Director, Foundation Relations

University of North Texas System•Denton, TX

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Foundation Relations is a key member of the University of North Texas Corporate & Foundation Relations team and supports efforts to secure philanthropic investment from private foundations and corporate partners. Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations, the Director leads operational strategies and manages proposal development and stewardship from opportunity identification through submission, award management, and reporting. The role manages proposal pipelines, conducts prospect research, prepares applications, maintains stewardship and reporting calendars, and supports funder relationship management. In collaboration with advancement colleagues, faculty, and staff, the Director ensures timely, compliant, competitive submissions and strengthens long-term institutional partnerships. The position contributes to the CFR team’s annual fundraising goals. The Director coordinates proposal development, researches funding opportunities, prepares prospect and briefing materials, and serves as a resource to faculty and staff pursuing foundation and corporate funding. The role also manages grant and stewardship workflows, reporting requirements, records, and recurring fundraising reports; coordinates with university administrative partners; and contributes to Advancement Division fundraising, stewardship, donor engagement, and events. The position is based at the University of North Texas in Denton. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a typical 40-hour work week and possible flex-time and hybrid work opportunities. The role requires communicating and moving about to accomplish tasks, as well as sedentary work primarily involving sitting or standing. No adverse environmental conditions are expected.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and four years of related professional experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
General knowledge of philanthropy and fundraising principles, or the ability to assimilate them quickly.
In-depth knowledge of the principles of the assigned area.
Supervisory experience.
Ability to establish and maintain effective professional relationships with internal and external contacts.
Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of others.
Ability to use software relevant to the position.

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education advancement, foundation relations, grant development, fundraising, nonprofit development, or sponsored programs administration.
In-depth knowledge and experience preparing successful grant proposals, letters of inquiry, stewardship reports, and donor communications.
Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with competing deadlines.
Familiarity with fundraising CRMs and prospect management systems.
Experience working with faculty, researchers, and academic leadership and directing collaborative work.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, database management, and AI tools.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate proposal development from concept through submission, establishing timelines and facilitating stakeholder participation.
Coordinate submission materials and ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance with funder guidelines and institutional approval processes.
Review, edit, and assemble grant proposals, letters of inquiry, concept papers, and other foundation and corporate funding requests with development officers and faculty.
Guide content development and submit proposals for new, unassigned, smaller, and mid-level foundation opportunities identified by CFR, faculty, or advancement colleagues.
Create reusable core narrative content for proposals supporting university priorities and initiatives.
Research and analyze foundation and corporate funding opportunities, assess alignment with university initiatives, and prepare prospect profiles, opportunity briefs, and recommendations.
Advise faculty and staff on proposal requirements, funding strategies, and institutional processes.
Research and evaluate foundation opportunities and prospect pools aligned with institutional, college, and unit priorities; prepare briefing reports for faculty, deans, and advancement colleagues.
Prepare briefing materials, meeting agendas, and background information for funder meetings, campus visits, and engagement activities.
Develop and maintain a centralized grants calendar tracking deadlines, submissions, reporting requirements, and milestones.
Track post-award reporting workflows, deadlines, and deliverables for active foundation gifts and grants.
Collaborate with project directors to support appropriate grant-fund use and timely submission of required technical and financial reports and deliverables.
Develop and maintain stewardship plans and ensure timely progress reports, financial reports, impact updates, and other donor communications.
Keep current on relevant best practices and regulations and implement changes for continuous improvement or compliance.
Develop annual position and office goals and metrics, and track and distribute team project action items.
Coordinate with Gift Administration, University Foundation, and Grants and Contracts Administration to ensure CFR gift funds are recorded appropriately.
In partnership with the Executive Director, oversee gift invoicing and track scholarship and fellowship awards for compliance with grant requirements.
Maintain accurate proposal, funder interaction, stewardship, and deadline records in CRM and related systems.
Generate and provide recurring fundraising reports for leadership.
Contribute to Advancement Division fundraising, stewardship, donor engagement, and events.
Perform other duties as assigned.