Senior Grant Writer, Principal and Institutional Giving

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Chicago (IL); Hybride; USD 104 000 - 115 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Time off policy

Family leave policy

403b matching

Hybrid work policy

Health and wellness benefits

Résumé du poste

NRDC seeks a Senior Grant Writer to develop fundraising materials for foundations and corporations, crafting proposals, concept notes and budgets for institutional funders. The role collaborates with U.S.

and international teams to translate policy work into donor-friendly narratives and ensures compliance with funder guidelines while coordinating across departments. The position reports to the Development team and involves leading writing projects, refining financial documents, and supporting

Qualifications

• Minimum 4-7 years of experience writing for a high-volume nonprofit Development department.
• Bachelor's degree required.

Responsabilités

• Support efforts to maintain and grow revenue from institutional donors by writing fundraising materials.
• Collaborate with US and international teams to develop donor narratives aligned with funder priorities.
• Create project plans, timelines and coordinate input for funder documents.
• Compile and integrate complex information into clear, compelling language for proposals.
• Lead complex writing assignments from planning through submission, coordinating contributors across teams.
• Finalize required financial documents for proposals and reports in partnership with Finance.
• Provide copy editing support to ensure clarity and messaging consistency.

Connaissances

Superior writing

Proposal development

Organizational skills

Independent work

Microsoft Word/Excel/Outlook

Salesforce familiarity

Travel willingness

DEI commitment

Formation

Bachelor's degree

Outils

Salesforce

Windows

Microsoft Office

Description du poste

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.

As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world's most urgent environmental challenges, and advance innovative, science-based, and enforceable solutions.

Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America's foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Beijing, and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.).

Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org

NRDC is seeking a Senior Grant Writer to work with the Development team in New York, Washington DC, or Chicago.

Position Summary

The Senior Grant Writer develops effective fundraising materials for a range of current and prospective funders, with a primary focus on foundations and corporations. Many of these funders are highly sophisticated, with deep expertise and extensive networks in the fields of climate, nature, and environmental health. With this audience in mind, the Senior Grant Writer will be responsible for crafting concept notes and proposals, project budgets, narrative and financial reports, as well as other formal and informal written donor communications.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).

Responsibilities

• Support efforts to maintain and grow revenue from institutional donors by writing fundraising materials—including concept notes, letters of intent, proposal narratives, program updates, and narrative grant reports.
• Collaborate with U.S. and international program teams, capacity teams, and front-line fundraising strategists , assess ing complex information to develop narratives that effectively demonstrate how NRDC’s work aligns with funder priorities and follow relevant guidelines, templates, and forms.
• Create project plans and timelines, coordinate and facilitate communication between internal teams to provide input for funder documents.
• Compile and integrate complex information about NRDC’s issues and programmatic work, often very technical, reconciling competing inputs from a variety of sources to describe our activities in clear and compelling language.
• Develops effective fundraising materials for a range of current and prospective funders, with a primary focus on foundations and corporations.
• Leads complex writing assignments from planning through submission, synthesizing technical, financial, and programmatic information; coordinating contributors across related teams
• In partnership with colleagues on the Principal and Institutional Giving Operations team, front-line fundraising strategists, and the finance department, finalize required financial documents for proposal and report submissions, including budgets and expense reports.
• As needed, provide copy editing support for fellow writers on the Principal and Institutional Giving Operations team to address errors, ensure clarity, and promote messaging consistency.
• As needed, serve as lead writer on select deliverables for Principal Gifts donors during high volume periods. Actively seek updated information about NRDC and NRDC Action Fund initiatives related to climate, nature, and environmental health in the U.S. and internationally.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the interests and expectations of the organization’s institutional funders.
• Lead the submissions process to funders, clarifying ambiguous requirement s and respecting deadlines.

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education & Experience:

• Minimum 4-7 years of experience writing for a high-volume non-profit Development department
• Bachelor's degree required

Skills, Abilities, Competencies

• Superior writing skills and demonstrated experience developing proposals for large institutional foundations; experience working with international teams and programming a plus
• Experience working in a complex, fast-paced organization
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Able to work independently to manage, prioritize, and meet a high volume of deadlines
• Windows and Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Salesforce database software proficiency
• Ability to travel to NRDC U.S. based offices for team meetings and retreats
• Commitment to NRDC's mission, values, and DEI principles

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position within the described work environment.

Frequent tasks and abilities include:

• P erform desk-based computer tasks
• A bility to interact and communicate with employees and others as necessary
• Attend planned meetings and collaborate with management and coworkers
• Hand draw illustrations for advocacy materials
• A bility to attend events and activities in the office or offsite

Work is sometimes performed primarily in office . The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in office settings and moderate in other situations . Hours of employment may sometimes require working flexible and/or longer hours, including nights and weekends, when necessitated by projects. The job includes work-related situations such as those involving challenging, important, urgent, time-sensitive, or multiple matters.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet’s most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits , and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. For this position, the salary range is $103,500 to $115,000 .

Perks & Benefits

• Time to Unplug & Recharge: Enjoy a generous time-off policy, highlighted by a company-wide year-end Rest & Recharge Week to reset for the new year.
• Family - First : Generous family leave policy beyond federal requirements for all NRDCers
• For your Future : Matching 403b whether you contribute or not
• Hybrid Policy: The freedom to balance your time around your needs that means, 8 days per month in-office. In-office day requirements can be met with off-site work events such as retreats, conferences, and other work-related travel.
• Well - being : Premium Comprehensive healthcare and mental health programs.