Facility
Save the Chimps, Inc.
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
Organizational Mission and History
Save the Chimps operates the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in the world. Located on nearly 200 acres on the Treasure Coast of Florida, the Sanctuary provides lifetime care and enrichment for chimpanzees rescued from research laboratories, entertainment, and the pet trade.
Save the Chimps was established in 1997 by Dr. Carole Noon in response to an announcement from the U.S. Air Force that they would be releasing the chimpanzees formerly used in NASA space exploration research. Save the Chimps initially lost their bid for the chimpanzees, but after a year-long legal battle gained permanent custody of 21 Air Force chimpanzees. In 2002, Save the Chimps conducted the largest rescue effort on behalf of chimpanzees in history by rescuing 266 chimpanzees from the Coulston Foundation, a now-defunct laboratory in New Mexico with extensive Animal Welfare Act violations. Over the course of several years, Save the Chimps relocated all of these chimpanzees from the Coulston Foundation in New Mexico to Florida in an unprecedented effort known as “The Great Chimpanzee Migration.” During this time, Save the Chimps continued to rescue chimpanzees from entertainment and the pet trade.
Today Save the Chimps is home to over 250 chimpanzees and has the current infrastructure to potentially care for up to 300 individuals. The chimpanzees are cared for by approximately 60 professional caregivers and support staff, and the organization’s operating budget is approaching $6M annually.
Position Overview
The Manager of Membership & Special Events helps to lead both the Membership Program and the Special Events throughout the year that connect STC with its members and broader public. The individual hired for this position is a creative, proactive, and confident individual who understands the vital role of special events and member relationships in the promotion, advancement, and sustainability of Save the Chimps. She/he thrives in this philanthropic environment where the relationship between the organization and its members, general public, local audiences, sponsors and supporters is highly valued and critical to the organization’s existence and growth.
Reporting to the Director of Development & Communications, the Manager of Membership and Special Events is a true team player who thrives on collaboration and provides creative thinking and tactical management necessary to effectively execute special events at the local and regional level as well as special events that help to engage members and encourage their support. This individual will help to develop a strong membership program that promotes the mission of the organization while building a strong revenue stream from both special events locally and through member support.
This integral member of the development and communications team will be a socially adept individual who truly enjoys interacting with the public. This person should be engaging, respectful and knowledgeable about the mission of the organization and committed to advancing and supporting the organization’s relationship with its members. The individual in this position is passionate about the mission, and driven to succeed in developing and managing the member programs, member stewardship and interaction with members both individually and through special events. Other important qualities that this individual should possess:
• Self-motivated, self-sufficient, and driven to achieve success for the benefit of STC
• Strategic, proactive, creative and forward thinking
• Socially comfortable in a variety of settings and with a range of individuals
• Tactful and diplomatic in all manner of relations with members and public
• Ideal candidate will be confident and open to learning with a high degree of knowledge about STC
• Excellent organizational and management skills with great follow-through
• Possess the highest standards of personal and professional integrity
• Strong communications skills and capable of multi-tasking
Essential Job Functions
• Ability to drive revenue, analyze data and identify trends and opportunities for improved outcomes of special events;
• Manages the development, growth and stewardship of a thriving membership program;
• Helps to develop opportunities for stewardship of members, acquisition and growth of membership and ongoing interaction and communication with members;
• Develops and manages special events locally and regionally for the benefit of Save the Chimps, creates consistent revenue streams as part of the annual budget, and actively participates in engaging appeals that help to identify and strengthen member interests and affinities;
• Ensures that member thank you and acknowledgement letters are sent in a timely and professional manner
• Communicates often and appropriately with members and potential members
Administrative
• Plans, monitors, and reports on the budget for Annual Giving programs and provides monthly updates to Director of Development & Communications
• Maintains member donor and member appeal records in database and hard files
• Develops and presents professional reports on fundraising progress of special events and member-driven events
• Provides support/assistance to Director of Development & Communications & other staff
Member Recognition & Stewardship
• Oversees the editing and proofing of donor listings for special and annual mailings, annual reports, signage, thank you letters, etc. Liaises with Communications team and external vendors regarding same.
• Creates and implements stewardship plan and materials for annual ember donors.
General
• Professionally represents Save the Chimps providing excellent customer service to internal and external constituent members.
• Adheres to and promotes the mission of Save the Chimps, its core values, and strategic initiatives.
Education and Pre-requisites
Education and Work Experience
• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent, advanced studies highly valued
• Minimum of 5+ years of applicable experience, preferably in a nonprofit environment with similar responsibilities
• Ideal candidate will have some background in wildlife, conservation or related fields
• Excellent marketing, membership and special events background and skill set
Knowledge and Skills
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal operating as both part of a team and independently.
• Strong computer aptitude. Experience in Microsoft Office including Excel, Word and Outlook.
• Ability to work as part of a team and meet deadlines as well as excellent follow through with minimum of supervision
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge or similar donor/CRM software required.
• Must be able to prioritize, manage, follow through and report on multiple tasks on a regular basis.
• Strong organizational skills with great attention to detail and accuracy.
• Must possess and demonstrate a high level of professionalism, diplomacy, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to solve problems efficiently.
• Must be able to function in a multi-task environment, both independently and within a team, with a willingness to collaborate often and effectively.
• Possesses a passion for Save the Chimps and its mission and engages prospects with a similar passion
• Ability to travel locally and sometimes out-of-state, occasionally work after hours and on weekends, and operate an automobile
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; stand for long periods of time; walk; sit; use hands or fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Must be able to run and swim in the face of danger
Environmental Requirements:
• Tasks are regularly performed with potential for exposure to adverse conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature and noise extremes, machinery, vibrations, animals, and wildlife. Employees must not object to unpleasant chimpanzee behaviors include spitting of water or saliva, throwing of feces, food or other waste, and chimpanzee displays that may include banging, kicking of the fencing, and loud screams or hooting.
Compensation and benefits
Not specified.
Application instructions
to apply, send a cover letter, resume, and resume to janet@savethechimps.org