Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations - UW Medicine Advancement

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

UW Medicine Advancement is a passionate, 95-person team that works collaboratively to connect donors with meaningful opportunities that enhance patient care, expand educational opportunities, and advance research across UW Medicine. In fiscal year 2026, UW Medicine Advancement raised nearly $488 million in gifts and private grants (55% of UW’s total) from 31,000 donors in support of this mission. Learn more about UW Medicine Advancement at https://give.uwmedicine.org/careers/ . UW Medicine has an exciting opening for a Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations. This is a full-time permanent position. The Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations develops and executes fundraising strategies to secure philanthropic support from corporations, private foundations, and other institutional funders for UW Medicine’s research, clinical, education, and strategic priorities, including major institutes and initiatives such as the Institute for Protein Design and the Brotman Baty Institute. The Director manages a portfolio of primarily corporate and foundation prospects, with select individual major gift prospects, and works collaboratively with faculty, academic and administrative leaders, and Advancement colleagues to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward funders. Key responsibilities include developing annual fundraising plans, advancing institutional funding strategies, and managing competitive grant proposals and other funding requests.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in any field and five or more years of progressively responsible experience in institutional advancement, including experience in corporate and foundation relations or corporate social responsibility.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated skill in grant writing
Developing marketing strategies, plans, collateral and proposals for advancement programs
Experience working with volunteers
Experience with organizational prospect research
Developing and securing private gifts or grants ($1 million+)
Creating and leading complex, collaborative prospect strategies and relationships
Developing and executing strategic advancement plans for complex programs, including designing, implementing, and managing initiatives that achieve measurable fundraising results aligned with organizational priorities.
Building, cultivating, and stewarding strong relationships with donors and volunteers, aligning their interests with institutional goals to foster long-term engagement and philanthropic partnership.
Self-directed and collaborative leader who identifies opportunities, generates innovative ideas, and drives results while working effectively across teams and stakeholders.
Strong interpersonal and customer service skills, with the ability to communicate openly, directly, and professionally to foster dialogue and resolve differences effectively.
Sound judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to navigate ambiguity and perform effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams), with the willingness and ability to learn the UW donor CRM and other proprietary systems.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidence and protect confidential information; acts in a selfless manner and models ethical values of the UW.
Graduate degree in a related field.
Advancement experience in health care, higher education or research settings.
Prior experience in corporate and foundation relations.
Demonstrated track record overseeing management of volunteer committees or community boards.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate and foundation prospects, partnering with Advancement and UW Medicine colleagues to build and manage a portfolio of prospects with giving capacity of $100,000 or more.
Manage a major gift and private foundation portfolio with progressive annual expectations of 50–100 substantive donor contacts, 5–12 major gift qualifications, and 5–10 major gift solicitations, resulting in $1.5–$3.5 million raised annually.
Build and steward philanthropic relationships through meetings, site visits, and other engagement opportunities connecting corporate and foundation leaders with UW Medicine faculty, programs, and strategic priorities.
Develop and manage compelling proposals, letters of inquiry, grant requests, stewardship materials, and other donor communications in collaboration with faculty, administrative leaders, Advancement colleagues, and Communications.
Coordinate fundraising strategies across UW Medicine and University Advancement, including Gift Planning, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Principal Gifts, and Regional Gifts, to maximize donor engagement and philanthropic opportunities.
Represent UW Medicine in donor and prospect meetings and through travel as appropriate, including presenting funding opportunities and preparing briefing and travel materials for Advancement and academic leaders.
Maintain accurate and timely prospect, proposal, and fundraising activity in the University’s prospect management system.
Contribute to Corporate and Foundation Relations policies, procedures, marketing materials, and donor cultivation and stewardship activities.
Provide guidance and training to faculty, staff, and volunteers on corporate and foundation fundraising strategies and relevant University policies, while pursuing ongoing professional development.
Develop annual work plans and progress reports and evaluate progress toward established fundraising and performance goals.
Lead or participate in special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned by the Senior Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations, and perform other duties as assigned.