Senior Foundation Relations Director (Hybrid, Waltham)

jfcsboston; Waltham (MA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Work-life balance

Promotion from within

Job summary

JF&CS in Waltham, MA seeks a Director of Foundation Relations to lead and grow its institutional fundraising program, raising over $2M annually. You will manage foundation relationships, secure new grants, supervise one staff member, and align program outcomes with funding opportunities in a hybrid setting requiring three days in-person per week.

The ideal candidate has deep institutional fundraising expertise, strong writing and project management skills, and a collaborative approach across

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with a strong track record in foundation relations and institutional giving
• Demonstrated success securing five- and six-figure grants and building long-term funder relationships
• Exceptional writing skills, with the ability to craft compelling proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports
• Strong strategic thinking and the ability to translate complex program work into clear cases for support
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities
• Experience supervising, coaching, or mentoring staff preferred
• A highly collaborative, relationship-oriented approach and the ability to work effectively across teams
• Proficiency with fundraising databases (e.g., Raiser's Edge/Blackbaud) and prospect research and grants management tools (e.g. Instrumentl)
• Comfort using AI tools to enhance research, writing and productivity, along with sound judgment about their appropriate use
• Commitment to the mission and values of JF&CS to serving people of all faiths, backgrounds, cultures, and abilities

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a growth-oriented foundation relations strategy aligned with JF&CS fundraising goals and organizational priorities, grounded in a deep understanding of and connection to JF&CS strategy
• Grow fundraising from institutional funders through cultivation, planning and solicitation of existing funders, and through developing new institutional relationships
• Manage a portfolio of foundation funders and prospects, including cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, renewals, and annual relationship plans
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of all proposals, reports, grant agreements, budgets, and stewardship materials
• Develop strong grant proposals, letters of inquiry, concept papers, reports and other institutional communications
• Maintain meaningful communication with current and prospective funders about JF&CS priorities, impact, and opportunities
• Collaborate with program, finance, evaluation, and executive leaders to understand outcomes, community needs, priorities, and opportunities
• Translate programmatic insights into strong cases for support, grant concepts, and funding strategies
• Shape organization-wide narratives that connect programs to broad agency goals and community impact
• Coach, mentor, and develop foundation relations staff member to strengthen fundraising effectiveness, strategic thinking, and professional growth
• Collaborate with finance and program teams to deliver accurate grant budgets, outcomes reporting, and compliance with funding requirements

Skills

Foundation fundraising

Grant writing

Strategic thinking

Project management

Relationship building

Team supervision

Communication

AI tools usage

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Raiser's Edge/Blackbaud

Instrumentl

Job description

JF&CS in Waltham, MA seeks a Director of Foundation Relations to lead and grow its institutional fundraising program, raising over $2M annually. You will manage foundation relationships, secure new grants, supervise one staff member, and align program outcomes with funding opportunities in a hybrid setting requiring three days in-person per week.

The ideal candidate has deep institutional fundraising expertise, strong writing and project management skills, and a collaborative approach across