Foundation and Government Funding in coordinating the grant calendar and providing support for the proposal, acknowledgement, and reporting activities. 
• Support the Director of Corporate Partnerships in raising corporate funds for The Whirl, the Conservation Leadership Awards Dinner, and other development special events, including cultivation and solicitation. 
• Assist in securing in-kind donations and grow the matching gift program.  
• Assist the Development Department with special projects at the discretion of the Senior Director.
• Other related duties as assigned.  

The requirements for this position include the following: 

• Associates Degree in Business, Communications, Secretarial Science, Liberal Arts, or other relevant field, or four years of relevant training and/or experience required.  High school diploma or (GED) equivalent required. 
• Two years’ relevant, comparable experience working in a development, non-profit, or administrative position. 
• Must be creative with the ability to think strategically and deal with changing priorities, emergent issues, multiple projects, and clients simultaneously.  
• Self-motivated, results-oriented, confident, and customer-oriented.  
• Highly flexible and able to respond to and adapt to change. 
• Ability to establish and maintain a strong rapport and positive relationships with others.
• Must be strategic in orientation, proactive, persistent, and helpful.  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including verbal, listening, and presentation skills required.  English fluency at a working professional proficiency.  Must be articulate and able to represent the organization effectively.  Strong writing skills essential and the ability to produce correspondence in grammatically correct business format required.  
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.  
• Computer proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of privileged information.
• Basic accounting skills, mathematical aptitude, and strong analytical skills; must understand the nature of debits and credits. 
• Ability to work under pressure and meet critical deadlines.
• Solid organizational, follow-up, and follow through abilities required.  
• Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience. 
• Valid driver’s license required upon hire.  Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois license within 90 days of hire.  Valid out-of-state license required for out-of-state residents. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Raiser’s Edge experience preferred. 
• Experience with PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office software preferred.  
• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

Additional Information:  This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position, but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform.  The incumbent interacts with all departments, as well as a range of external constituencies.  Incumbent is required to gain an understanding of the organization, its mission, vision, values, and operating philosophies, and how Development activities impact the operation and success of the organization.  Incumbent is expected to be present and visible at Development, Marketing, and other events sponsored by the Society that requires some early mornings, evenings, and weekends.  Some occasional local and domestic travel may be required. Thus, the individual must be prepared to make a significant commitment to the organization.  Professional appearance and demeanor required.  

The Chicago Zoological Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  This is a full-time salaried role that offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, 401(k) with employer match, generous PTO time and many other benefits.  Starting salary range for this position is $52,000 - $53,000 annually.

If interested in being considered for this opportunity, please visit the CZS Career Center to obtain more details about the position and to apply by submitting your profile.  Please visit our website at www.czs.org/careers.  Please use the Advanced Search feature to look for requisition number 2501BR.