Director Blue Economy

Aquarium of the Bay
Aquarium of the Bay

Full-time

USD 75k-95k / year

Posted on Nov 4, 2026

AQUARIUM OF THE BAY – DIRECTOR BLUE ECONOMY

REPORTS TO: President & CEO

bay.org, is an equal opportunity, 501c3 nonprofit employer, with six branches including Aquarium of the Bay, The Bay Institute, Bay Model Alliance, the Bay Academy, Studio Aqua and Eco Expeditions unified under a common mission to protect, restore and inspire conservation of San Francisco Bay and its watershed, from the Sierra to the Sea, the organization is on the cusp of a transformation into a Climate and Ocean Conservation Living Museum.

Your primary duties will focus on generating funds for institutional advancement and identifying donors to transform the existing Aquarium of the Bay facility into the Bay Ecotarium- a climate and ocean conservation living museum. The advancement campaign for the institution will be pursued through active solicitation of individual and corporate donors, philanthropies, fundraising events, grants, and foundations. Active solicitations will be pursued through grant writing, sponsorships, donations, planned-giving, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other restricted and unrestricted initiatives. Please note that the organization will take a flexible approach on solicitations. You will also be responsible for managing and growing the Sustainable Seafood Alliance program with restaurants, hotels, institutions, airlines and other potential partners.

This exciting position comes at a time of great growth and expansion for the organization, and the Institutional Advancement and Sustainability Coordinator will need to significantly increase and diversify support from the regional philanthropic community as well as public funding streams to support our goals. This position works closely with the Vice President of Promotions and Guest Experiences, President and CEO, Senior Management team, and consultants.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The organization has both short- and long-term advancement objectives. The institutional targets with sponsorships, restricted and unrestricted grants are in the $1-$3 million range annually, followed by larger objectives for lead donors and targeted sponsors for various naming opportunities for Bay Ecotarium. Whereas the Sustainable Seafood Alliance Collaborative goals are set for 100 partners in the first year of engagement. As a coordinator, you will actively identify resources, research giving patterns in the realm of education, marine biology, climate change, UN SDG, conservation and sustainable environment, among other related disciplines. Grants and collaborative potential must be followed up and cultivated as part of advancement and sustainability strategies. Time management and ability to engage external partners is vital to the success of this challenging and exciting role.

Lead a comprehensive and diversified Institutional Enhancement strategy

  1. Develop and manage the annual development budget, complete with measurable goals and timelines
  2. Create and implement a robust fundraising strategy to grow bay.org’s annual individual donor, membership, endowment and planned giving support while building long-term institutional advancement goals.
  3. Create a donor recognition plan that outlines processes for gift acknowledgment and identifies opportunities to enhance existing donor relationships
  4. Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan to grow corporation, foundation, and government support.
  5. Identify, cultivate, and enhance funding relationships with foundation and corporate partners
  6. Grow the Sustainable Seafood Alliance program across the Bay Area restaurants, hotels, institutions and organizations that have mission aligned priorities and CSR objectives.

  1. Oversee annual giving program; evaluate and improve annual fund drive events and activities to meet strategic goals for engagement and donations
  2. Develop and implement a planned giving program
  3. Update Salsa database and generate thank-you letters to donors, sponsors, and members
  4. Build a sustainable major gift-focused fundraising program; identify, cultivate and secure 5 to 7 figure gifts for both programmatic and capital advancement from individuals and corporations with assistance from the President & CEO, advisors
  5. Secure sponsorship for and oversee bay.org’s fundraising events including the annual gala
  6. Provide clear, timely reporting on progress to the CEO and relevant committees
  7. Create and consistently employ effective and agreed analytics and metrics to chart progress towards goals, and adjust plans proactively, as necessary.
  8. Work symbiotically with the promotions team to help optimize fundraising opportunities to expand the donor community and improve the visibility of the organization as a visionary and influential leader in the community. Weekend and or after hours work is integral to institutional advancement responsibilities, which may include fundraisers, networking and other opportunities.
  9. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a related field
  • Excellent Writing and Verbal Presentation Skills
  • Ability to research Bay Area philanthropies, corporate donors, actively network and multi-task
  • Capacity to generate well written proposals, reports and letters of interest.
  • Must be willing to work in a fast paced environment and must be a team-player

HOURS & COMPENSATION

This is a full-time, exempt position. The first 3 months of your employment are considered a probationary period, during which your employment may be terminated at any time, for any reason. There may be night and weekend events that require your attendance.

You will receive an Annual Performance bonus equivalent to 10% on funds raised and received. This excludes grants and conditional pledges and other restricted solicitations. Event related funds will be calculated on net profits. The disbursement will be prorated in sync with quarterly targets achieved and payable quarterly upon successful performance review, in addition to regular payroll.

bay.org has offices located at PIER 39 (in Aquarium of the Bay) in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. The Administrative Offices are located at 55 Francisco Avenue, San Francisco. Any remote work request must be pre-approved by your Supervisor.

Salary Range: $75,000 – $95,000 per annum plus annual bonuses/incentives

BENEFITS

  1. Health Benefits after initial waiting period (following 60 days of employment): bay.org provides health, dental, vision and Life/Long Term Disability coverage.
  2. A 403 (b) Savings Plan is available from date of hire.
  3. A company provided cell phone, laptop, iPad
  4. $215 per month allowance for transit* or a parking pass for 55 Francisco St. garage – allowances are subject to payroll taxes.
See more open positions at Aquarium of the Bay