About the New England Aquarium Located on Boston's historic waterfront, the New England Aquarium is a globally recognized leader in marine science, conservation, education, and public engagement. Through its Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, the Aquarium advances research and conservation efforts that protect marine species and inform ocean policy worldwide. Each year, the Aquarium welcomes nearly 1.3 million visitors while inspiring future generations of ocean stewards. As the Aquarium continues to expand its conservation impact and philanthropic capacity, it is investing in new fundraising leadership roles and further strengthening its development infrastructure to support long-term growth and future campaign readiness.
About the Opportunity:
The Director of Development, Institutional Giving is a highly visible fundraising leadership role responsible for securing philanthropic support from corporations, foundations, and other institutional partners. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Philanthropy and partnering closely with Vice President of Development Piper Hollis, this individual will cultivate and steward strategic funding relationships while helping advance the Aquarium's next chapter of fundraising growth. This role offers the opportunity to join a collaborative, mission-driven team during a period of significant organizational momentum. The successful candidate will help expand the institutional donor pipeline, identify new funding opportunities, and connect funders to impactful work spanning marine science, conservation, animal care, education, and public engagement.
Key Responsibilities:
Manage and grow a portfolio of 75–100 corporate, foundation, and institutional funders.
Develop and execute institutional fundraising strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
Cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and institutional investments.
Partner with scientists, program leaders, finance staff, and executive leadership to develop compelling funding opportunities.
Lead proposal development, grant writing, sponsorship opportunities, and stewardship reporting.
Identify and pursue new funding opportunities and emerging philanthropic trends.
Represent the Aquarium with funders, business leaders, and community stakeholders throughout the region.
Qualifications:
Qualified candidates should bring: Seven or more years of fundraising experience, preferably in corporate and foundation relations.
Demonstrated success building and stewarding institutional donor relationships.
Experience securing and managing six- and seven-figure philanthropic investments preferred.
Strong proposal writing, communication, and presentation skills. Experience developing fundraising strategies and managing donor pipelines.
Ability to build productive relationships across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Compensation & Location:
Our compensation philosophy is rooted in fairness and rewarding excellence. Base salary is individually tailored to match the exact depth of your expertise, ensuring you are compensated exactly for the value you bring to the team. The salary range is $107,000 to $140,000.This role is based locally in Boston, Massachusetts, and operates within an in-office/hybrid work model, with regular on-site presence at the Aquarium and in-person donor meetings. The New England Aquarium offers a collaborative, mission-driven culture and a comprehensive benefits package. Application Information: The New England Aquarium has retained Thinking Ahead Executive Search to lead this search. For more information, please contact: Kay Linder Partner, Nonprofit DivisionThinkingAhead Executive Search[email protected]Heather Campbell Partner, Nonprofit DivisionThinkingAhead Executive Search[email protected]
