Washington University in St. Louis · 2 months ago
Senior Director, Foundation Relations - University Advancement
St Louis, MO
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$96K/yr - $169K/yr
6+ years expWashington University in St. Louis is seeking a Senior Director for Foundation Relations in University Advancement. The successful candidate will be responsible for securing major gift support from foundations, focusing on STEM departments, and will engage in various fundraising strategies and relationship building with philanthropic organizations.
E-LearningEBooksEducationHigher Education
Responsibilities
Identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of foundations and philanthropic organizations
Engage in qualification, strategy, relationship building, and proposal development for gifts or grants at the $250,000-level and above
Work with faculty and fundraising colleagues to develop effective fundraising strategies that translate into successful proposals. May include being the primary writer on a grant or gift
Develop and implement innovative plans for enhancing stewardship of foundation donors. Provide timely reports of grants from foundations that have made philanthropic gifts to the University
Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the programs and research being conducted by faculty within the schools, departments, and units for which he/she is the staff liaison, including the STEM departments, centers and institutes of the Danforth Campus
Conduct regular meetings with faculty and academic staff to identify research and programs at the university that align with foundations’ funding interests
Serve as the department’s liaison to the Internal Selections Committee
Conduct regular meetings with UA colleagues in the philanthropic strategy vertical whose roles align with liaison responsibilities
Identify, secure, and attend meetings for leadership and faculty with foundation staff. Host campus visits by foundation representatives. Attend professional Corporate and Foundation Relations conferences
With the Assistant Director, oversee annual benchmarking of peer institutions’ funding from foundations
Responsibly document all work with prospects and funders into the constituent relationship management tracking system in a timely manner in accordance with the policies and procedures of University Advancement
Provide other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree
Relevant Experience (6 Years)
Flexibility and ability to work outside of the normal workday/office hours including evenings and weekends
Normal office environment
Ability to travel to various on- and off-campus locations
Typically sitting at a desk or table
Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement
Occasional lifting (25 – 50 lbs.)
Responsibly document all work with prospects and funders into the constituent relationship management tracking system in a timely manner in accordance with the policies and procedures of University Advancement
Preferred
Experience in foundation relations or in development work that includes significant work with foundations and funding organizations
Direct experience and personal interaction with foundation officers in the exploratory, cultivation and solicitation stages
Demonstrated success in playing a lead or highly active role in securing significant grants from foundations, including at the six- and seven-figure level
Academic experience or degree in STEM field
Experience and success in foundation and/or corporate relations fundraising for higher education
Facility in relaying detailed instructions and providing feedback
Understanding of, appreciation for, and ability to successfully navigate a complex academic environment
Master's degree
Benefits
Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child.
Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs.
WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.
Company
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University’s mission is to discover and disseminate knowledge, and protect the freedom of inquiry through research and teaching.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Washington University in St. Louis has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (22)
2024 (34)
2023 (39)
2022 (17)
2021 (7)
2020 (20)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$24.6MKey Investors
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic SurgeonsJim McKelvey
2024-09-13Grant
2023-12-01Grant· $0M
2019-01-31Grant
Leadership Team
Jessie Minton
Vice Chancellor for Technology and Chief Information Officer
Keisha Mabry
Entrepreneur in Residence
Recent News
bloomberglaw.com
2025-10-25
2025-10-25
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