Director of Strategic Philanthropy | Confidential Client

Fairness Project; United States; Remote; USD 155,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Fairness Project is seeking a Director of Strategic Philanthropy to lead institutional fundraising, major donor engagement, and external philanthropic initiatives. Reporting to the President/CEO, you will design a new philanthropy strategy, prioritize foundation partnerships, and drive revenue growth toward long-term financial sustainability.

You will build relationships with boards and senior leaders, oversee grant proposals and reports, and collaborate across finance, program, and operations

Qualifications

• 10+ years of leadership in fundraising and development, with foundation focus.
• Deep knowledge of philanthropic trends and foundation priorities.
• Track record of securing major gifts and seven-figure grants.
• Experience developing scalable multi-year revenue generation strategies.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes a multi-year institutional fundraising strategy focused on foundation support and major gifts.
• Oversees grant proposals, concept notes, reports, and funding applications aligned with program goals.
• Builds and leverages relationships with philanthropic partners, funders, and major donors.
• Leads development activities, collaborates with staff and consultants to meet revenue goals.
• Advises senior leadership on fundraising progress, trends, and revenue forecasting.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Foundation relations

Donor relations

Strategic planning

Executive communication

Job description

Director of Strategic Philanthropy

Location: Remote

Reports to: President / CEO

Salary: $155,000 - $170,000

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Our client is a national nonprofit organization working at the intersection of research, policy, and public impact. The organization partners with researchers, practitioners, funders, and other leaders to advance evidence-informed approaches to some of the country’s most important economic and social challenges.

The organization is entering an important period of growth and is strengthening its fundraising strategy and infrastructure to expand philanthropic partnerships and support its long-term goal.

SUMMARY

The Director of Strategic Philanthropy will lead our newly restructured development operations, to reposition and lead the institutional fundraising strategy, major donor engagement, and external philanthropic initiatives, with a primary focus on cultivating high-value foundation partnerships and strategic funding opportunities. The Director will design a new strategy for the organization’s philanthropy work, and will report to the President/CEO and serve as a key advisor to the President/CEO and senior leadership on organizational positioning, philanthropic trends, revenue forecasting, and strategic choices to ensure long-term financial sustainability. This role places particular emphasis on foundation relations, and the ideal candidate will bring established philanthropic relationships and up-to-date knowledge of broader giving trends and evolving priorities at individual foundations.

Fundraising Strategy & Implementation

• Develops and executes a multi-year institutional fundraising strategy centered on expanding foundation support, securing major gifts, identifying priority funders, and leveraging philanthropic trends, with a focus on foundation support.
• Quickly adapts fundraising strategies to shifts in philanthropic trends, donor priorities, and organizational needs.
• Oversees the development, submission, and tracking of high-quality grant proposals, concept notes, reports, and funding applications aligned with programmatic goals.

Donor Relations & Stewardship

• Builds, deepens, and leverages Board and senior-level relationships with philanthropic partners, institutional funders, and prospective major donors.
• Opens doors to key decision-makers across partner organizations, high-net-worth individuals, and family/corporate foundations.
• Establishes systematic stewardship practices and regular donor reporting to ensure meaningful engagement and strong donor retention.

Team Leadership & Management

• Leads, coaches, and manages development activities and collaborates staff and external consultants to achieve annual revenue goals and long-term institutional development goals.
• Initially operates without direct staff management, with the potential to build a team as goals expand.
• Establishes workflows and operational infrastructure to support effective execution.

Collaboration & Reporting

• Advises the President, Board of Directors, and executive leadership on fundraising progress, revenue risk, philanthropic trends, and strategic positioning.
• Serves as a collaborative and supportive member of the Senior Leadership Team alongside other department leaders.
• Collaborates closely across organizational divisions (programmatic, finance, and operations) to align strategic priorities, budgets, and deliverables with donor expectations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in fundraising and development within nonprofit or mission-driven environments, with primary experience in foundations.
• Deep knowledge of philanthropic trends and evolving foundation priorities, along with established relationships with foundation program officers.
• Track record of securing major gifts, foundation grants, and seven-figure institutional funding portfolios.
• Expertise developing, executing, and scaling multi-year revenue generation strategies and capital campaigns, as well as developing relationship building strategies tailored to individual donor needs.
• Strategic judgment to recognize when organizational strategies need to shift and advise senior leadership on appropriate responses informed by research and experience.
• Exceptional relationship-building, executive communication, and written presentation skills with high emotional intelligence.
• Experience managing development staff, collaborating with board members, and serving as a trusted advisor to executive leadership.
• Experience establishing workflows and operational processes to support effective fundraising and development operations.
• Experience fundraising for policy, research, or advocacy non-profits and/or think tanks.
• Alignment with the organization’s mission and commitment to advancing meaningful social and economic impact in the United States.
• Familiarity with donor databases and CRMs (e.g., Salesforce) and prospect research tools.

COMPENSATION

Our client offers a competitive annual salary for this role commensurate with qualifications and experience. The organization also offers a generous benefits package including comprehensive healthcare, paid and sick time off.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Our client is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. The organization values a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences to apply.