Senior Director, Philanthropy (Corporate & Foundation Relations)

About Us

At the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), we are a vibrant, nonprofit organization committed to transforming education. We believe that every student deserves access to high-quality math and science education. Since our founding in 2007, we've empowered over 2.9 million students and 72,000 teachers across 1,800 high schools in 43 states. Our staff are the heartbeat of our mission, driving impactful programs that foster success in the 21st-century global economy.

NMSI is a remote-first organization, allowing staff members to work primarily from their home office. Staff must have a dedicated, distraction-free workspace with reliable high-speed internet. We value autonomy, flexibility, and effective communication across time zones, and support a culture of collaboration through virtual tools and regular check-ins.

What You'll Do All Day

As Senior Director, Philanthropy (Corporate & Foundation Relations), you'll lead institutional fundraising efforts focused on corporate and foundation donors. The Senior Director, Philanthropy, directly impacts are mission by being responsible for strategic revenue growth, grant writing excellence, donor relationship management, and cross-functional collaboration.

As a member of the management team, you'll lead your team to achieve high-quality results that align with departmental and organizational goals. You'll translate strategy into execution, set clear expectations, and coach staff for growth. Your role will involve fostering a culture of trust, equity, and collaboration, ensuring team members feel valued and connected to our mission. You'll manage performance with clarity and compassion, celebrate successes, and provide constructive feedback for individual and organizational growth.

Your day-to-day activities will include:

Philanthropy Strategy & Execution

• Own corporate & foundation philanthropy strategy: Including prospecting, portfolio segmentation, donor growth pathways, priority setting, success metrics, and continuous improvement via data-based progress monitoring.
• Manage high-value donor portfolio: Including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for a portfolio of corporate and foundation partners capable of six and seven figure investments, ensuring disciplined moves management and consistent pipeline advancement.
• Lead grant writing and reporting processes: Including narrative strategy, proposal writing, budget alignment, metrics alignment, and impact reporting - ensuring clarity, quality, and timely cross functional inputs.
• Oversee donor moves management and Salesforce rigor: Including relationship plans, data entry, activity tracking, and forecasting accuracy - all with consistency and quality.
• Build trusted partnership with the CEO and other senior leaders: Brief, prepare, and deploy executives for high stakes donor engagements; join them in external meetings; drive coordinated follow up; and ensure a polished, strategic executive presence in all philanthropy touchpoints.
• Coach and develop philanthropy staff: Provide strategic guidance, coaching, and professional development for direct and dotted line reports, fostering strong performance, clear priorities, and inclusive culture.

Leadership, Culture, & People Development

• Implement a shared vision that empowers staff and aligns their strengths with NMSI's mission, long-term strategy, and departmental goals.
• Set clear priorities and responsibilities for direct reports aligned with organizational and departmental goals.
• Represent the organization with integrity, exemplifying our values in all interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Delegate effectively and empower team members by encouraging autonomy and innovation within NMSI's Decision-Making Framework.
• Attract, inspire, and develop staff to ensure a strong talent pipeline, foster innovation, and encourage cross-functional collaboration.
• Provide coaching, training, and resources that promote continuous learning, professional growth, and strong performance.
• Cultivate an inclusive, equitable culture rooted in trust, ownership, accountability, and psychological safety.
• Encourage a feedback-rich environment that welcomes challenges and bold ideas, promoting cross-functional collaboration to achieve success.
• Check in regularly with team members, offering guidance and adjusting as needed.
• Improve team-level systems, processes, and resource planning to enable organizational efficiency and long-term sustainability

The Senior Director, Philanthropy will report to the Vice President, Business Development and is a full-time, regular position offering the flexibility to work from anywhere within the contiguous United States. Occasional travel may be required for in-person meetings, conferences, and events.

What We're Looking For

We seek an individual who is:

• Experienced: At least five years of progressive responsibility in institutional fundraising, including successfully securing and managing six and seven figure corporate and foundation investments.
• An Expert Grant Writer: Expertise in synthesizing complex program, financial, and evaluation information; crafting compelling, funder aligned narratives; developing clear and accurate budgets and budget narratives; translating data into persuasive insights; and collaborating across teams for inputs.
• An Exceptional Communicator: Clarity and precision in written and verbal communication with the ability to tailor messaging for diverse audiences, including executives, donors, program staff, and external partners.
• Tech-Savvy: Proficiency in Salesforce and other fundraising tools, with the ability to maintain disciplined pipeline management and data accuracy.
• A Strategic Thinker: Ability to anticipate challenges and opportunities, navigating complex situations with clarity and foresight to achieve long-term goals.
• Results-Driven: A focus on prioritizing tasks, solving problems, and delivering measurable results that advance organizational priorities.
• A Nimble Learner: Adaptable and curious, able to quickly learn new concepts, apply feedback, and approach challenges with creativity and resilience.
• Team-Oriented: Skilled at building strong partnerships and fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives and drives collective success.
• Physical Requirements: Remote employees working from a home office must be able to sit or stand for extended periods, use a computer and other standard office equipment, and have the capability to perform the required tasks and participate in virtual meetings, as well as occasionally in-person meetings. Employees must be able to travel overnight away from their home office environment as needed. Reasonable accommodation can be arranged if necessary.

What Do We Offer?

The starting salary range for this position is $161,567 to $185,802, commensurate with experience. We take pay equity seriously and strive to ensure fair compensation for all team members. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage (85% paid for employees and a significant portion for dependents)
• 401(k) with up to 6% employer match, fully vested on day one
• Potential annual salary increases and bonuses based on organizational performance
• Referral bonuses
• A remote-first work environment
• Monthly telecommunications stipend
• 25+ paid holidays, including a one-week summer break and two-week winter break
• Generous Paid Time Off, starting at 14 days per year that begins accruing with your first paycheck
• A paid personal day that is immediately available on your start date
• Access to LinkedIn Learning for continuous professional development
• Annual gift card for birthdays and work anniversaries, plus additional perks for significant milestone anniversaries, including paid sabbaticals and cash bonuses
• Nine weeks of fully paid parental leave, applicable regardless of gender identity, and includes births by surrogate, adoption, or foster placement of a child

Additional Information

Candidates must pass county, state, and federal-level criminal background checks as a condition of employment. Positions with fiduciary responsibilities may require additional checks.

This job description is not exhaustive; additional functions and requirements may be assigned as necessary.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NMSI provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. We comply with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.