FOUNDATION RELATIONS ASSOCIATE, BUMC, Advancement

About the role

The Foundation Relations (FR) Associate supports a highly collaborative team that identifies and secures the financial resources needed to carry out the research, scholarship, art, and professional practice of the BU faculty and leadership. Specifically, this position will be part of the RFP Team, which supports applications across the university that are prompted by Requests for Proposals (RFPs).

Responsibilities

• Support the RFP Team leader in developing, implementing, and evaluating operational strategy for the team and assist in reporting on the team’s progress.
• Research and Information Management: Collect, summarize, and assist frontline fundraisers to distribute funding opportunities (RFPs) to the faculty. Track uptake of funding opportunities. Compile monthly listings of cancer-related research funding round-ups. Create customized roadmaps of funding opportunities for early-career faculty (approximately 30 per year). Manage constituent relationship system reporting and record maintenance in ADV’s CRM system (currently Blackbaud Enterprise system, BBEC), including entering plans, opportunities, contact reports, and other information. Develop listings of funders who support specific research and programmatic activities. Collaborate with frontline fundraisers to create and maintain foundation fundraising resources, such as the proposal library. Contribute to the maintenance and updating of the FR website. Whenever possible, automate or semi-automate above tasks through use of AI, particularly management of RFPs.
• Meetings and Event Management: Coordinate and participate in weekly meetings of the RFP Team, monthly meetings of the RFP Team and Research Development, and biweekly meetings of the Medical Campus development team. Assist with scheduling of meetings of RFP team members with faculty and funders, occasionally attending meetings. Collaborate on planning and execution of Red Team Reviews, setting the time, coordinating with reviewers and applicants, and ensuring that the reviewers complete all required documentation. Process all payments for Red Team Reviews. Help to prepare and commentate on slide presentations on FR mission and activities to faculty/departments. Assist in preparation of briefing materials for faculty and academic leadership with funders.
• Funding-Related Communications: Liaise with proposal management offices at BU (e.g., Sponsored Programs, Proposal Development). Assist faculty with preparation of proposals, letters of inquiry, and other application components. Draft brief project descriptions, introductory emails to prospective funders, and occasional miscellaneous communications.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree.
• One to three years of relevant work experience.
• Advanced oral/written communications skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Intellectual curiosity, with a “can-do” mindset and strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Facility in working both independently and collaboratively.
• Capacity to collaborate, multitask, and juggle priorities as necessary.
• Ability to handle confidential material responsibly and interact professionally with a wide spectrum of individuals.
• Possession of or readiness to develop skills in the use of AI in a fundraising context.
• Interest in fundraising as well as academic research (helpful, not required).