Director, Foundations and Corporate Relations

The salary range for this role is $125,000-$150,000 and is commensurate with experience

Benefits:

Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in our competitive benefits package located here: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./benefits

Position Summary

The Director, Foundation and Corporate Relations, is a frontline institutional fundraiser responsible for securing philanthropic investment from independent foundations, some family foundations, and corporate philanthropic units. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Development, the Director manages an institutional prospect portfolio, leads competitive proposal strategies, and aligns campus stakeholders around a comprehensive, university-wide approach to institutional fundraising from foundations and corporate philanthropy.

As the program grows, this role may assume supervisory responsibility for additional staff supporting institutional giving.

This role advances university priorities-particularly in STEM initiatives, healthcare partnerships, research innovation, and student access and success-and partners closely with faculty, academic leadership, and frontline fundraisers across Advancement.

Key Responsibilities

1) Fundraising & Portfolio Management - 60%

* Manage a portfolio of 50-75 foundation and corporate philanthropic prospects.

* Drive cultivation that results in a minimum of 12 formal solicitations per year.

* Achieve annual revenue goals of $3M-$6M in philanthropic commitments.

* Develop multi-step cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies tailored to each funder.

* Maintain accurate, timely documentation of fundraising activity in Raiser's Edge NXT.

* Partner with Advancement colleagues to coordinate institutional and individual fundraising strategies where appropriate.

2) Foundation & Corporate Philanthropy Strategy - 20%

* Cultivate, solicit, and steward major philanthropic partnerships with six- and seven-figure potential.

* Serve as lead strategist for funders aligned with STEM, healthcare, research innovation, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and other university priorities.

* Collaborate with faculty and academic leaders to develop competitive proposals (concept notes/LOIs, narratives, budgets, and reporting frameworks).

* Represent the university at foundation and corporate philanthropy convenings, site visits, and high-level meetings.

* Monitor institutional philanthropy trends and funder priorities to strengthen competitiveness.

3) Strategic Planning, Infrastructure & Campus Coordination - 20%

* Align foundation and corporate philanthropy strategy with institutional priorities and established Advancement processes for proposal development, internal review/approvals, and funder reporting.

* Provide tools, training, and strategic support to faculty, deans, staff, and Advancement colleagues engaged in institutional fundraising.

* Maintain centralized funder intelligence, deadlines, guidelines, and proposal templates.

* Coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Research as needed to ensure smooth alignment on philanthropic (non-contractual) funding.

* Foster cross-campus collaboration to advance multidisciplinary proposals and strategic funding initiatives.

Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree required;
Master's degree preferred.

* 5+ years of experience in institutional fundraising, foundation relations, or corporate philanthropy.

* Demonstrated success securing major grants or philanthropic gifts from foundations or corporate philanthropic units.

* Strong strategic, analytical, and relationship-building skills.

* Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication abilities.

* Experience developing complex, multi-unit proposals, with preference for STEM, healthcare, or research-driven priorities.

* Familiarity with Raiser's Edge NXT or comparable CRM systems.

Work Environment & Conditions

* Occasional evening or weekend work.