Institutional Relations Manager

Term: 2 years, with potential for extension. This is a hybrid role requiring 3 days per week in the Boulder office or traveling to meetings throughout the Front Range. Domestic travel up to 10% of time. Availability for networking events and in-person meetings (mornings, evenings, and weekends) approximately 2–3 times per month is required. Open to candidates seeking in-person or hybrid work within the U.S.

About The Role

UCAR is seeking a Manager of Institutional Relations to lead corporate and foundation fundraising efforts. Reporting to the Executive Director of Friends of the National Center, this role identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards foundation and corporate funding to secure significant philanthropic support advancing UCAR's mission. The position manages a portfolio of institutional donors and prospects in close collaboration with leaders across UCAR and NSF NCAR.

Responsibilities

• Front-Line Fundraising & Portfolio Management
  • Relationship Cultivation: Initiate, build, and steward highly productive, long-term relationships with foundation program officers, foundation and corporate executives, and institutional decision-makers. Design systems to ensure donors receive exceptional reporting and impact metrics that lay the groundwork for renewed support.
  • Portfolio Growth: Actively manage a portfolio of ~75 active corporate and foundation prospects/donors, systematically moving them through the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship pipeline.
  • Strategic Solicitations: Coordinate customized solicitation strategies to secure six- and seven-figure gifts. Manage the growth of the corporate event sponsorship program, bringing in unrestricted gifts through event sponsorships.
  • Prospect Research & CRM Management: Conduct prospect research to identify new or existing relationships that align with organizational funding priorities. Consistently record and track relationship development ("Moves") and institutional prospect profiles in the Salesforce database, ensuring organizational transparency and future-proofing these relationships.
• Internal Collaboration
  • Strategic Matchmaking: Understand UCAR and NSF NCAR's organizational capabilities and emerging initiatives to connect them with aligned funders. Serve as the central liaison between corporations/foundations and internal technical teams, ensuring fundraising strategies align with scientific integrity and organizational capacity.
  • Proposal Strategy & Stewardship
    • Concept Development: Support the strategic framing of pitches and letters of inquiry (LOIs), determining how a project should be positioned to win corporate or foundation support.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required (Master’s degree preferred).
• 5 years of relevant program experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of successful fundraising experience, with a proven track record of securing significant gifts from corporate and foundation entities.
• Experience navigating complex non-profit, academic, scientific, or highly matrixed research environments.
• Demonstrated ability to "open doors," navigate institutional hierarchies, and build authentic rapport with external decision-makers.
• Exceptional verbal presentation skills, including the ability to translate complex Earth system science, computational modeling, and educational concepts into accessible, compelling value propositions for diverse foundation audiences.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence and a proven ability to work productively with subject matter experts, administrative leads, and development staff.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, set priorities, and manage competing tasks and deadlines with strong attention to detail and flexibility in the face of change.
• Skill in identifying specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals and opportunities.
• Advanced skills in word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Google suite or similar software).
• Ability to use discretion in handling confidential information.
• Experience with non-profit CRM databases, ideally Salesforce.

Pay

Hiring range: $83,299.00 USD - $110,000.00 USD. Final salary is based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, vision, and short & long-term disability insurance.
• Retirement Plan: Generous retirement plan with UCAR contributing 10% of base salary.
• Time Off Plans:
  • Minimum 20 days of annual PTO.
  • 10 paid holidays.
  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
  • FAMLI Leave.
• Tuition Assistance Program.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): Eligible employer.