Strategic Director, Corporate & Foundation Partnerships

American Brain Tumor Association; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

American Brain Tumor Association seeks a Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations to lead nationwide fundraising strategy with corporations and foundations. You will cultivate high-level partnerships, manage proposals, and align programs with ABTA priorities while driving revenue growth.

The role offers flexible work arrangements (remote/hybrid/office) with regular national travel and occasional evenings/weekends. Strong leadership, proposal, and relationship-building skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Seven or more years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising specific to corporate partnerships, foundation relations, and sponsorship.
• Demonstrated success securing significant corporate, foundation, sponsorship, and institutional support.
• Experience managing a portfolio across multiple geographic markets.
• Excellent proposal writing, presentation, negotiation, relationship-building, and project-management skills.
• Experience supervising staff or leading cross-functional teams.
• Ability to translate complex priorities into persuasive and accessible funding opportunities.
• Experience developing budgets, reports, agreements, and funder deliverables.
• High proficiency with Salesforce, Asana, and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to travel up to 25% and work occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a nationwide corporate and foundation fundraising strategy.
• Expand and manage a diversified portfolio of high-value prospects, funders, and partners.
• Establish goals, revenue projections, and strategies for acquisition, retention, renewal, and growth.
• Identify emerging funding opportunities, partnership models, and industry trends.
• Evaluate opportunities for mission alignment, revenue potential, organizational capacity, and reputational risk.
• Cultivate relationships with corporate executives, foundation leaders, program officers, and other decisionmakers.
• Represent ABTA at meetings, conferences, and industry events.
• Lead the development of grant proposals, letters of inquiry, sponsorship packages, presentations, and other solicitation materials.
• Translate complex programs and priorities into clear, persuasive funding opportunities.
• Develop customized partnerships that may include sponsorship, cause marketing, employee engagement, workplace giving, and program support.
• Coordinate proposal budgets, deliverables, timelines, recognition benefits, and reporting requirements.
• Maintain a centralized calendar of application, renewal, reporting, and stewardship deadlines.
• Implement stewardship strategies that demonstrate impact and position funders for renewal and increased support.
• Coordinate grant reports, financial documentation, impact updates, recognition, and other deliverables.
• Monitor fulfillment of sponsorship benefits and partnership agreements.
• Identify opportunities for multi-year commitments, increased investment, and expanded engagement.
• Partner with mission and research teams to identify fundable priorities and develop cases for support.
• Collaborate with Chief Development Officer on budgets, restricted revenue, grant expenditures, and financial reporting.
• Work with marketing on recognition and fulfillment of National Conference and Corporate Partner sponsorships.
• Coordinate with individual giving and peer-to-peer fundraising teams on integrated opportunities.
• Maintain accurate records of prospects, proposals, agreements, activities, deadlines, and next steps in Salesforce.
• Provide leadership with regular pipeline reports, revenue forecasts, risks, opportunities, and projected results.

Skills

Proposal writing

Relationship-building

Negotiation

Project management

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Salesforce

Asana

Microsoft Office

Job description

American Brain Tumor Association seeks a Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations to lead nationwide fundraising strategy with corporations and foundations. You will cultivate high-level partnerships, manage proposals, and align programs with ABTA priorities while driving revenue growth.

The role offers flexible work arrangements (remote/hybrid/office) with regular national travel and occasional evenings/weekends. Strong leadership, proposal, and relationship-building skills are essential.