Director/Manager of Foundation Relations

Berkeley Lab; Berkeley (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Competitive salary range

Job summary

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory seeks a Director or Manager, Foundation Relations for the Berkeley Lab Foundation. The role partners with Lab leadership to translate research priorities into fundable cases for foundations and institutional funders, building a robust donor pipeline.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will craft proposals, manage relationships with donors, and coordinate with contracts, finance, and legal teams to ensure compliant gift and grant agreements while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least 10 years of fundraising experience, including 2 years raising funds for science, research, or technical programs.
• Experience securing foundation and/or corporate grants.
• Track record of securing grants at the $1M+ level with a trajectory toward $5M+.
• Ability to work through cross‑organizational questions and develop workable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Translate research priorities into fundable cases for foundations and institutional audiences.
• Surface cross‑disciplinary funding opportunities with scientists and program leads.
• Draft proposals, letters of inquiry, and stewardship reports.
• Coordinate with contracts, finance, and operations to manage funds.
• Grow the Berkeley Lab Foundation's foundation and institutional giving pipeline.
• Develop targeted engagement strategies to secure grants from six figures to $5 million.
• Manage a portfolio of foundation and institutional prospects through the full development cycle.
• Build relationships with foundation and corporate giving officers to elevate Berkeley Lab's visibility.
• Support donor engagement activities in collaboration with leadership and scientists.
• Ensure philanthropy aligns with DOE, UC, and IRS regulations.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Relationship building

Cross-functional collaboration

Program development

Donor stewardship

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking a Director or Manager, Foundation Relations for Berkeley Lab Foundation. The Berkeley Lab Foundation supports research programs, centers, and facilities at Berkeley Lab that are aligned with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) basic science and applied energy missions. This support can increase the real-world impact of research at Berkeley Lab by translating fundamental research to issues related to energy use. Now in its 11th year, the Foundation has an efficient and effective staff and organizational structure, as well as an engaged and hands‑on Board, and Berkeley Lab has been attracting high‑end philanthropic support across a wide array of donor interests (historically up to $10 million annually).

In this role, you will partner with Laboratory leaders, world‑class scientists, and University of California (UC) colleagues to connect visionary research with the funders who can bring it to life — identifying, cultivating, and soliciting foundations, corporate philanthropy programs, and other institutional partners. Working closely with the Chief Development Officer, you'll apply proven fundraising strategies to grow a robust foundation and institutional giving donor pipeline.

This position is open to candidates at either the Manager or Director level, depending on experience. As part of a small, dynamic Foundation team, you'll wear many hats — conducting prospect research, crafting compelling proposals, shaping fundable cases for support, and nurturing donor relationships from first contact through stewardship. You'll work at the intersection of philanthropy and cutting‑edge science, navigating a complex technical environment while ensuring full alignment with DOE and UC contractual and regulatory guidelines. If you're energized by hands‑on work, love building relationships, and want your efforts to directly advance scientific discovery, this is the opportunity for you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Chief Development Officer, Lab leadership, and Principal Investigators to translate cutting‑edge research priorities into compelling, fundable cases for support tailored to foundation and institutional audiences.
• Connect scientists and program leads across the Lab to surface collaborative, cross‑disciplinary funding opportunities that resonate with institutional funders.
• Draft and manage proposals, letters of inquiry, and stewardship reports that keep funders engaged and informed.
• Partner with the Lab's contracts, financial, and operations teams to ensure funds are accepted and managed appropriately.
• Contribute to the Berkeley Lab Foundation's strategy for growing its foundation and institutional giving pipeline.
• Help grow a robust pipeline of foundations, corporate giving programs, and institutional funders aligned with Berkeley Lab's research mission.
• Research and help design targeted engagement strategies aimed at securing grants from the low six figures up to $1 million and beyond.
• Manage a personal portfolio of foundation and institutional prospects through the full development cycle — from identification, cultivation, solicitation to stewardship.
• Build relationships with foundation and corporate giving officers to elevate Berkeley Lab's visibility and priorities.
• Support design and execution of donor engagement activities – meetings, tours, and outreach materials – in collaboration with Berkeley Lab leadership and scientists.
• Help ensure foundation and institutional philanthropy aligns with DOE, UC, and IRS regulations, collaborating with Berkeley Lab, UC, and legal teams on gift and grant agreements.
• Build connections with development colleagues across UC and partner institutions to strengthen collaborative fundraising.

Additional Responsibilities for the Director Level:

• Collaborate with the Lab Director, Deputy Director, Associate Lab Directors, and Principal Investigators to translate research priorities into compelling fundable cases for support tailored to foundation and institutional audiences.
• Set and drive the Berkeley Lab Foundation's short‑and long‑term strategy for the foundation and institutional giving pipeline.
• Set and drive the strategy for identifying and growing a high‑value pipeline of foundations, corporate giving programs, and institutional funders.
• Develop creative, targeted strategies to engage prospective institutional funders with the goal of securing grants ranging from six figures to $5 million.
• Cultivate senior‑level relationships with foundation executives and corporate giving officers to open doors to new opportunities.
• Design and lead donor engagement activities that showcase the Lab's impact and keep funders invested in its mission.
• Ensure all foundation and institutional philanthropy is managed consistently with DOE, UC, and IRS regulations, working with Berkeley Lab and UC staff and external legal support to negotiate allowable gift and grant agreements.

Additional Qualifications for the Director Level:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including at least 2 years raising funds for science, research, or technical programs, and demonstrated success securing foundation and/or corporate grants (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly growing a foundation or institutional giving program from a limited base, strongly motivated by pipeline‑building and comfortable setting strategy.
• Track record of securing grants at the $1-million+ level, with a clear trajectory toward and ideally direct experience with $5-million+ awards.
• Ability to work through complex, cross‑organizational questions and develop workable recommendations.

Desired skills/knowledge:

• Experience fundraising within a university, national laboratory, federally funded research institution, or similarly regulated environment.
• Familiarity with DOE, UC, or comparable government contracting and gift‑acceptance policies.
• Experience working directly with scientists or technical staff to shape funding proposals.

Additional information:

• Appointment type: This is a full‑time career appointment, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay.
• Salary range: The expected salary for the position is $120,000 - $180,000, depending upon the candidate’s skills, knowledge, and abilities. This includes education, certifications, and years of experience, and job classification.
• Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work Modality: This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule - a combination of teleworking and performing work on site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Work schedules are dependent on business needs. Individuals working a hybrid schedule must reside within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab.

Learn About Us:

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

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