Director, Foundation Relations
Director, Foundations Relations (DFR) is responsible for securing foundation funding for disease-specific research to advance the Salk Institute’s mission. Incumbent will plan, organize, and implement strategies to maximize foundation support from selected local, regional and national foundations in the $250,000+ range and acts for Senior, Director, Foundation Relations (SDFR) for Foundation Relations issues in his/her absence.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assists the SDFR in implementing and maintaining the strategic direction of the Foundation Relations Office so that Salk’s priorities are proactively placed before foundations of interest to the Institute.
- Maintains an active pipeline of selected foundation prospects and identifies prospects for projects and discusses new prospects with SDFR, development officers and appropriate faculty and administration.
- Oversees identification of new foundations for Foundation Relations by Director, Development Services/Prospect Research Analyst to ensure that Salk priorities are appropriately established and met on a timely and substantive basis.
- Provides strategic analyses of selected foundation opportunities as assigned to include strategies/timelines for Salk’s interface with these foundations.
- Identifies, strategizes and moves assigned foundations to maximize fundraising results on behalf of the Institute’s priorities.
- Maintains personal contacts with portfolio foundations to ascertain new funding priorities and opportunities, to discuss possible proposals and to steward past gifts.
- Provides direction and support for the development of letters of inquiry, coordinates the development of projects and manages proposals from concept summary to final document.
- Participates in development committees, task forces, External Relations department events, and others as assigned by the SDFR.
- Performs other related duties as assigned by management.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- This job has no supervisory responsibilities.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's Degree (BA) from four-year college or university, and five to ten years of related experience in the full spectrum of development, including prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, gift solicitation, stewardship and donor recognition within a university or other non-profit organization
- Minimum three years of managing a portfolio of foundation prospects.
- Demonstrated success at fundraising and closing gifts ($250,000+) from foundations, both local and national.
- Knowledge of foundational research and experience in fundraising for biomedical or health-related research is preferred.
- Must have access to reliable transportation and a valid California drivers’ license.
- Must sign an employee confidentiality agreement.
- Must be willing to work in an animal-related research environment.
- Satisfactory completion of the Institute’s background investigation.
- Ability to travel and work after hours for donor visits and events
- Computer skills required: Microsoft Office Suite, Particularly Outlook, Word, and Excel. Software (Salesforce is preferred)
- Other skills required: Experience with on-line proposal submission systems commonly used by foundations and other sponsors, such as FLUXX and grant request.
COMPETENCIES:
- Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
- Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs work flows and procedures.
- Judgement - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
- Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.
- Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
- Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Develops realistic action plans.
- Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
- Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
- Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
- Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
- Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values.
The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $120,000 annually.
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)