Director of Foundation Relations at Caltech

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The purpose of Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) is to foster a thriving and engaged community of support for Caltech. By connecting the people who share and support Caltech’s mission and values, we will ensure the Institute receives the necessary resources to achieve Caltech’s aspirations and sustain its excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship in perpetuity. AAR team members embrace and uphold the AAR Guiding Principles .

Within AAR, the Office of Foundation Relations (OFR) facilitates engagement between private foundations and Caltech, fostering partnerships and securing resources to advance Caltech's research and educational mission.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Foundation Relations, the Director of Foundation Relations will be responsible for securing major and principal gifts and grants in the range of $100,000 - >$5,000,000 from foundations to support Caltech’s research and educational initiatives.  The Director will manage a portfolio of up to 50 funders, including those issuing open calls for proposals as well as invitation-only opportunities. In addition, the Director will collaborate as a team member on select complex prospects led by the AVP. The portfolio will emphasize national funders focused on support for physical or life sciences. While maintaining and enhancing relationships with current funders, the Director will also identify, qualify and guide strategy on foundations and foundation-like funding entities (e.g., LLCs) new to Caltech, working closely and collaboratively with the AVP. The Director will interface with faculty and Division Chairs from Caltech’s six divisions, as well as Institute leadership to conceptualize, frame, and prepare proposals tailored to each opportunity.  The position requires pro-active engagement with funders, excellent organizational, analytical, writing, and editing skills, including the ability to frame scientific material for non-expert audiences, as well as the ability to work in a collaborative and consultative manner with faculty working at the leading edge of physical and life sciences research.

Essential Job Duties

• Develop strategies to direct and manage a comprehensive foundation gifts and grants portfolio to support Caltech. Responsible for raising $3 million+ annually.
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward foundation prospects and secure gifts and grants at the $100,000 - >$5,000,000 level to support Caltech's research and educational priorities.
• Develop and implement strategies for a portfolio of approximately 50 prospects.
• Represent Caltech in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship visits with foundations.
• Facilitate relationships between foundations and Caltech's faculty and academic leadership.
• Develop and refine prospect strategies; meet regularly with the Assistant Vice President for Foundation Relations to coordinate on these strategies.
• Work closely with Foundation Relations staff on reporting and stewardship to donors.
• Work closely and collaboratively with individual fundraisers in Academic Divisions and Regions to align activities and identify, qualify, cultivate and solicit foundation prospects to help support Division priorities.
• When appropriate, work in concert with the AVP and AAR leadership on prospects.
• Ideate and coordinate proposal strategy and development:
  • Work with key internal and external constituents to identify strategic funding objectives.
  • Test objectives with foundation contacts.
  • Gather and synthesize information to inform proposal content.
  • Write detailed and persuasive foundation proposals for a variety of audiences.
  • Provide framing and editing support for faculty or academic leadership-derived proposals, letters of support, and other donor-facing documents.
  • Guide the preparation and delivery of proposals and presentations to funders.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree.
• Knowledge of the foundation grant making landscape, and proven ability to critically evaluate foundation interests and their alignment with organizational initiatives.
• Ability to work effectively with both development/advancement leadership and program leadership.
• Appreciation and understanding of the academic enterprise and the ability to articulate academic values internally and externally.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience with writing proposals on technical subjects or analogous documents to private funding entities.
• Well organized, focused and goal-oriented.
• Proven ability to work both independently and as a team member on projects.
• Ability to travel to meet with funders.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite and with constituent relationship management (CRM) software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in the natural sciences or engineering.
• Foundation fundraising experience in higher education, including a broad knowledge of the principles and practices of foundation fundraising within a major research university or academic medical center.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite.

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.