Manager, Partnerships and Philanthropy

International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX); Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 100,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) seeks a senior fundraising leader to cultivate donors, secure funding, and drive strategic partnerships in support of its global education and development initiatives. You will build and steward major donor relationships, craft compelling proposals, and collaborate with program and external affairs teams to align funding with impact.

The role requires 10+ years in philanthropy or related fields, with proven ability to secure funding and manage

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of professional experience, including at least 5 years in philanthropy, partnerships, fundraising, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success securing philanthropic, corporate, or other non-governmental funding.
• Experience developing compelling proposals, concept notes, and donor-facing materials.
• Strong relationship management experience with donors, foundations, corporations, nonprofits, or other strategic partners.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex information and communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Professional fluency in English.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage relationships with foundation, corporate, and individual donors.
• Support donor engagement strategies aligned with IREX's goals.
• Identify and develop new philanthropic funding opportunities.
• Represent IREX in donor meetings, conferences, and external engagements.
• Support executive and board-level donor cultivation and stewardship efforts.
• Develop and manage proposals for philanthropic and corporate funding opportunities.
• Lead or contribute to donor strategies, prospecting efforts, and funding pursuits.
• Collaborate with technical teams to design fundable solutions that respond to donor interests.
• Support business development initiatives to advance organizational growth and sustainability.
• Build relationships with thought leaders, influencers, and philanthropic organizations.
• Collaborate across IREX to identify partnership opportunities that enhance impact and visibility.
• Work with communications to strengthen donor engagement and brand positioning.
• Support knowledge management and donor engagement systems, including Salesforce.
• Prepare briefing materials, donor profiles, and strategic analyses for senior leadership.
• Contribute to annual planning, donor pipeline management, and fundraising performance analysis.
• Assist in evaluating return on investment and fundraising effectiveness.
• Mentor and support colleagues contributing to fundraising and partnership efforts.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration and capacity building across the organization.
• Foster a culture of innovation, learning, accountability, and shared success.

Skills

Strong communication

Relationship management

Strategic fundraising

Proposal writing

English fluency

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Salesforce CRM

Job description

Who We Are

IREX is a global solutions provider that partners with communities and institutions in the United States and around the world to cultivate leaders, expand access to education, and create economic opportunity. With deep expertise, a forward-looking vision, and world-class practices in AI for Education, Future-Ready Workforce, Higher Education Solutions, Leadership Development, and Online Safety, IREX delivers innovative and proven solutions that help people, institutions, and communities thrive in a rapidly changing world.

What You’ll Do

Build and Strengthen Donor Relationships

• Cultivate, steward, and expand relationships with foundation, corporate, and individual donors.
• Support donor engagement strategies aligned with IREX's organizational and impact goals.
• Identify and develop new philanthropic funding opportunities.
• Represent IREX in donor meetings, conferences, and external engagements.
• Support executive and board-level donor cultivation and stewardship efforts.

Drive Philanthropic Growth

• Develop and manage proposals for philanthropic and corporate funding opportunities.
• Lead or contribute to donor strategies, prospecting efforts, and funding pursuits.
• Collaborate with technical teams to design innovative, fundable solutions that respond to donor interests and market needs.
• Support business development initiatives that advance organizational growth and sustainability.

Advance Strategic Partnerships

• Build relationships with thought leaders, influencers, corporate partners, and philanthropic organizations.
• Collaborate across IREX to identify partnership opportunities that enhance impact and visibility.
• Work closely with communications and marketing colleagues to strengthen donor engagement and brand positioning.

Strengthen Systems and Operations

• Support knowledge management and donor engagement systems, including Salesforce.
• Prepare briefing materials, donor profiles, and strategic analyses for senior leadership.
• Contribute to annual planning, donor pipeline management, and fundraising performance analysis.
• Assist in evaluating return on investment and fundraising effectiveness.

Lead Through Collaboration

• Mentor and support colleagues contributing to fundraising and partnership efforts.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration and capacity building across the organization.
• Foster a culture of innovation, learning, accountability, and shared success.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of professional experience, including at least 5 years in philanthropy, partnerships, fundraising, business development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success securing philanthropic, corporate, or other non-governmental funding.
• Experience developing compelling proposals, concept notes, and donor-facing materials.
• Strong relationship management experience with donors, foundations, corporations, nonprofit organizations, or other strategic partners.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex information and communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Professional fluency in English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in international development, education, workforce development, democracy and governance, youth development, technology for social impact, or a related field.
• Experience managing or contributing to high-value fundraising campaigns or donor-funded initiatives.
• Familiarity with CRM platforms such as Salesforce.
• Experience engaging senior leaders, executives, board members, or major donors.

You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.

Salary Range: $100,000 - $127,000

Our Culture is Our People

At IREX, our culture is built on our people—and on how we work together to create meaningful impact every day. We look for colleagues who bring purpose, intellectual curiosity, collaborative problem solving, and a results driven, bias for action to help strengthen communities and advance our mission.

Successful candidates build trust across differences, move ideas into action, seek new perspectives, embrace change, and represent IREX with authenticity and professionalism. We value people who bring strong expertise and a generous team spirit to work that advances our mission.

What We Offer

At IREX, you’ll work alongside committed, passionate, and collaborative colleagues who are united by a shared mission—making it a truly rewarding place to work. We offer learning, development, and growth opportunities, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being.

Please note: While we aim to offer competitive compensation, not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range.

Disability Specifications

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IREX seeks to attract the best-qualified candidates who support IREX’s mission and who respect and promote excellence through diversity. IREX is committed to equal opportunity and follows recruitment and selection practices that comply with all applicable employment laws. To this end, IREX recruits, hires, trains, and promotes individuals based on merit and experience.

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates.

This position is not eligible for Immigration Sponsorship.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE