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American Museum of Natural History · 1 day ago

Associate Director, Foundation Relations

New York, NY

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$95K/yr - $115K/yr

6+ years exp

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions, and they are seeking an Associate Director, Foundation Relations to advance their foundation fundraising efforts. This role involves managing a significant portfolio of foundation donors, developing funding strategies, and collaborating with internal colleagues to create compelling proposals and reports.

Advanced MaterialsEducationNon Profit

Responsibilities

Partner with the Director, Foundation Relations to develop and execute the team’s annual goals and strategic plans to grow restricted and unrestricted foundation support

Manage a portfolio of high-level existing foundation funders and drive the identification of new prospects through analysis of alignment with Museum priorities, funding capacity, and potential for engagement

Develop and execute sophisticated, multi-stage cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies, including by facilitating dialogue and building relationships between foundation funders and Museum program staff, scientists, and educators; and orchestrating and leading impactful site visits

Stay current on trends in the foundation funding landscape, as well as in the museum, scientific, and education fields

Serve as a lead writer for the team, personally drafting and editing high-quality, complex letters of inquiry, proposals, interim and final reports, and other funder correspondence

Collaborate with Museum scientists, educators, and other program staff to brainstorm funding ideas, assess project concepts, and gather necessary information for proposals

Advise internal colleagues on funder priorities and guidelines to strengthen proposal content and align with foundation interests

Collaborate on the creation of accurate and timely budgets and financial reports for foundation submissions

Partner closely with colleagues on the Foundation Relations team, providing peer-level mentorship and sharing best practices to support a collaborative environment

Maintain a comprehensive and functional understanding of all team systems—including prospect management, the grants calendar, and gift processing workflows—to ensure seamless collaboration and operational continuity

Act as a senior resource on grants management processes, liaising with Advancement Operations and Finance on complex grant agreements and reporting issues as needed

Staff periodic Advancement events in evenings or on weekends, as needed

Perform other duties as requested, delegated, or assigned

Qualification

Foundation relationsGrant writingProject managementRaiser’s EdgeFundraising for scienceTeam collaborationCommunication skills

Required

Bachelor's degree in Museum Studies, Non-Profit Management, Science, English, Journalism or another relevant field

At least 6 years of progressive professional experience in foundation relations or a closely related field within a non-profit organization

A demonstrated track record of personally securing five- and six-figure grants from private foundations, managing the full cycle from identification to stewardship

Exceptional writing and editing skills