Director, Corporate & Foundation Relations

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Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Development, the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations develops and leads a robust foundation and corporate program focused on increasing financial support for the College. Working closely with key faculty, in collaboration with academic and administrative leaders, the Director develops funding priorities; identifies and cultivates prospective foundations and corporations; prepares briefing materials and participates in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings as appropriate;

and develops and submits letters of inquiry and proposals. The Director ensures stewardship and reporting requirements are met fully to sustain successful corporate and foundation partnerships and in accordance with College policies.

• Partner with leading faculty across the institution to define which Emerson projects, programs, and initiatives could be funded by foundations and corporations; vet those priorities – as appropriate – academic department Chairs, school Deans, and the Provost; determine which to pursue, and develop fundraising strategies, often in partnership with members of the major gifts team and the Office for Research and Creative Scholarship.
• In collaboration with relevant faculty, develop (and template) text describing the projects and initiatives emerging from the above vetting process; make that text available to pertinent other fundraisers.
• Using state-of-the-art research tools and methods, identify foundation and corporate entities whose funding priorities synchronize with Emerson’s; learn those entities’ preferred contact methods, and initiate outreach to the appropriate foundation/corporate staff.
• In accordance with potential funders’ guidelines, develop and submit letters of inquiry and proposals for five, six, and seven-figure support; frequently collaborate with faculty and academic leaders in the development of submissions; follow up with appropriate staff members (of funding entities) regarding the status of submissions; keep Emerson colleagues informed about submission status and next steps.
• Collaborate with faculty leaders and the AVP of Development in setting up off- and on-site meetings with funders; take the lead in preparing for funders’ visits to campus. Delegates to campus will usually require time with the President and/or Provost, Deans, and lead faculty “investigators,” as well as campus tours and exploration of current or proposed program sites.
• Develop and prepare relevant briefing materials (research on funding entities and representatives, itineraries, copies of LOIs and/or proposals) for all participants in visits to funder offices and funder visits to Emerson campuses.
• Document all work in the Institutional Advancement constituent relationship management database.
• When funders formalize awards, document the funders’ reporting cycles and lead the process of preparing timely, accurate, comprehensive reports inclusive of budget expenditure data; maintain ongoing warm relationships with relevant funder representatives (in accordance with College policies).

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management or a related field required
• 7+ years of work experience in corporate and foundation fundraising or equivalent, applicable professional experience required, 10+ years preferred; quantifiable success in previous roles
• Direct higher education experience in an institution comparable to Emerson's preferred

• Ability to convene campus stakeholders to discern, formalize, and gain approval of fundable Emerson priorities
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional accuracy and attention to detail required
• Exceptional capacity to facilitate negotiations with internal and external stakeholders
• Capacity to generate written output independently and in a time-pressured environment
• Exceptional customer service competencies: developed active, reflective listening skills; attentiveness to funders’ timelines and expectations; capacity for creative problem-solving; can-do attitude
• Ability to lead and thrive in a…