Partner, External Relations

AgUpdate; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 190,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Health & dental coverage

FSA/Transit benefits

Life insurance

PTO 20 days

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Education Forward DC is seeking a Partner, External Relations to guide multi-year fundraising, donor strategy, and external partnerships. The role leads a small team, cultivates major gifts, and advises the CEO on leveraging relationships to advance education equity in DC.

The position is hybrid, with in-person days, and offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits. A strong track record in education fundraising and DC-based work is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Comprehensive fundraising experience with multi-year strategy.
• Proven ability to cultivate principal-level donors toward long-term commitments.
• Experience building and leading high-performing fundraising teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead a multi-year fundraising strategy targeting long-term revenue growth.
• Personally identify and steward principal- and major-gift donors.
• Lead the external relations team and advise the CEO on time and relationship deployment.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Donor cultivation

Major gifts

Team leadership

Strategic fundraising

Equity in education

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

Donor management systems

CRM software

Job description

Position: Partner, External Relations Reports to: CEO Start date: February 2027 Location: Washington, DC Application Deadline:11/13/2026

The Challenge & Opportunity

Over the past two decades, the District of Columbia has made real, measurable progress in public education to become the fastest-improving urban school system in the country. A strong system of public school choice, greater accountability, and sustained investments have created real results. However, today, only about a quarter of students from low-income households attend high-performing schools. Achievement gaps persist as federal funding and our local economy remain uncertain. Without continued strategic investment and a trusted partner, gains could stall or worse. DC students' futures are at stake.

The Organization

Education Forward DC (Ed Forward DC) is a nonprofit organization that combines strategic grantmaking and hands-on partnerships to ensure a great public school for every DC student. Working across both traditional public and public charter schools, we invest in school quality, developing outstanding leaders and teachers, and advancing the policy conditions that make progress possible. Education Forward DC aims to ensure that 40% of students designated as economically disadvantaged attend high-performing schools by 2029. DC has proven that citywide improvement is possible. Education Forward DC exists to accelerate it and close the gaps that remain.

Key Responsibilities

Education Forward DC is celebrating our 10-year anniversary in 2026. Since 2016 we have raised over $140M for the DC education ecosystem and our work remains critical. The Partner, External Relations, will be a key leader charting our path forward. You will translate our impact and vision into clear narratives that inspire philanthropic investment.

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

Design and lead a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy that builds toward Ed Forward DC's long-term revenue goals - with particular focus on the donor relationships and pipeline needed to sustain growth in years 3-5, not just the current year's target, and raise an average of $12M annually Build and refine the systems and infrastructure needed to support that strategy over time (donor tracking, reporting, portfolio management), in partnership with the external relations team Develop the organizational case for support and narrative framework that will anchor future campaign or capital efforts Advise the CEO and senior leadership on how to deploy their time and relationships most effectively in service of long-term fundraising goals

Donor Cultivation & Engagement

Personally identify, cultivate, and steward a portfolio of principal- and major-gift-level donors, with the understanding that many of these relationships are being built for long-term relationships and commitments Lead solicitation and proposal development for the organization’s most significant philanthropic partnerships Represent Ed Forward DC externally - including, on occasion, standing in for the CEO - with foundations, corporate partners, and philanthropists, building the organization’s national profile

Team & Organizational Leadership

Lead and develop the team, ensuring strong day-to-day execution of donor engagement, communications, and reporting Maintain oversight and ultimate accountability for Governance and Communications functions, with substantial support and leadership from direct reports Serve as a member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy and decision-making

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience

• Comprehensive fundraising experience: demonstrated success building and executing a multi-year fundraising strategy, including the discipline of cultivating principal-level donors toward gifts that mature over a 3+ year horizon
• Demonstrated personal fundraising track record: proven ability to build relationships with, solicit, and close gifts from donors, and boards, including a consistent track record closing gifts of $250K+
• Experience directly managing, developing, and growing a small, high-performing team to achieve ambitious fundraising goals
• At least ten years of progressive leadership experience in development, including experience operating at the senior executive level
• Experience partnering with a CEO or executive director to deploy their time and relationships strategically
• Ability and readiness to represent the organization at a senior level, including standing in for the CEO on occasion: comfortable independently building relationships and credibility with national foundations, corporate leaders, and philanthropists
• Ability to design and adapt a multi-year fundraising strategy in a changing revenue environment, managing multiple priorities and driving work to completion without a fully settled roadmap
• We work intentionally to disrupt patterns of racial inequity; a strong candidate will demonstrate an unwavering commitment to educational equity and improving education
• Experience with education and fundraising in DC is valued
• Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree in a relevant field valued

The Tangible Good

The salary for this position is $215,378.

This is a hybrid role; all team members are in person in our office each Tuesday and Wednesday.

• a 401(k) program with a 4% match that is fully vested day one
• 100% of Employee Only and 50% of Dependent premiums towards a reference Gold plan.
• Employees may apply this contribution amount to any available Gold plan offered by DC Healthlink Dental and Vision benefits from Guardian covered 100% for employees, and 50% covered for dependents
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts,
• Transit/Commuter Accounts 100% premium paid for employees short- and long-term disability insurance 100% premium paid for $50,000 life insurance policy for employees
• 20 days of annual PTO for the first year of service.
• PTO increases by one additional day per year
• 7 days of flexible personal and sick leave each year
• $1,000 annual budget for self-directed professional development
• Options for Supplemental Life/ADD, Prepaid Legal, Critical Illness, and Accident Insurance
• Relocation stipends are available

We are Deeply Committed to Equity & Diversity

We are on a mission to build a team that reflects DC's students and strongly encourage candidates of color to apply. Education Forward DC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.

Research indicates that qualified women and people of color are less likely to apply for opportunities if they don’t believe they meet 100% of the requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.