Director, Foundations & Strategic Partnerships

City Year

9d • $75,000 - $95,000 • Remote

About The Position

City Year seeks a results-driven Director of Foundations & Strategic Partnerships to expand our institutional funding base. This front-line revenue role focuses on identifying, cultivating, and advancing new foundation and institutional partners aligned with national strategy. The Director will build and manage a robust prospect pipeline, lead external outreach and relationship development, and represent City Year at key convenings and meetings nationwide. Ideal candidates are relationship-driven, strategic thinkers who thrive in prospecting roles and can translate program priorities into compelling, funder-aligned opportunities.
The Director, Foundations & Strategic Partnerships is a front-line revenue role responsible for identifying, cultivating, stewarding, and advancing new foundation and institutional partnerships for City Year. Reporting to the Vice President, Development – Foundations & Strategic Partnerships, this position plays a critical role in expanding the organization’s funding base by building and managing a portfolio of early- and mid-stage funder relationships. This role is designed for an externally oriented, relationship-driven professional who thrives on prospecting, outreach, and field engagement and who is eager to serve as a “hunter” and relationship manager within institutional fundraising. The Director will spend significant time engaging prospective funders, attending conferences and convenings, representing City Year externally, and partnering with senior leaders to build durable philanthropic relationships.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in development, foundation relations, institutional sales, business development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success in building and managing external relationships.
• Experience stewarding and advancing a portfolio of donors or partners.
• Strong comfort with outbound outreach and prospecting.
• Excellent writing, research, and synthesis skills.
• Ability to manage multiple relationships and a high-volume pipeline.
• Willingness to travel and represent City Year externally.
• Proficiency with CRM and prospect research tools.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with foundation fundraising in education, workforce development, or national service.
• Experience with Salesforce or similar systems.
• Exposure to multi-year, six- and seven-figure solicitations.
• Experience supporting or leading major campaign prospecting.

Responsibilities

• New Business Development & Prospecting (Primary Focus): Identify, qualify, and pursue new foundation, corporate, and institutional funding opportunities aligned with City Year’s strategic priorities. Build and manage a robust, high-quality pipeline of prospective partners. Monitor philanthropic trends, RFPs, and funding initiatives. Develop and maintain prospect profiles, landscape analyses, and target lists. Partner with the Vice President to prioritize outreach and solicitation strategies.
• External Engagement & Relationship Management: Lead cold and warm outreach to prospective funders. Build rapport and establish long-term relationships with foundation staff and leadership. Represent City Year at conferences, site visits, and sector convenings. Coordinate and lead introductory meetings and cultivation engagements. Prepare leadership for external funder meetings and briefings. Manage and steward a portfolio of early- and mid-stage funder relationships.
• Stewardship & Portfolio Development: Support ongoing engagement and stewardship of cultivated prospects. Coordinate follow-up communications, updates, and reporting. Partner with internal teams to ensure strong funder experience. Identify opportunities to deepen and renew partnerships.
• Proposal & Concept Development: Lead development of letters of inquiry, concept notes, and exploratory proposals. Customize institutional messaging for prospective funders. Develop pitch decks, one-pagers, and briefing materials. Translate program and policy strategy into funder-aligned value propositions.
• Pipeline Strategy & Performance Management: Maintain accurate CRM and pipeline records. Track prospect movement, conversion rates, and revenue forecasts. Contribute to quarterly and annual pipeline reviews. Identify and address bottlenecks in new business development.
• Market Intelligence & Field Positioning: Track peer organizations’ funding relationships and positioning. Monitor major foundation initiatives and collaborative funds. Analyze funder portfolios and strategies. Surface emerging opportunities for organizational leadership.
• Cross-Functional & Strategic Collaboration: Partner with program, policy, and site leaders to identify fundable initiatives. Coordinate internal inputs for proposals and funder engagement. Support major campaigns and strategic growth initiatives. Contribute to development of new partnership and funding models.

Benefits

• Full-time employees will be eligible for all benefits including vacation, sick days and organization holidays.
• You may participate in all benefit programs that City Year establishes and makes available to eligible employees, under (and subject to all provisions of) the plan documents that govern those programs.
• Currently, City Year offers medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and other benefits including 401(k) plan(s) pursuant to the terms and conditions of company policy and the 401(k) plan document.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director