Senior Director For Foundation Relations

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission-with the goal of making the UW the world's greatest public university, as measured by positive impact-guides everything we do in University Advancement . Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW's impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support.

This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals.

The Corporate & Foundation Relations team has an exciting opening for a Senior Director for Foundation Relations. This is a full-time permanent position.

The Senior Director for Foundation Relations (Senior Director) is a vital member of the Central Corporate & Foundation Relations team (Central CFR), which is part of Development Programs (DP) within University Advancement (UA). The Senior Director shapes and oversees Central CFR's foundation relations strategy and programming, supervises and mentors staff, leads institution-level strategy development for a portfolio of top local, national and international foundation prospects, raises funds for select institutional initiatives, contributes to foundation relations training for colleagues and faculty, and positively represents UA within the institution and the UW externally among funders, collaborators and others. The Senior Director works as a trusted partner and ready resource for faculty and staff colleagues in UW schools, colleges and campuses, as well as for DP, UA, the Office of Research, the Office of Sponsored Programs and CoMotion, lending foundation relations expertise, strategic guidance and hands-on support in fundraising approaches. The Senior Director reports to the AVP, Corporate & Foundation Relations, and is a member of the AVP's leadership team.

Program Leadership and Strategy (30%)

• With the AVP, and engaging central and unit colleagues, play a leading role in the development of UW foundation relations strategic visioning and planning.
• Create short- and long-term programmatic goals for foundation relations in concert with the AVP. Devise strategies for the achievement of goals and provide the AVP with regular progress updates.
• Hire, train and supervise foundation relations staff. Seek opportunities to mentor staff and support their professional development.
• Serve as a key contributor to and leader in campuswide foundation relations training for faculty and unit staff through meetings, onboarding sessions, roundtables and workshops.
• Keep close track of trends and funding themes within the foundation sector locally, nationally and internationally. Lend a strong voice of expertise in foundation relations on campus and among peers nationally through participation in professional organizations such as CASE.
• Advise academic leadership, including the president, provost, vice provosts and deans, on foundation relations through written and in-person briefings.
• Work to attain a broad understanding of institutional research strengths, educational endeavors and major priorities and initiatives.
• Understand the technical aspects of foundations relations, including policy surrounding conflict of interest, intellectual property, and the classification and processing of funding. Support institutional colleagues in understanding and adhering to policies and best practices.
  

Fundraising and Relationship Management (70%)

• Oversee Central CFR's portfolio of top foundation prospects and funders, called Central Strategic Organizations (CSOs), by assigning staff and ensuring strategies are developed for each CSO.
• Personally manage a portfolio of CSOs, shaping and delivering on institutional strategy, building broad and multiunit engagement, creating opportunities to seek major support, and leading the development of proposals with a focus on opportunities of (or that will lead to) $1 million and greater.
• Support academic leadership, including the president, provost, vice provosts and deans, in their engagement of CSOs and other important foundation relationships. As needed, accompany such leaders on visits to foundations locally and nationally.
• Lead strategy sessions for top foundation prospects and funders. Work transparently and collegially to develop written institutional strategies.
• Support unit colleagues and their faculty in proposal strategy and development including writing and reviewing proposals. Shepherd proposals through the submission and review process. Conceptualize, organize and host visits to and from foundations.
• Devise thoughtful stewardship as part of strategy development for each foundation, including advising on the conceptualization of reports and other collateral as warranted.
• Support pipeline development by devising strategies for foundation engagement.
• Support Central CFR's limited-submission organization (LSO) program, including working in close partnership with the Office of Research and deploying Central CFR and unit staff to support faculty in seeking LSO funding.
  

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's degree and eight to 10 years of progressively responsible experience in fund development, with experience in foundation relations, preferably in higher education.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

• Demonstrated ability to establish, cultivate and steward strong engagement between universities and foundations. Proven record of success in fundraising.
• Strategic visioning/planning experience. Skill in landscape analysis and an ability to understand the needs and motivations of others and to generate buy-in associated with strategic aspirations. Demonstrated ability to operationalize high-level strategy into programmatic goals.
• Demonstrated skill in and commitment to supervising, developing, mentoring and coaching staff and colleagues. Experience managing and motivating direct reports.
• Superb listening and interpretive skills and a high level of political savvy and diplomacy.
• Ability to navigate complex organizations and to support others in doing so; equipped with a problem-solving, solutions orientation.
• Superior writing skills, including proposal-writing experience; knowledge of foundation prospect research.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, manage and achieve comprehensive team goals; ability to accurately forecast and develop both short- and long-term goals.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships.
• Ability to work independently, problem solve, take initiative, set priorities and handle multiple projects efficiently and effectively.
• Takes responsibility and initiative to set and meet goals, objectives and obligations while representing the mission, visions and values of the organization.
• Demonstrated creativity, organizational ability and strong attention to detail. Ability to make decisions in ambiguous situations, exercise good judgment based on information and analysis in a fast-paced, dynamic, deadline drive environment in an organized and professional manner.
• Ability to maintain confidence and protect confidential information; acts in a selfless manner and models the ethical values of the UW.
• Demonstrated strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite for correspondence, special reports, spreadsheets, databases, forms, etc.
  

Cubicle/open workspace environment that may result in additional or higher levels of noise and visual distractions.

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you log into your "My Jobs" page. If you choose to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.