Director of Foundation Relations

Director of Foundation Relations, Remote

Food & Water Watch is seeking an experienced and highly organized Director of Foundation Relations to join our philanthropy team. The Director of Foundations Relations leads the organization’s institutional fundraising efforts by working as part of a team to oversee Food & Water Watch’s portfolio of foundation funders and prospects. This individual plays a key role on the philanthropy team and will be responsible for expanding the program that raises more than $5 million annually. This position is primarily remote. However, the employee may be required to occasionally report to the office or travel for meetings, trainings, or other business needs at the employer’s discretion.

About Food & Water Watch:

Food & Water Watch is working to create a healthy future for all people and generations to come—a world where everyone has food they can trust, clean drinking water and a livable climate. Making this happen requires involving people in the pressing issues of our time at the local, state, and federal level, building on one win after another, as we develop a larger movement that has the political power to make our democratic process work. 

About the position:

The Director of Foundation Relations reports to the Managing Director of Philanthropy and will work with teams across the organization to support Food & Water Watch’s work. The Director of Foundations Relations contributes by leading the foundations team responsible for identifying new sources of funding through prospect research, and creating tailored cultivation opportunities for both prospects and current foundation partners. A qualified candidate will have a proven track record managing all aspects of a grant cycle and securing grants in the six-seven figures. The ideal candidate will be well versed in grassroots organizing theory of change and comfortable conveying complex political campaign messages to a variety of stakeholders, including foundation staff and board members. The Director of Foundation Relations currently supervises a Senior Manager of Foundation Relations and a Senior Grant Writer.

Salary: $110,000 - $130,000 annually dependent upon experience and location.

Location: While FWW has physical offices in Washington D.C., New York, NY, New Brunswick, NJ, and Ventura, CA, this position is approved for remote work.

Responsibilities:                    

1. Lead Foundation Fundraising Strategy. Oversee and lead strategy for national foundations program managing staff and being responsible for reaching annual and long-term fundraising goals from foundation funders. 
2. Build Strong Relationships with Institutional Funders. Manage a portfolio of foundation donors and prospects to secure $5M+ annually in foundation support.
3. Managing a High-Performing Team. Lead a Foundations Team including a Senior Manager of Foundation Relations and a Senior Grant Writer. Mentor team members as required and ensure that individual performance goals are met.
4. Help Produce and Deliver High-Quality Grant Materials. Ensure that the foundations team meets all grant application deadlines and all grant narratives and required information is high quality ahead of submission. 
5. Oversee Fiscal Compliance. Coordinate and work with finance team on all grant budgets and any financials required for proposals and reports to funders. 
6. Support our Data Ecosystem. Track grants in our database (Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack) and keep all foundation records and associated contact records up to date. 
7. Supervise Responsive Funding Cycles. Direct the Foundations team to create moves-management plans for donors and prospects, including tailored emails, memos, reports and events. Oversee the writing/editing of formal proposals, reports, letters, and other materials for donors and prospects.
8. Be a Food & Water Watch Ambassador. Meet with and lead funder meetings for foundation donors and prospects and train program staff on best practices while meeting with funders.
9. Drive Long-Term Growth. Establish annual and long-term budget goals and provide regular analysis and reporting on progress toward goals. Work with Foundations team to monitor progress towards goals, metrics and benchmarks laid in the annual and long-term strategic plan.
10. Stay Informed on Our Hard-Hitting Campaigns. Attend regular program and campaign meetings to stay attuned to 20+ organizational campaigns.
11. Carry out other projects as assigned. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BS, etc.) or equivalent 
• 8-10 years of fundraising experience in a relevant field or program.
• 2-3 years of management or relevant experience.
• Proven results of securing six and seven figure grants, including management of grants from pre to post award. 
• At least two years of CRM database experience. Candidates should be comfortable creating reports for analytical purposes. 
• Experience with written and verbal communication directly with funders for the purposes of prospecting, cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting. 
• Experience managing a portfolio of 100+ foundations, including juggling multiple deadlines, creating cultivation and stewardship opportunities, and conveying progress and impact during virtual and in person meetings.     
• Commitment to Food & Water Watch’s core values of justice, human dignity, fair treatment, and equity.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse racial, ethnic, class, age, gender, and sexual orientation backgrounds.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills. 
• Excellent time management and organizational skills and ability to balance multiple projects.
• Ability to work remotely using basic online programs, including email, Slack, and Google docs.

Desired but not required skills and experience: 

• Grassroots organizing or political campaign experience
• Experience with Salesforce NPSP
• Experience with fundraising for 501(c)4 organizations

Compensation:$110,000 - $130,000 annually dependent upon experience and location.

Food & Water Watch provides an excellent benefits package for full-time employees. This includes 100% employer-paid health, dental and vision plans for staff; 403b retirement plans with employer contribution once eligible; 12 weeks paid parental leave once eligible; 3 weeks vacation for new employees; 12 sick days and 5 personal days; paid federal holidays and winter break (December 24 – January 1).    

Please include your resume, cover letter, writing sample, and three professional references to be considered. Position open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas.

We will review your application and if we feel that your knowledge, skills and abilities are potentially a good match for our organization, we will be in contact with you. 

Food & Water Watch is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other members of underrepresented groups. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Food & Water Watch (FWW) is committed to the health and safety of its staff members. Moreover, FWW, as an organization, promotes science-based policy. Science clearly shows that unvaccinated populations drive the spread of the coronavirus and the emergence of new variants, and that unvaccinated people are more likely to contract COVID and experience severe symptoms. FWW requires new staff to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, subject to availability, unless they receive an approved religious or medical accommodation and will be required to provide proof of vaccination.