The posting
The Grants Manager is a vital member of the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) Development Team and plays a key role in advancing TSA’s mission by securing private and public funding from national and international sources. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Grants Manager works closely with the field conservation, program, and finance staff to develop compelling proposals, manage compliance, and ensure timely reporting for all institutional funders.
This role is responsible for identifying funding opportunities, maintaining a multi-year grants pipeline, writing and submitting all proposals and institutional reports, coordinating international partner reporting, and stewarding foundation and government funders. The Grants Manager also participates in Development Team meetings, cross-department program planning sessions, and helps facilitate coordination for TSA’s largest field programs—including regular meetings connected to the Madagascar program.
This position requires exceptional writing skills, strong organization, experience managing multiple deadlines, and the ability to work collaboratively across geographically dispersed teams.
Qualifications: ● Bachelor’s degree OR 3–7 years of professional experience in nonprofit administration, grant writing/management, or fundraising. ● Strong writing, editing, and communication skills with the ability to translate complex program information into compelling proposals and reports. ● Intermediate to expert skills in Microsoft Office (especially Word and Excel). ● Experience with donor development/CRM software—Salesforce experience preferred. ● Strong organizational and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple deadlines and shifting priorities. ● Ability to work collaboratively across departments, including development, conservation, and finance teams. ● Ability to learn new systems quickly and adapt to evolving needs. ● Enthusiasm for TSA’s mission; knowledge of herpetology or field conservation is a plus.
Responsibilities: Grants Calendar and Proposal Development ● Establish, maintain, and regularly update a multi-year institutional funding pipeline and calendar. ● Conduct internal and external research to identify new foundation, corporate, government, and international funding opportunities. ● Serve as the primary writer for Letters of Inquiry, concept notes, proposals, and application materials. ● Work closely with conservation staff to gather technical project details, field data, partner updates, and scientific content for proposals. ● Translate technical information provided by the program staff into compelling, donor-ready narratives that reflect TSA’s conservation goals and field outcomes. ● Collaborate with program and finance staff to develop and refine funder-ready project budgets. ● Create and manage proposal production timelines, ensuring participation from all relevant staff and timely submission. ● Submit grant applications via email or online portals and maintain secure access information using a password manager. ● Maintain an organized library of grant materials (bios, resumes, IRS forms, organizational documents, Board lists, etc.). ● Ensure appropriate recognition of institutional funders in TSA communications, in accordance with funder requirements. ● Record all proposals, deadlines, and funder interactions in Salesforce.
Grant/Contract Reporting and Deliverables ● Maintain full compliance with all reporting requirements, deadlines, and deliverables. ● Serve as the primary writer for all interim and final reports, incorporating updates from program staff and partners. ● Assemble complete reporting packages, including narrative content, budgets, financial reports, success stories, data, and monitoring results. ● Collaborate with finance staff to ensure proper spending of grant funds and request reimbursements or drawdowns as needed. ● Track and manage reporting requirements for international subaward partners, ensuring timely receipt of documentation and compliance with funder requirements. ● Work with program and finance teams to request budget modifications, timeline adjustments, or extensions as needed. ● Track multi-year awards to ensure ongoing compliance and renewal opportunities.
Record-Keeping and Documents ● Maintain complete and organized grant/contract files in accordance with TSA and funder requirements. ● Document all institutional donor communications, including correspondence, meeting notes, call summaries, and site visit documentation. ● Maintain detailed records of prospective, active, and closed funding opportunities, deadlines, and outcomes.
Cross-Department Collaboration ● Participate in Development Team meetings, providing updates on proposals, deadlines, reporting, and emerging opportunities. ● Participate in cross-departmental program planning meetings, ensuring alignment between conservation priorities and institutional funding strategies. ● Work closely with the field conservation staff to coordinate technical content, partner updates, and data needs across programs. ● Support coordination and scheduling of project-specific meetings, including recurring discussions related to TSA’s largest program portfolio in Madagascar.
Stewardship and Institutional Donor Relations ● Develop and maintain individualized stewardship plans for institutional funders. ● Prepare briefing materials, background research, and follow-up communications to support leadership and conservation staff in donor engagement. ● Ensure timely acknowledgment of grant awards and compliance with all recognition requirements. Other Responsibilities ● Uphold the highest ethical standards and maintain confidentiality in handling donor and partner information. ● Contribute to continuous improvement efforts, including documentation of grants-related policies and workflows. ● Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.
Benefits: In addition to the above-stated compensation, Turtle Survival Alliance offers an individual retirement account with a 3% employee match, medical, dental, and vision insurance (up to $600 employer contribution per month), as well as employer paid life insurance, paid time off, and sick leave. The Alliance also offers a remote office stipend as well as ongoing professional development.
About Us: Formed in 2001 and gaining nonprofit status in 2004, Turtle Survival Alliance is a global conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore wild populations of tortoises and freshwater turtles through science-based conservation, global leadership, and local stewardship. Our science-based initiatives are directed by local leaders, inspiring sustainable, community-based stewardship to prevent extinctions. Where populations cannot yet thrive in the wild, our conservation breeding programs preserve opportunities for their future survival. Turtle Survival Alliance operates or supports projects in more than 30 countries around the world, protecting critical habitats and providing on-the-ground resources to safeguard the most imperiled turtle and tortoise species. Through these efforts, we make a positive impact on well over 100 species of turtles and tortoises. For more information, visit us on our website and join the conversation and learning experience on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
