Senior Associate Director, Foundation Relations

Department: University Advancement

Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing

Salary: $75,000 - $80,000 per year

Compensation Band: OS-OA07-Fiscal Year

FTE: 1.0

Application Review Begins

January 11th, 2026; position open until filled

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a complete application that includes (1) a cover letter and (2) a resume that addresses how they meet the minimum and preferred qualifications.

Applicants must also submit a writing sample. This position requires a high level of writing proficiency. Submit a 1-page excerpt of your own writing, which could include an academic paper, grant or fellowship application or other example of your choosing. You do not need to write something new, we want to see an example of something you have written for a professional or academic purpose.

We are interested in finding the best candidate for the position. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t think you meet every one of our preferred qualifications. Use your application to let us know what is meaningful to you about the role and what transferable skills or other qualities you would bring.

University Advancement (UA) supports the University of Oregon’s (UO) mission of providing exceptional teaching, discovery, and service by strategically positioning the university to create awareness, build long-term relationships, and secure resources that increase understanding and further its aims. The division consists of approximately 200 employees primarily working out of Eugene, with offices in Portland and Bend. We are committed to fostering equity and inclusion in a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment that recognizes the value of all members of our community.

The Office of Development as part of University Advancement has a mission to maximize philanthropic impact at the University of Oregon. We do this by identifying, connecting, and engaging alumni and friends around the globe with their passions to advance the vision and priorities of the university.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Central Development Research Programs, the Senior Associate Director of Foundation Relations is responsible for identifying, cultivating, solicitating and stewarding private foundations with the capacity to make grants of $25,000 and above, prioritizing developing proposals to foundation prospects with the capacity to make awards larger than $100,000.

This position will assist multiple schools and units across campus, will manage a portfolio of private foundations, and will respond to queries from members of the UO community (Advancement colleagues, faculty, administrators, etc.) regarding opportunities with private foundations that may exist outside the portfolio. The primary focus of the person in this role will be identifying foundation prospects whose missions align with research, scholarship and community programming of the university’s behavioral and social science disciplines.

This includes faculty in the College of Education, the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health, the Prevention Science Institute, as well as various programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Senior Associate Director of Foundation Relations will manage the stewardship/reporting for foundations in their portfolio. This position will coordinate with academic partners on awarded grants to write and submit reports in coordination with funder criteria and deadlines.

The Senior Associate Director will establish effective working relationships with school/unit fundraisers, deans, and faculty and administrative staff of the university to accomplish fundraising goals.

The Senior Associate Director will be responsible for meeting fundraising goals as they relate to the strategic needs of the University of Oregon. Performance as measured against these goals will be evaluated annually.

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of skills and experience.
• Three years of professional experience in foundation and/or corporate relations at a university or other large institution OR five years of experience…