Director, Foundation Relations

Key Accountabilities

• Cook up and manage foundation relations to bolster Lehigh's strategic initiatives, collaborating closely with academic and Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) leaders.
• Research and cultivate corporate, foundation, and institutional partners to establish a robust funding pipeline for research, programs, and college-wide priorities.
• Create short- and long-term engagement strategies to connect with funders at various levels, including program staff, trustees, and C-suite executives.
• Steward key external relationships through campus visits, funder meetings, and written reports, while articulating the college's value proposition to secure philanthropic support.
• Collaborate with academic leaders, faculty, and staff to forge comprehensive partnerships with foundations and corporations that drive gifts, grants, research, and data agreements.
• Work with alumni, parents, Trustees, and senior academic leaders to leverage their personal and professional connections to gain access to key strategic partnerships.
• Collaborate with academic leaders to design projects that align with university priorities and funding partners, while actively participating in and identifying professional development and training opportunities for Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) staff.
• Write complex proposals and develop budgets in collaboration with funding partners and internal stakeholders, while consulting with departments on new project opportunities.
• Work closely with other Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) units to coordinate workflows and prospect strategies, ensuring all activities are tracked in the database of record.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Liberal Arts, STEM or Business field
• Five to eight years of work related experience
• Experience with major gift fundraising, writing foundation grants and capital campaigns
• Familiarity with the higher education fundraising landscape
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong analytical skills applied to prospect research, portfolio strategy, and pipeline reporting
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing grant proposals and foundation briefings