Grants Officer bei Seattle Aquarium

Grants Officer
Job Posting 

Posted: Open to internal and external applicants
Reports to:  Senior Manager, Grants and Corporate Partnerships
Status:    Full-time, salaried, benefitted position  
Hours of Work:       Standard Monday – Friday workweek, generally 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.   Occasional need for weekend or after-hours work in support of events and projects.   
Dated Needed:     December 2025
Posting Expires:   Open until filled. 

Purpose of this position: 

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Grants and Corporate Partnerships, this position writes and prepares proposals to secure funds from foundations and tribal/government agencies to support the general operating, programmatic, and conservation needs of the Seattle Aquarium. This position ensures that proposals are successfully submitted and stewarded and writes and prepares foundation and tribal/government agency reports. This role also serves as a writer for the Individual Giving team for quarterly proposals, and works with family foundations and reports.  

In the preparation of proposals and reports, the grants officer works directly with leadership and staff across departments. The position collaborates with the finance department on budgets and other financial documents. The grants officer also reviews and proofreads proposals written by others for accuracy, explains guidelines, and answers questions from Aquarium staff. This work is all part of the Aquarium’s centralized grants processes.  

The grants officer maintains and updates the Aquarium’s grants calendar, and the foundation and tribal/government entity donor records in the Aquarium’s database. This position supports the senior manager, grants and corporate partnerships, in ensuring that the Aquarium’s grant program meets its annual goals, metrics, and timelines.   

This person works in a fast-paced environment that requires responding to deadlines, often with short lead times. Demonstrated proofreading skills for words and numbers are required. The position may require working outside standard business hours including evenings or weekends to meet grant proposal and reporting deadlines.   

The Seattle Aquarium recognizes that various marginalized communities are being disproportionately impacted by environmental harm while not having access to lead the conversation on conservation and environmental education. We are seeking a grant officer who can inspire philanthropy that both funds our core mission and does so with an intention to advance a social and cultural justice lens and opportunities.  

Essential functions:    

• Develop and write grant proposals and reports in collaboration with Aquarium conservation leaders, team members, and Aquarium partners. 
• Develop Individual Giving quarterly proposaloutlines andserveas writer/partner for family foundation proposals and reports led by major gifts officers. 
• Proofread written proposals, reports, and financial attachments for accuracy.  
• Maintain Aquarium’s grants calendar and use internal and external communications (e.g., checklists, task-management systems, reminder messages, proactive problem-solving and proper escalation) to ensure that high-quality grants and reports aresubmittedon time. 
• With senior manager, grants and corporate partnerships, meet annual contributed revenue goals for grant funding. 
• Develop andmaintainrapport with foundation program officers and tribal/government agency staff, asappropriate. 
• Proactively research andidentifynew opportunities for public and private funding; with senior manager, grants and corporate partnerships, share opportunities with vice president of philanthropy, conservation leaders, and other staff. 
• Collaborate with finance department in preparation of financials required for grants and reports.  
• Maintain all foundation/funder moves management and grant information in Raiser’s Edge and proposal bank/archive. 
• Provide writing, editing, and proofreading support to the philanthropy department.  
• Safeguard the confidentiality of donors and prospects by exercising discretion in communicating information and handling departmental records, files, applications, proposals, evaluations, and similar confidential materials. 
• All Aquarium staff and volunteers are expected to participate in advancing and integrating into their work Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values. 

Additional responsibilities:  

• Contribute to building a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization. 
• Contribute to developing proposal narratives that use language which upholds the Aquarium’s D.E.I. and cultural values. 
• Assistin donor events, meetings and tours including off-site travel, as needed. 
• Honor the rights of our donors through strict adherence to the Association of Fundraising Professionals’Code of Ethics. 
• Other duties as assigned.   

Knowledge and skills:   

• Ability to write clear, structured, and persuasive proposals, and strong editing skills.   
• Ability to effectively communicate a non-profit organization’s vision, mission, and programs using storytelling, data, and financial narratives. 
• Demonstrated success in securing privatefoundationand tribal/government grants. 
• Ability to build relationships to collaborate as part of a team while also working independently; ability to negotiate edits diplomatically and effectively with other colleagues within the Aquarium.  
• Project management skills to drive success in managing multiple proposals and reports simultaneously. 
• English language written, verbal and listening communication skills.  Multilingual and multicultural communication skills and experience are a plus. 
• Able to work well as a contributor in a team environment.   
• Demonstrate an understanding of the Aquarium’s mission and values, including regenerative and equity work. 
• Working knowledge of budgeting processes. 
• Familiarity with Raisers’ Edge, analogous donor database or tracking system.   
• Attention to detail. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook & PowerPoint) required. 

Education:  

• BA/BS in related field (English, Technical Writing, Communications) or combination of equivalent education and relevant experience.

Experience:   

• Minimum of 2 years of experience with grant writing and administration including successfully closing and renewing grant funding.   
• Demonstrated success with public and private grants, including federal, tribal, foundation and corporate applications and reporting, and a working knowledge ofmovesmanagement. 
• Previousexperience working with organization leadership, institutional donors, and program and fundraising staff. 
• Personal and cultural ties to diverse multicultural and multilingual communities, networks, and organizations strengthen us as an organization. A history of cultural and community involvement and leadership is a desired experience for strong candidates. 
• The Seattle Aquarium serves the diversity of visitors from around the world, engages and educates diverse youth from our local community, and strives to be a reflection and leader in advancing racial and social justice in the conservation field. Candidates passionate about and articulative of anti-racism, social justice, environmental justice, and other intersections of our work will be an asset to our work. 
  
  

Working conditions:   

• Hybrid virtual/in-office model with minimum two days in office, including Thursdays. 
• Must be able to work at a computer for extended periods of time.  
• Some exposure to elements. On-site employee workstations are located within a campus environment with multiple buildings, outdoor, and semi-covered areas.  
• Requires flexibility for periodically working outside of standard business hours including evenings and weekends to meet deadlines associated with grant proposals and reports.
  
  

Confidentiality:   

• This position maintains a high level of confidentiality related to donor cultivation and other fundraising efforts. This includes access to fundraising software, donor lists, and executive email communications.
   

Salary and Benefits: $67,000 - $77,000/year, Dependent on experience. Please include salary expectations in your materials. Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off. 

How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.