Foundation Relations Manager

Position Summary
The Manager of Foundation Relations is responsible for cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with foundation partners stakeholders and clients while supporting the development and stewardship of foundation funding opportunities. This role focuses on developing partnerships aligning foundation objectives with the Colleges goals and providing grant development and project management support. The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication and organizational skills a proven track record in foundation engagement and experience in proposal development prospect research and project coordination. Additional responsibilities include scheduling meetings for the Director coordinating travel arrangements and handling forms and data processing as needed.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities
Leverages historical data and foundation intelligence to support departmental decision-making prospect development and strategic communications. Develops and manages foundation stewardship strategies acting as the key liaison between foundation and campus partners. Identifies and researches new foundation partnership opportunities and supports the cultivation and development of long-term relationships with prospective and current funders. Oversees all foundation communications providing exceptional service to campus and foundation partners. Supports the review and editing of grant proposals narratives and reports providing constructive feedback to strengthen submissions and deliverables. Coordinates and manages proposal and reporting timelines ensuring required materials approvals and deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule. Develops scholarship and stewardship reports and related communications materials. Manages gift and grant tracking gift agreements reporting requirements and other stewardship deliverables for the department. Maintains accurate and timely information across multiple project management and institutional systems to support effective tracking of proposals awards deadlines relationships and deliverables. Prepares briefing materials prospect research and meeting and travel briefings to support the Director and other College representatives in foundation engagement and donor cultivation. Organizes and coordinates foundation partner meetings campus visits events and activities ensuring effective execution and alignment with partnership objectives and terms. Supports the Director in ensuring compliance with institutional policies procedures and processes. Assists the Director with various departmental initiatives and special projects that support College goals. Coordinates foundation partner events and campus visits. Acts as a visible representative of the Spelman community to alumnae donors friends parents students and external partners.

Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to walk talk hear sit and use hands to operate computers and other office equipment and to move items. The employee is frequently required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stoop bend and lift and/or move up to fifteen pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to adjust focus.

Required Qualifications
A bachelors degree in communications English business nonprofit management public administration or a related field is preferred with a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in foundation relations grants administration development project management communications or a related field. A high school diploma is required. This position requires excellent written and oral communication skills strong attention to detail and time management. The ability to independently manage multiple priorities deadlines projects and relationships is essential. Experience reviewing editing and proofreading professional documents including grant proposals reports and business correspondence is preferred. A professional demeanor and the ability to interface with internal and external partners diplomatically and tactfully are essential. Strong research fact-finding analytical and project management skills are required including the ability to track multiple projects maintain accurate records across various systems monitor deadlines and deliverables and interpret and apply policies procedures and funding requirements. Excellent customer service skills are required when interacting with internal and external partners including senior leadership faculty donors foundation representatives and Board members. To perform this job successfully an individual must have intermediate to advanced skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook Word Excel and PowerPoint) as well as proficiency in project management database and other systems used to track grants relationships deadlines and deliverables. Experience creating reports presentations and other visual communications using Canva Adobe Creative Cloud or similar platforms is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications
Preference for candidates that have experience in managing grants at a large non-profit and/or in a higher education setting.