Director of Foundation Relations

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is seeking a relationship-driven and strategic Director of Development, Foundation Relations to support the College of Engineering.This role is ideal for a collaborative fundraiser who enjoys connecting innovative academic and research priorities with philanthropic foundations that want to make a meaningful impact.

In this role, you will build, manage, and steward strategic relationships with philanthropic foundations to advance the academic, research, and engagement priorities of the College of Engineering. You will work closely with college leadership, faculty, staff, and WFAA colleagues to identify funding opportunities, develop compelling proposals, and communicate the impact of foundation support. This position will be a combination of remote, in-office, and on-site work environments.

Essential Functions

• Identifying and cultivating new relationships with foundations that support the programming and research goals of the College and its constituent departments and schools;
• Coordinating, managing and advancing existing relationships with external foundation funding partners;
• Developing strong collaborative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders and leveraging those relationships to result in successful funding opportunities;
• Working with the dean, associate deans, department chairs, faculty, and staff to identify, develop, and submit funding proposals;
• Facilitating stewardship of awarded funds, including required reporting by funding partners and communicating research and programming impact to internal and external stakeholders;
• Creating and presenting concise, readily understood presentations of complex materials;
• Maintaining knowledge of current best practices and trends in foundation-based philanthropy;
• Successfully articulating department and College research and programming priorities to internal and external stakeholders;
• Understanding and accessing resources within WFAA to support the fund development process.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional work experience
• Experience working in a university setting and an understanding of research/programs engineering fields
• 3 years of experience in fundraising from philanthropic foundations
• Advanced oral and written communication skills, including grant writing skills.
• Ability to create and deliver concise informational presentations is required.
• Ability to meet travel requirements (25%)

Other Qualifications:

• Intellectual curiosity paired with an advanced ability to think creatively and independently about concepts requiring advanced analytical skills.
• Advanced interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse groups to achieve results.
• Must be self-motivated, take initiative, and lead work independently.

At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! Join us and be part of a team that values your growth and well-being. Click here to learn more about our employee benefits!

*The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer *The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (advanceuw.org) is the “doing business as” name of the merged organization comprising the University of Wisconsin Foundation (supportuw.org) and the Wisconsin Alumni Association (uwalumni.com). Its legal corporate name is registered as the University of Wisconsin Foundation.