"Assistant Director of Foundation Relations"

Assistant Director of Foundation Relations

This position reports to the Senior Director of Foundation Relations. The Assistant Director of Foundation Relations is integral to the University of Georgia’s efforts to identify and cultivate private support across all schools, colleges, and units on campus.

The Assistant Director of Foundation Relations is responsible for the development of relationships with private foundations. They identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward foundation donors. In addition, this person works collaboratively with UGA faculty, staff, and development colleagues to write, edit, review, and prepare proposals for final submission to philanthropic funders.

The Assistant Director also develops and maintains relationships with foundation representatives through an assigned portfolio of centrally managed foundation donors and prospects.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional work experience in grant writing or similar solicitations to grant-making organizations.
• Professional work experience at a university or other higher education setting

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and/or Competencies

• Self-starter and highly motivated.
• Collaborative style combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment.
• Ability to develop meaningful relationships with foundation and key university personnel.
• Ability to establish the trust of colleagues and build strong relationships.
• Excellent writing skills with extreme attention to detail and confident, strong verbal communication.
• Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible.
• Team-oriented strategist able to effectively manage complex situations involving numerous and sometimes competing constituencies.
• Highly organized and able to handle multiple projects.
• Analytical, with adherence to self-guided goals and deadlines.
• Adept at navigating complex environments with evolving priorities.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to university business and confidential donor and prospect information.

Additional Division Expectations

Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment. Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting are expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.

Physical Demands

• Work in a standard office environment
• Travel in and out of state as necessary
• Work evenings and weekends as necessary
• Sit and work at a computer workstation for extended periods of time
• Work using electronic mail, telephone, face-to-face discussions, paper form correspondence
• Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening
• Organize and establish priorities; Remember detail; multi-task
• Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds
• Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb

Duties/Responsibilities

(25%) Actively manage and work to engage 25-35 foundation prospects, with a focus on those likely to yield gifts from $10k to $100k. Stay apprised of foundation priorities and opportunities to pursue funding and maintain channels of communication. Engage prospects on behalf of the University’s people and programs. This could include visitation and face-to-face interaction on campus and off-site with representatives from regional and national foundations when appropriate and in cases where it would confer added benefit. Write, edit, and project manage the development of proposals and applications seeking support for university priorities. Prospect goals, along with a fundraising goal, will be defined annually during strategic planning and may be revisited and amended as needed throughout the fiscal year based on business need and institutional priority.

(25%) Collaborate with faculty, university administration and development staff to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward private foundation gifts. Stay apprised of faculty research as well as initiatives in the various schools/colleges/units. Stay apprised of institutional priorities and look for alignment between those and the priorities of current and potential foundation partners. Counsel and guide faculty, administrators, and unit development directors regarding the development of projects and programs in need of private support.

(20%) Identify, research, and cultivate new foundation prospects, mapping out strategy for an approach and building or leveraging internal and external relationships.

(20%) Review, edit, and submit stewardship and grant reports. Keep track of foundation application deadlines and required grant report deadlines. Identify opportunities for stewardship, information sharing, and other touchpoints for high-value funders. Document all prospect contacts and interactions in the development database.

(5%) Communicate with the Foundation Relations team regularly on projects and initiatives that might be of shared interest, sharing funding needs, and potential strategies for pursuing support.

(5%) Attend development staff meetings as required. Participate in university events and programs, as well as continuing education as needed.

About the University of Georgia

Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly formed School of Medicine.

About the Division of Development and Alumni Relations

The Division of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Georgia advances the goals, objectives, and priorities of the university by generating private financial support, building, and maintaining relationships with alumni and donors, and assisting students with career development opportunities.

EEO Policy Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct. Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.