Manager (gn) for Grant Development and Management

About the Project

Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) conserves wildlife and ecosystems focussing on protected areas and outstanding wild places. Operating long-term conservation programmes across Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe, FZS is at the forefront of global conservation efforts. To support the critical 30 x 30 agenda of the Convention on Biological Diversity, FZS has given itself an ambitious growth strategy that will double our conservation impact within high biodiversity and wilderness landscapes by 2030.

About the Position

This position will be key to enable growth and doubling of our conservation impact by identifying and developing new partnerships with a wide range of funding partners (both public and private), for both flexible and dedicated funding. Funding partners include bilateral and multilateral donors, DFIs, philanthropic foundations, family offices, corporates and other private donors. Also, we will together identify and scale innovative conservation funding instruments and blend funding from our public and private partners in the most effective way for each landscape in our portfolio.

Manager (gn) for Grant Development and Management

As part of our Conservation Funding team, you will play a crucial role in securing and managing funding for FZS’s conservation work. Your primary responsibilities include:

1. Developing New Funding Opportunities:

1. Researching and identifying private and public funding prospects, focusing on Europe.
2. Building and maintaining long-term relationships with donors, including bilateral and multilateral institutions, private foundations, and corporate partners.
3. Leading the development, submission, and management of funding proposals, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities.

2. Strategic Fundraising:

1. Contributing to a diversified and sustainable funding strategy.
2. Supporting the design and implementation of innovative financial instruments (e.g., impact bonds, donor-advised funds) to leverage and scale funding partnerships.

3. Operational Development:

1. Maintaining and advancing a robust funding pipeline aligned with FZS’s country programmes and financial plans.
2. Training and coaching country programme teams in all aspects of grant management, from opportunity identification to budgeting and reporting.
3. Collaborating with country teams to oversee the full grant lifecycle, ensuring compliance and effective resource allocation.

We are looking for a dynamic and results-driven professional with the following qualifications:

1. A degree in business administration, economics, finance, natural resource management, ecology, or a related field.
2. 3–5 years of experience in business development or project management, ideally in international development cooperation.
3. Proven success in securing and managing grants from diverse sources, including public donors and private foundations.
4. Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with a passion for building impactful partnerships.
5. Competence in designing and budgeting conservation projects using tools such as Logical Framework or Open Standards.
6. Analytical, problem-solving, and results-oriented mindset with the ability to work under pressure.
7. Fluency in English and German (Spanish is a plus).
8. Deep commitment to conservation, sustainability, and community development.

1. Engaging and meaningful work that encourages independent and entrepreneurial thinking
2. Opportunity to get to know impressive wilderness areas and to contribute towards their protection
3. A dynamic and motivated team environment, working to secure outstanding wild places across the globe
4. Flat hierarchy, opportunities for further training and the option for remote work within limits
5. Job-Ticket, Corporate Pension Scheme, 30 days of vacation per year

The contract will be for 2-years initially with a long-term perspective.