Director Foundation Relations - College of Engineering

Job Summary

The Director of Foundation Relations is a front‑line fundraiser reporting to the Executive Director in the Office of Foundation Relations. This position is responsible for meeting or exceeding personal annual fundraising goals of $3M+; leading the development of and collaboration with faculty and academic staff to submit compelling proposals to national and local foundations for a diverse range of purposes including, but not limited to, research, facilities, programs, scholarship, and endowment. This position also contributes to foundation relations training for colleagues and faculty, and positively represents Development within the institution and Georgia Tech externally among funders, collaborators, and others. The Director works as a trusted partner and ready resource for faculty and staff colleagues in Georgia Tech schools, colleges, and programs, as well as for Development, the Office of Research, and the Office of Sponsored Programs, lending foundation relations expertise, strategic guidance and hands‑on support in fundraising approaches. In addition, this position will supervise assigned staff.

Responsibilities

• Maximize support for Georgia Tech from local and national foundations in following ways: manage a portfolio of approximately 40 private local and national foundations; establish and follow strategies to effectively guide relationships from identification to cultivation to solicitation to stewardship; cultivate foundations through any point of entry afforded university‑wide; prioritize multiple projects and funding priorities; and identify new funding prospects and/or proposal opportunities.
• Identify funding opportunities and prepare letters of inquiry, grants, and other proposals. Serve as a resource for editing and/or proofreading for proposals and reports before submission.
• Become informed on programs and research being conducted by faculty within the colleges, schools, center, and programs for which they are the Foundation Relations liaison as a means of identifying work that aligns with foundations’ funding interests.
• Serve as a key contributor to and leader in campus‑wide foundation relations training for staff, faculty, and program leads through meetings, onboarding sessions, roundtables, and workshops.
• Arrange campus visits with foundation representatives and/or secure visits for appropriate Georgia Tech leadership and/or faculty with national and local foundations at their respective offices. Prepare briefings and logistics for the visits and staff Georgia Tech representatives.
• Follow Division of Development protocols for timely documentation and database entry of all contact reports and proposal submissions.
• Manage Associate Director of Development, including supporting their fundraising and professional development goals and ensuring administrative tasks associated with the role follow Division of Development protocols.
• Represent Foundation Relations in campus meetings.
• Perform other job‑related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's Degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Other Required Qualifications
Travel is an essential part of the position as is participation in evening and weekend activities.

Required Experience

• Five or more years of job‑related experience.
• Strong proposal writing and editing skills.
• Demonstrated success in playing a lead or highly active role in securing grants from foundations, including at the six‑ and seven‑figure level.
• Five years of front‑line fundraising in cultivating and soliciting foundations on the national and local level, including prospect identification and research, and proposal writing.

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Educational Qualifications
Master's Degree.

Preferred Experience

• Ten years of experience working in an academic setting.
• Multiple years of experience and success in foundation fundraising for higher education, particularly in the sciences and/or technology.
• A career of 10 or more years that includes a significant amount of experience in development which could be coupled with work in other applicable fields such as marketing, communications, public relations, non‑profit management or consulting.

Proposed Salary

Salary Range: $102,088 – $125,000, commensurate to education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Skills

• High sense of professionalism.
• Knowledge of the major national foundations.
• Attention to detail; strong analytical thinking skills.
• Goal oriented and commitment to high productivity.
• A self‑starter who possesses strong communication skills.
• An affinity for the mission of higher education and research.
• Understanding of effective foundation relations and grant making.
• Ability to work independently, as well as an integral member of a team of seasoned foundation relations professionals.
• An aptitude for working in a large organization; ability to interact effectively with university constituents at all levels; to grasp and maintain the service‑oriented nature of the office.
• Project management and organizational skills.

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, and services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities. Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (“USG”) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual's race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

Other Information

This is not a supervisory position.

This position does not have any financial responsibilities.

This position will not be required to drive.

This role is considered a position of trust.

This position does not require a purchasing card (P‑Card).

This position will not travel.

This position does not require security clearance.

Background Check

Successful candidate must be able to pass a position of trust + education background check. Please visit

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