Executive Director of Foundation Relations

UNC-Chapel Hill•Chapel Hill, NC

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Foundation Relations, the Executive Director of Foundation Relations provides strategic leadership for the University’s foundation relations team and serves as the senior liaison between the institution and private, family, and community foundations. This position develops and implements a comprehensive foundation relations strategy aligned with institutional priorities, establishes annual fundraising goals and performance metrics, identifies emerging funding opportunities and philanthropic trends, and builds a robust pipeline of foundation prospects. The Executive Director will establish and lead a centralized Foundation Relations team, providing vision, leadership, and direction for the University’s fundraising efforts while overseeing day-to-day operations, personnel, budgets, and operational planning. The position manages a portfolio of major and principal foundation prospects, cultivates, solicits, and stewards key foundation relationships, facilitates engagement between foundation leaders and University leadership, and develops individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies. Working closely with senior leadership, deans, faculty, program directors, and development colleagues across the University, the Executive Director will coordinate institution-wide efforts to secure foundation support, lead the development of competitive grant proposals, concept papers, and letters of inquiry, and ensure proposals align with funder priorities and institutional goals. The role also oversees stewardship, impact communications, grant compliance, reporting deadlines, and outcome tracking to demonstrate the impact of foundation investments. The Executive Director will bring substantial experience managing complex foundation fundraising programs, cultivating and stewarding high-level funders, leading collaborative teams, and advancing solutions within a large, complex organization. This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that includes a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy; UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience cultivating foundation donors and securing principal and major gifts and grants.
Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding foundation prospects and donors.
Experience mentoring development colleagues in foundation fundraising and contributing to their success in securing principal and major gifts and grants.
Employment history reflecting increasing levels of responsibility and demonstrated sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism.
Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation communication skills.
Ability to build productive, trusting, and collaborative relationships with university leadership, faculty, staff, development colleagues, and external stakeholders.
Proven ability to identify and engage institutional resources necessary for foundation cultivation and stewardship, and to build collaborative relationships across departments, including research administration, legal counsel, and other university offices.
Strong interpersonal skills, political acumen, and the ability to establish credibility and trust with diverse constituencies.
Demonstrated leadership ability, including the capacity to inspire, develop, and lead a high-performing team.
Strong organizational, strategic thinking, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Ability to analyze complex issues, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and advance solutions in a collaborative environment.
Natural affinity for collaboration, leading through influence, and exhibiting a high level of emotional intelligence.
Personal commitment to excellence, accountability, patience, and continuous improvement.
Computer proficiency, including experience using Windows-based computers, prospect management databases, and videoconferencing platforms.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Experience in a higher education fundraising environment, preferably at a public research university.
Knowledge and understanding of the mission, structure, and priorities of a public research university.
Knowledge of academic, research, and outreach programs within a research-intensive, Tier One university.
Experience working effectively in a comprehensive research university setting and building collaborative initiatives across institutions of higher education.
Familiarity with North Carolina State University, the UNC System, or comparable higher education systems.
Knowledge of North Carolina and the southeastern United States, including the university’s role and relationships within the region.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty and researchers in advancing institutional priorities through foundation support.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership for the University’s foundation relations team.
Serves as the senior liaison between the institution and private, family, and community foundations.
Develops and implements a comprehensive foundation relations strategy aligned with institutional priorities.
Establishes annual fundraising goals and performance metrics.
Identifies emerging funding opportunities and philanthropic trends.
Builds a robust pipeline of foundation prospects.
Establishes and leads a centralized Foundation Relations team, providing vision, leadership, and direction for the University’s fundraising efforts.
Oversees day-to-day operations, personnel, budgets, and operational planning for the Foundation Relations team.
Manages a portfolio of major and principal foundation prospects.
Cultivates, solicits, and stewards key foundation relationships.
Facilitates engagement between foundation leaders and University leadership.
Develops individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies.
Coordinates institution-wide efforts to secure foundation support.
Leads the development of competitive grant proposals, concept papers, and letters of inquiry.
Ensures proposals align with funder priorities and institutional goals.
Oversees stewardship, impact communications, grant compliance, reporting deadlines, and outcome tracking.
Demonstrates the impact of foundation investments.