About the Director/Senior Director of Foundation Relations Opening:
The American Enterprise Institute is looking for a talented, philosophically committed Director or Senior Director of Foundations Relations to join our fundraising team. Responsibilities for this role include leading a team of fundraisers and support staff who identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward AEI’s foundation donors as well as personally managing a portfolio of foundations. This position therefore requires high-level interpersonal and relationship-building skills, as well as excellent written and verbal communications skills. This is an excellent position for someone who would enjoy having a direct impact on an organization committed to strengthening the free enterprise system and building a freer and safer world.
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished foundation manager and grant writer with experience closing six and seven figure gifts, sustaining relationships with foundation donors, and supervising staff. He or she will thrive in a collaborative team-based environment and be comfortable with constructive feedback. The successful candidate will be creative and knowledgeable about best practices in philanthropy and interested in developing and executing on tailored strategies for each foundation donor and prospect. Good conversation and listening skills and a knowledge of policy topics of interest to donors are necessary to succeed in this role and a natural curiosity and the ability to fit within the organization’s academic, collegial culture are essential.
AEI’s development department is team-oriented, fast-paced, and mission-driven. Reporting to the Vice President of Development, the Director or Senior Director will be a senior leader in the development department. The successful candidate will mentor and develop team members with regular feedback and coaching conversations and will work daily with other senior members of the team to ensure the strategic relationship building and solicitation of our donor base. As a senior leader, the Director or Senior Director will have broad impact within the development department and will interact daily with members of the corporate giving team and the individual giving team to ensure the best possible strategic approaches and solicitation to our donors and prospects.
Location:
The Director/Senior Director of Foundation Relations works closely with and reports to the Vice President of Development. Our office is located in Washington, DC, and we hold a strong preference for in-person teammates, but we will consider remote candidates who are able to make periodic trips to the office.
Responsibilities include:
Relationship Building & Foundation Relations:
- Nurture and cultivate long-term partnerships and relationships with current and prospective foundation donors
- Expand the portfolio of foundation donors to be cultivated personally and by AEI’s senior management
- Collaborate frequently with scholars and researchers to stay abreast of the current issues and work that may be of interest to donors. Build relationships to better understand scholars’ work in order to match donor and research interests
- Manage a select number of foundation accounts, assuming responsibility for communications and relationships with these donors
Leadership & Team Management:
- Supervise foundations team staff members, including coaching and supporting their professional growth, conducting performance evaluations, and modeling an entrepreneurial approach to challenges
- Contribute to the development department’s success in supporting AEI’s mission by engaging with colleagues in the department, sharing experiences and ideas, and by having a collegial and can-do approach with others
- Collaborate to improve the Development Team’s internal communications systems and processes to better serve our donors
- Liaise with leadership, finance, research, and programs teams
- Supervise team of grant writers and manage their work flow, reviewing for quality and timeliness, ensuring all grants are well-written with compelling narratives designed to appeal to foundations, making certain deliverables are based on strategic planning, and guaranteeing that all submissions are reviewed and submitted on schedule
Writing & Editing:
- Manage production and workflow of foundation materials, including reports and proposals, to ensure deliverables are completed on time through the correct processes
- Synthesize complex research into clear opportunities for donor investment; success with securing donor support for “ideas” and long-term research is essential
- Write and edit grant proposals and reports as needed
The ideal candidate:
- This position may be titled Director or Senior Director based on relevant experience and track record of fundraising success. Roughly speaking, a director will come to AEI with 7+ years of fundraising or transferable experience with 3+ years of supervisory experience.
- A Senior Director will come to this role with 10+ years of fundraising or transferable experience and 5+ years of supervisory/management experience along with a track record reaching 7 and 8 figure annual goals.
All candidates will meet these minimum requirements:
- Five-plus years of foundation or major gift fundraising experience at a large university or nonprofit organization, including personal responsibility for grant writing and grant solicitation
- Three-plus years of management experience
- An eagerness to delve into AEI’s body of research and demonstrated comprehensive understanding of public policy issues of interest to donors
- Excellent communication skills
- Flexible and adaptable style
- A motivating appreciation for the mission and work of the American Enterprise Institute
- Demonstrated superior writing, research, and editing skills
- Proven abilities to work independently or collaboratively, accept and give constructive feedback, and prioritize and manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
- Strong attention to detail, including editing skills and familiarity with Chicago Manual of Style
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office
How to Apply:
Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:
- Cover letter addressing your interest in AEI’s mission and your salary requirements
- Résumé
Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link:
https://talentmarket.org/candidates/apply-for-your-dream-job/
There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.
Questions can be directed to Katelynn Barbosa, Director of Talent Engagement, at Talent Market, who is assisting with the search: [email protected]
While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.
Talent Market is a nonprofit entity dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation.
