Director, Institutional Philanthropy

McDonald's Corporation • Chicago, IL

8d

About The Position

McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. We continue to operate from a position of strength. Our updated growth strategy is focused on staying ahead of what our customers want and realizing further growth potential. Our relentless ambition is why McDonald’s remains one of the world’s leading corporations after almost 70 years. Joining McDonald's means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world.

At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community and family. From support of Ronald McDonald House Charities to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry and planet. We also offer a broad range of outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance and flexible work arrangements.
Department OverviewThe Director, Institutional Philanthropy provides strategic leadership for RMH’s global corporate (inclusive of philanthropy, cause marketing and employee engagement) and foundation revenue portfolio. This role is responsible for driving significant institutional support from new and existing partners, overseeing a high‑performing institutional giving team, and managing pipeline development, partnership strategies, and stewardship approaches that advance organizational fundraising priorities. The Director also personally manages a portfolio of high‑value corporate and foundation prospects and partners, securing substantial new and increased commitments. This leader collaborates closely with other revenue leads and partners across the organization to ensure alignment and integration of institutional giving strategies with broader organizational goals and enterprise‑wide fundraising initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 7+ years of fundraising experience, with significant expertise in institutional giving, including corporate partnerships and cause marketing, or foundation relations.
• Proven ability to lead and develop high‑performing institutional giving teams
• Deep expertise in corporate partnerships, cause marketing, and foundation relations, with strong knowledge of institutional fundraising best practices.
• Demonstrated success securing significant multi‑year corporate and foundation commitments, including seven‑figure gifts.
• Strong record of pipeline development and portfolio growth through both new business acquisition and expansion of existing partner relationships.
• Exceptional relationship‑building and communication skills, with experience engaging senior‑level donor and partner representatives.
• Strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to use data, forecasting, and market insights to drive institutional fundraising results.
• Expertise in moves management, partnership strategies, and revenue forecasting, with experience developing and optimizing systems that strengthen institutional giving performance.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across functions and influence without authority to align institutional giving with organizational priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy and execution for institutional giving, including all aspects of corporate and foundation giving (e.g., new business development, existing partnership growth, cause marketing activations, foundation relationships).
• Provide tools and guidance for institutional giving at the global, national and chapter level.
• Establish annual and long-term fundraising goals and drive performance against targets.
• Manage a team of institutional and foundation philanthropy professionals, providing coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Ensure alignment of institutional fundraising efforts with broader organizational priorities. Oversee pipeline development, prospecting, and proposal strategies for new and existing institutional donors to secure new multi-year commitments.
• Lead cultivation and solicitation for new principal-level institutional partnerships.
• Manage a personal portfolio with a revenue goal through new and upsell opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with RMH system leaders to collaboratively prospect, cultivate, solicit and steward donors.
• Serve as senior relationship manager for select legacy partnerships.
• Provide strategic engagement with senior partner representatives and organizational leadership.
• Ensure high-quality stewardship, reporting, and renewal strategies for key institutional funders.
• Partner with program, communications, finance, and leadership teams to ensure alignment between organizational priorities, revenue generation strategies and proposals and donor interests.
• Collaborate with colleagues across fundraising to integrate institutional giving into broader development strategies.
• Represent institutional giving in organizational planning and cross-team initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, ethical standards, and donor confidentiality.
• Builds relationships with system leaders to advance fundraising and create collaboration between global, national and local giving.
• Support donor engagement events, as needed.
• Monitor key performance indicators and provide regular reporting on institutional giving outcomes.
• Analyze fundraising results to inform strategy and identify opportunities for growth.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, ethical standards, and donor confidentiality.

Benefits

• This position offers health and welfare benefits, a 401(k) plan, adoption assistance program, educational assistance program, flexible ways of working, and time off policies (including sick leave, parental leave, and vacation/PTO).
• This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance.
• This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald’s long-term incentive plan.

What This Job Offers

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