Senior Foundation Partnerships Manager

The role

The Senior Foundation Partnerships Manager will manage and grow strategic partnerships with private foundations and donors. This role involves building long-term relationships, designing funding strategies, and executing complex cross-functional grant initiatives.

What you will do

• Own a portfolio of institutional and individual philanthropic relationships
• Build trusted relationships with program officers, foundation executives, trustees, and individual donors
• Identify opportunities for renewals, increased investments, and multi-year commitments
• Design funding strategies that align funder priorities with organizational goals
• Develop grant proposals, concept papers, reports, and presentations
• Translate data and classroom insights into cases for investment
• Serve as the primary relationship owner from cultivation through stewardship and renewal
• Partner with Marketing, Impact & Insights, Revenue Operations, and Finance teams
• Mentor teammates on strategy, proposal development, and relationship cultivation
• Identify opportunities to improve fundraising operations and portfolio management

Required qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in foundation fundraising, institutional giving, philanthropy, business development, strategic partnerships, or consultative relationship management
• Successfully secured and managed complex six- and seven-figure partnerships
• Ability to build trusted relationships with foundation leaders and individuals
• Ability to connect organizational priorities with funder interests
• Outstanding writing and communication skills
• Ability to balance long cultivation cycles with disciplined execution
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple high-value relationships
• Ability to collaborate across functions

Nice to have

• Cover letter

Benefits

• 25 paid vacation days per year
• 11 paid holidays
• Employer-paid individual and family health plan
• Matching 401(k) plan (up to 5% of base salary)
• Annual professional development stipend
• Casual and flexible work environment
• All work-related travel expenses covered

Before you apply

• DonorsChoose participates in E-Verify
• Refrain from using AI writing tools to craft responses to application questions

About the company

DonorsChoose is an education nonprofit ensuring every US public school student has the classroom resources they need to learn, grow, and thrive. The organization connects educators with a nationwide community of supporters to fund classroom requests.