Senior Director, Foundation Relations

BoardSource; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

BoardSource, based in Washington, DC, is seeking a Senior Director of Foundation Relations to enhance philanthropic support for its nonprofit leadership initiatives. The candidate will develop and implement a fundraising plan, manage donor relationships, and represent BoardSource within the philanthropic community.

Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree and at least seven years of nonprofit experience, especially in foundation fundraising. The role requires strong proposal-writing skills and a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector.

The position includes a salary range of $90,000-$105,000 and involves up to 25% travel.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit organizations.
• At least 5 years in foundation fundraising.
• Demonstrated track record in closing foundation grants.

Responsibilities

• Develop a multiyear fundraising plan.
• Manage relationships with foundation donors.
• Represent BoardSource to increase philanthropic support.
• Partner with the President & CEO for fundraising activities.
• Oversee the foundation fundraising budget.

Skills

Foundation fundraising

Proposal writing

Project management

Nonprofit sector knowledge

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

BoardSource is a globally-recognized nonprofit focused on strengthening nonprofit leadership at the highest level — the board of directors. With expertise cultivated over more than three decades, BoardSource strengthens nonprofit leadership through research, thought leadership, and practical supports that help transform board structures, dynamics, and perspectives. It is widely recognized as the go-to resource for nonprofit boards, and reaches more than 500,000 leaders each year.

Over the past five years, BoardSource’s leadership footprint in the nonprofit sector has expanded beyond “board leadership essentials” to research and proactively address critical issues that are impeding the nonprofit sector’s ability to achieve its full potential for impact. In addition to an expansion of its signature research study, Leading with Intent, BoardSource has also prioritized initiatives to address:

• The urgent need for more diverse nonprofit boards that are committed to doing their work in a way that helps advance equity and justice.
• The importance of understanding and engaging in public policy issues that impact or impede an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission, serve its community, or otherwise do its mission-driven work.
• The opportunity to structure organizations for greater resilience and impact through strategic alliances and mergers.

In collaboration with the President & CEO and Executive Strategy Officer, the Senior Director of Foundation Relations is responsible for planning and implementing BoardSource’s foundation fundraising strategies and activities with the goal of deepening relationships within the philanthropic community and increasing philanthropic support for BoardSource on a year-over-year basis.

Job Description

The Senior Director of Foundation Relations will serve as a key external representative of BoardSource’s work within the foundation community and engage with foundation funders and prospects at every stage of the solicitation process, identifying, researching, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual funders to secure philanthropic dollars. This includes strategically engaging the Board and the President & CEO in support of those key relationships, as well as developing proposals and agreements, overseeing grant stewardship, communication, and reporting. This will include hiring and managing a development coordinator to take on essential functions in support of a strong and efficient fundraising shop.

Responsibilities

• Develop a multiyear fundraising plan that identifies a diverse base of support for BoardSource’s research and leadership agenda
• Manage relationships with all of BoardSource’s foundation donors and prospects, with a focus on deepening relationships with existing funding partners and increasing the number of $25,000+ funding relationships that provide general operating support
• Represent BoardSource and its work within the philanthropic community, working to establish reputation and relationships in ways that cultivate increased philanthropic support
• Partner with, guide, and support the President & CEO in her role as the chief spokesperson and fundraiser for BoardSource
• Partner with the President to engage and support the Board in their fundraising activities on behalf of BoardSource
• Establish a firm understanding of BoardSource’s work – especially its leadership initiatives and research agenda – to support strategic and effective foundation fundraising strategies
• Leverage and manage the development coordinator around prospect research, grant reporting, and tracking
• Oversee the foundation fundraising budget. Create and implement tracking mechanisms to ensure goals are on target

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit organizations. Additionally the ideal candidate will have:

• At least 5 years in foundation fundraising, ideally in an organization that is focused on research, leadership, or nonprofit sector support
• Demonstrated track record in personally identifying and closing foundation grants
• The ability to effectively represent BoardSource as a writer, thinker, and speaker under a variety of circumstances, including interactions meetings with funders and networking opportunities at conferences
• Excellent proposal-writing skills and demonstrated attention to detail with strong project management
• Broad knowledge of the nonprofit sector including an understanding of sub-segments within the sector and knowledge of emerging trends within the sector; past or present service as a member of a nonprofit board a plus
• An existing portfolio of relationships funders interested in nonprofit leadership desirable, but not expected
• Past or current nonprofit board service a plus
• An optimistic outlook and a flexible, innovative approach to problem-solving

This position requires up to 25% travel.

Additional Information

Come be a part of our team and help us to advance the work of nonprofit organizations across the country! To apply for this role, please submit a cover letter and resume. BoardSource is an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The hiring salary range for this position is $90,000-$105,000