Description

Job Description
The primary goal of the Foundation Relations team is to support the university's work, through faculty, staff, and research investigators, by securing charitable research grants and contract support for the institution's identified research priorities and programmatic themes. The Senior Director will work across the university and partner with constituency-based advancement officers, deans, department chairs, faculty, and staff to maximize support from gifts and grants. The Senior Director will manage a portfolio of foundation donors capable of making major gift investments.

Primary Job Responsibilities

Fundraising and Strategic Planning:

• Manage a portfolio of top foundation prospects capable of making $50,000 and above gifts, developing a pipeline to meet increasing university needs/opportunities. Identify and cultivate new prospects to continue to grow the portfolio over time.
• Initiate appropriate personal cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities through various communication vehicles, including virtual and in-person meetings.
• Develop and implement donor-specific strategies to enhance relationships and increase support from foundations and philanthropic organizations. Guide university partners’ participation in these strategies.
• Oversee post-award activities, including tracking grant and reporting requirements, deadlines, and contacts in Advancement CRM. Ensure reports are prepared and submitted on time.
• Perform comprehensive research on foundations and other nonprofit funders to identify prospects for university priorities and programs of strength.

Relationship Building:

• Identify and build relationships with university administrators and faculty, leading research and programs that match the philanthropic mission of major foundations.
• Establish and maintain relationships with foundations and organizations throughout the grant cycle and keep abreast of organizational changes related to mission and priorities, board members, and staffing.
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with alumni, community members, and campus colleagues to strengthen and increase the University's ties to foundations.
• Collaborate with university partners in Sponsored Programs Administration, college/school research office team members, and others to support faculty and meet common goals of securing external support for the university.

Communication and Collaboration 

• Plan and participate in prospect/donor activities, including meetings, special events, and campus visits. Prepare university faculty, staff, and administrators for participating roles at these meetings.
• Prepare and present materials to foundations. Develop, write, and edit competitive cases for support, letters of inquiry, proposals, interim reports, and stewardship materials.
• Collaborate with faculty and university administrators, encouraging their engagement in the philanthropic process and the grant cycle. Lead proposal development, stewardship and reporting, and strategy or prospect development meetings.
• Attend campus-wide development staff meetings, unit meetings, and team meetings, and represent the university and foundation relations team at meetings and functions when necessary.
• Suggest and oversee communications such as press releases, stories, and social media posts to steward foundation donors.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications
A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 6 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in progressive, responsible fundraising and/or alumni and volunteer relations, ideally within a development office.
• Strong understanding of traditional and emerging foundations, along with current fundraising strategies and techniques.
• Demonstrated intellectual depth, professionalism, and collaborative ability to build trust with internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling materials and explain complex topics clearly and persuasively.
• Advanced analytical capabilities, with experience conducting research, evaluating diverse sources, and synthesizing data effectively.
• Proven project management and organizational strengths, with the ability to independently manage multiple complex projects and relationships.
• A track record of exercising sound judgment, taking initiative, working with minimal supervision, and performing well under pressure.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, donor management systems, and grant databases such as Foundation Directory Online, Instrumental, and Pivot.
• Hands-on experience with all stages of the grant cycle.