Director of Institutional Partnerships

Primary Responsibilities

• Build and manage an institutional giving portfolio, starting with an initial base of 5 partners and growing to 25–50 active corporate and foundation partners at the six- and seven-figure gift level; own the full funding relationship lifecycle from identification through renewal.
• Drive all phases of the fundraising cycle—prospect identification, research, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship — with a focus on closing gifts and growing the portfolio.
• Set and consistently meet or exceed annual institutional revenue goals; track and report on pipeline activity, revenue projections, and closed gifts regularly.
• Maintain complete and accurate records of all prospect activity, proposals, correspondence, and meetings in the CRM.

Multi-Year Institutional Giving Strategy

• Partner with senior leadership to develop, own, and execute a comprehensive multi-year institutional giving strategy that spans general operating, programmatic, and special project funding.
• Set annual institutional giving goals in collaboration with the VP of Development and other senior leaders; contribute institutional giving projections to the organization’s overall development planning.
• Grow the institutional portfolio year over year by aggressively prospecting new funders while deepening investment from existing partners through multi-year funding strategies.
• Provide regular pipeline reports and revenue forecasts to the VP of Development; contribute to annual budgeting for institutional giving.

Corporate Partnership Development

• Proactively identify and pursue new corporate funding relationships outside of the footwear and apparel industries, including multi-year philanthropic partnerships.
• Negotiate funding agreements and partnership terms; develop compelling proposals and presentations that communicate organizational impact and value.
• Stay current on corporate social responsibility (CSR) trends and corporate philanthropic priorities to identify alignment opportunities.
• Collaborate with the communications team to ensure corporate partners receive timely, compelling impact reports and recognition that deepens their investment.

Foundation Relations

• Develop and maintain deep trust-based relationships with foundation program officers and decision-makers at the regional and national level.
• Lead strategy and outreach for major foundation solicitations; identify emerging foundations and new funding priorities aligned with organizational programs.
• Collaborate with program and finance staff on proposal development, grant budgets, compliance, and reporting to ensure all funder requirements are met on time.
• Actively research institutional sources of funding and emerging philanthropic trends to continuously surface new opportunities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work cross-departmentally to identify funding opportunities that align with organizational programs and priorities.
• Collaborate closely with the Community Partnerships team, whose members secure local and regional corporate and foundation support, to identify national escalation opportunities, converting existing relationships from regional to enterprise-level partnerships.
• Collaborate closely with the Major Gifts team to align donor strategy, avoid overlapping, and identify prospects who may have both personal and institutional philanthropic capacity.
• Partner with the Marketing team on funder-facing materials, impact reports, and storytelling that supports cultivation and stewardship efforts.

Qualifications

• More than 5 years of progressively responsible institutional fundraising experience, with a clear, documented record of closing six- and seven-figure gifts from corporations and/or foundations.
• Results-oriented, frontline fundraiser, candidates should be prepared to speak specifically to gifts closed, revenue goals met, and portfolio growth achieved.
• Demonstrated experience developing or contributing to a multi-year institutional giving strategy at an organizational level.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills; able to engage and influence C-suite executives, foundation leadership, and program officers with credibility and confidence.
• Knowledge of CSR trends, foundation grantmaking processes, and best practices in corporate and foundation fundraising.
• Experience with prospect research tools such as Instrumentl, iWave, or LinkedIn Navigator.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to develop compelling proposals and synthesize organizational priorities persuasively.
• Strategic, self-directed, and highly accountable; able to manage a large portfolio and multiple deadlines with minimal supervision.
• LIVE Soles4Souls’ values – TEAM – Transparent, Entrepreneurial, Accountable, Meaningful

Physical Demands

• Lifting: The ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds if necessary.
• Sitting: Sit for long periods while working at a desk or computer.
• Standing: Must be able to stand for extended periods of time.
• Walking: Walk or move around the work area as needed.
• Bending and Stooping: Occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, or crouch to access equipment or perform tasks.
• Reaching: Reach overhead, horizontally, and down to access materials or equipment.
• Vision: Must have clear vision, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Hearing: Hear and communicate effectively in person and over the phone.
• Manual Dexterity: Use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls.
• Repetitive Motion: Perform repetitive tasks, such as data entry, for extended periods of time.
• Work Environment: Be able to work in various environments, including indoor and outdoor settings, and be exposed to varying weather conditions if applicable.

Compensation

Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including skills, depth of work experience and relevant licenses/credentials. Benefits include medical insurance with 80% employer coverage, HRA account, 100% dental insurance & vision coverage, long-term disability, life, 401K with up to 6% employer match, professional development benefits, open FTO and paid parental leave.

Salary $85K-$100K