Description

Position Overview:

The Director of Foundation Engagement serves as a strategic growth catalyst for UMBC, leading the strategy, expansion, and high-touch management of the university’s foundation partnerships portfolio. Reporting to the Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Engagement, this role is built for a dynamic, self-motivated fundraising professional who thrives on transforming academic vision into compelling, multi-million-dollar philanthropic investments. The Director exercises decision-making  authority over portfolio strategy, determining cultivation pathways, setting proposal architecture, evaluating opportunity readiness, and managing direct report performance. In addition to securing high-value foundation investments, the Director will optimize portfolio tracking, mentor high-performing staff, and serve as a trusted advisor to deans, faculty, and executive leaders across the university.

Description of Responsibilities:

Portfolio strategy and high-impact funder engagement

Evaluate and recommend which foundation prospects and funding opportunities should be prioritized based on strategic alignment with UMBC initiatives, funder readiness, institutional capacity, and ROI potential.
Determine, execute, and adapt customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for assigned foundation funders and high-value prospects
Serve as the primary, visible point of contact for foundation program officers and executives, driving relationship lifecycles from initial outreach through high-level
stewardship and multi-year renewals.
Provide strategic guidance and best-practice coaching to faculty, PIs, and internal partners to elevate foundation readiness across the campus ecosystem.

Grant development & lifecycle management

Oversee research, writing, submission, and tracking of high-impact proposals, letters of inquiry (LOIs), and grant reports.
Guide and partner with internal stakeholders to develop appropriate grant budgets to support proposed activities for complex projects.
Build dynamic post-award communications, impact briefings, and custom progress reporting designed to provide exceptional stewardship and secure repeat and scaled investments.
Prepare for and conduct immersive funder site visits.

Supervision, Pipeline Management, & Operational Excellence

Directly supervise the Assistant Director of Foundation Relations, assign team priorities, establish performance standards, and evaluate work quality and timeliness to
foster high performance.
Direct the university’s foundation tracking system, metrics, and calendars to ensure flawless adherence to deadlines and reporting accuracy across all stakeholders.
Optimize team workflows, prospect tracking systems, grant lifecycle protocols, and cross-departmental intake processes.
Vet opportunities discovered through research or shared by faculty and staff for alignment, and assign or engage as determined.

Requirements

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, public administration, communications, English, marketing, higher education administration, research administration, or a related field.
• Five years of progressive, successful fund development experience in foundation relations, grant development, sponsored programs, partnership development, or a closely related field.
• Experience managing relationships with foundation funders, program officers, or other external funding partners.
• Experience developing and coordinating LOIs, proposals, and grant applications, including the preparation of budgets and other required submission materials.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent grant deadlines and coordinating contributions from faculty, principal investigators, campus leaders, finance staff, and other stakeholders.
• Outstanding skill in synthesizing complex academic, scientific, or social-impact research into clear, compelling philanthropic value propositions.
• Supervisory or lead-worker experience with responsibility for assigning work, setting priorities, and reviewing quality and timeliness.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business administration, higher education administration, research administration, philanthropy, communications, or a related field.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). 
• Grant Professional Certified (GPC).
• Certificate in grant writing, fundraising management, nonprofit management, or research administration.
• Professional development in foundation relations, grant compliance, proposal development, or post-award reporting.Seven or more years of progressive, successful fund development experience in higher education.
• Experience managing renewal strategies, site visits, briefings, stewardship communications, and funder reporting.
• Experience managing a portfolio of active foundation partners and high-potential prospects.
• Experience working directly with deans, faculty, principal investigators, university research offices, and senior institutional leadership.
• Experience coordinating both narrative and financial reporting for awarded grants.
• Experience supervising professional staff responsible for foundation outreach, proposal development, grant tracking, or reporting.
• Experience developing standardized grant workflows, proposal templates, review processes, reporting calendars, or internal accountability systems.
• Experience using Salesforce, Ellucian Advance, Blackbaud, grants-management software, or comparable CRM and tracking platforms.

Closing date: Open until filled

For information on UMBC, including more information on employee benefits and our company culture, visit our website.

UMBC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from women, minority group members, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.