Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Company: CASE
Location: Flagstaff
Posted on: May 10, 2025

Job Description:

Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Location: VP Advancement
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Job ID: 608354
Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Workplace Culture

NAU aims to be the nation's preeminent engine of opportunity, vehicle of economic mobility, and driver of social impact by delivering equitable postsecondary value in Arizona and beyond.



Special Information

• This position is posted as Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, which is a working title. The NAU system title for this position is Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations.
• This position is a hybrid position which allows the incumbent to complete their work at both an NAU site, campus, or facility and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.
• This position can be located at the Flagstaff Mountain Campus or the Phoenix North Valley Campus.
  
  Job Description
  
  As a leader of the Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) team, the Director of CFR, working title Executive Director, works as part of Advancement - Foundation to promote Northern Arizona University's fundraising priorities and mission to philanthropic corporations and foundations whose giving priorities align with the university.
  
  The Executive Director oversees, implements, monitors, and manages all aspects of the university-wide comprehensive CFR program. This position leads the CFR strategy by managing strategic planning, policy creation, setting goals and accountable for achieving performance metrics, managing budget to ensure acquisition and retention of CFR gifts and partners. The position ensures a sustainable and growing fundraising pipeline for the NAU Foundation while fostering enhanced engagement among the NAU community.
  
  The position will work collaboratively with the colleges, schools, and units across campus that increases engagement and generates fundraising revenue through their leadership of the "Corporate Collaborative" workgroup. The Executive Director manages a portfolio of the top corporations and private foundations and seeks opportunities to grow the pipeline of corporate and foundation donors. The position will plan, organize, and implement strategies to maximize philanthropic investments from top local, regional, and national foundations. NAU is currently in the quiet phase of its comprehensive campaign.
  
  Contributing to organizational effectiveness, the Executive Director will provide substantial input on employment decisions, influence, motivate, and supervise a team. The position will also evaluate and report employee performance. NAU seeks an experienced, dynamic director to partner, strategize, and pursue corporate and foundation philanthropic support.
  
  The position reports to the Associate Vice President of Central Advancement.
  
  Fundraising and Relationship Building - 65%
  • Secure philanthropic support from top private local, regional, and national foundations focusing on gifts and grants above $100,000.
  • Manage a portfolio of top private foundation prospects through proactive qualification, cultivation, solicitation/proposal submission, and stewardship approaches.
  • Develop strategic partnerships with corporations and foundations by identifying new donors, cultivating relationships with key leaders, and securing major and principal gifts that align with the university's priorities.
  • Act as the liaison and collaborator among division colleagues, leadership, and other members of the university community to elevate NAU's profile and diversify revenue streams from philanthropic partners.
  • Lead the CFR efforts to research, write, and successfully apply for private and corporate grant support.
  • Maximize grant and gift impact by developing compelling proposals, letters, and reporting on the gift's impact, and ensures compliance with all gift and grant guidelines.
  • Mange donor relations and stewardship practices by fostering strong relationships with corporate and foundation partners.
    Strategy Development - 10%
    • Identify, develop, and implement comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to increase engagement and secure higher annual support.
    • Maximize corporate engagement by building strategic relationships, programs, sponsorships, grants, and creating win-win opportunities with corporate partners.
    • Collaborate with division and university partners to foster long-term partnerships beyond one-time gifts/engagement.
      Program Administration - 10%
      • Manage the CFR budget.
      • Develop, manage, and execute strategic plans, setting and held accountable to achieving quantifiable fundraising and engagement goals and metrics.
      • Oversees unit data and provides timely reports and updates to leadership on results, trends; provides recommendations of continued optimization and growth.
      • Leads the execution of fundraising policies, reporting, compliance, and procedures with internal and external partners.
      • Observe relevant industry trends to inform strategic decisions.
      • Track prospect clearance, proposal strategies, and project monitoring utilizing the NAU Foundation's constituent database.
      • Identify creative approaches to complex problem solving and opportunities for change and improvement.
      • Pay close attention to detail in work productivity while remaining flexible for big-picture/systems thinking.
        People Management - 10%
        • Oversee a team responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and/or stewarding CFR donors/partners.
        • Deliver formal feedback to employees, plans work, resolves conflicts, and addresses performance issues.
        • Evaluate individual and team performance and prioritizes university development needs across the university.
        • Develop and improve on existing standards to promote maximum team/organization effectiveness.
        • Manage projects and reviews the work of the CFR team.
          Other - 5%
          • Other duties as assigned.
            
            Minimum Qualifications
            
            
            • Bachelor's degree in relevant field, and
            • Minimum of five years' experience as a front-line fundraiser with personal solicitation of individual major gifts, or relevant experience, including:
              • Established record of closing major gifts of $25,000 or more, or revenue metrics that support organizational priorities, and
              • Minimum of three years management experience; or
              • Any combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.
                
                Preferred Qualifications
                
                
                • Master's degree in relevant field.
                • Experience in higher education or non-profit setting.
                • Experience in corporate and foundation fundraising principles and practices at a major university.
                • Capital/comprehensive campaign experience.
                  
                  Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
                  
                  Knowledge
                  • Experience/knowledge of business practices/studies.
                  • Understanding of and appreciation for Northern Arizona University, its cultural and geographic specificity, and its commitment to student success.
                  • Working knowledge of a donor database.
                  • Knowledge of higher education and/or non-profit fundraising, corporate relations, and stewardship.
                  • Knowledge of legal recordkeeping requirements for fundraising and documenting donations.
                  • Advanced knowledge of practices, developments and techniques used in university development.
                  • Knowledge of common management tactics.
                  • Knowledge of university development industry trends in higher education.
                    Skills
                    • Project management skills.
                    • Financial planning and goal development skills.
                    • Conflict resolution and customer service skills.
                    • Planning, organizing, directing, facilitating, and goal setting skills.
                    • Strong leadership skills.
                    • Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to initiate, collaborate, implement, monitor, evaluate, advance, and report on strategic plans that support the activities of, and contribute to, the overall goals and objectives of NAU Advancement - Foundation and NAU.
                    • Superior interpersonal skills with proven ability to successfully interact and collaborate with varied constituencies in a professional manner, exhibiting excellent communication skills, and demonstrating tact, poise and diplomacy while working with a wide variety of personalities.
                    • Working knowledge of electronic mail and calendars, the Windows environment, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint Teams, and other software such as donor databases, etc. and ability to run, analyze, and summarize computer-generated reports.
                      Abilities
                      • Proven ability to work independently; a self-starter with energy, humility, and enthusiasm.
                      • Proven ability to engage, motivate, and work with prospects, volunteers, university officials, faculty and staff or similar constituencies.
                      • Coordinates team members and allocates tasks.
                      • Communicates effectively.
                      • Builds productive, beneficial relationships with a broad range of colleagues and constituencies.
                      • Adapts to a changing environment, exhibits tact and sound judgment, and navigates ambiguity effectively.
                      • Analyzes complex situations/problems, anticipates issues, and makes well-reasoned, sound decisions.
                      • Uses impartial judgement, diplomacy and equity while working with various stakeholders.
                      • Communicates the benefits of change to team members.
                      • Manages and drives change.
                      • Proven ability to solicit and close philanthropic gifts at the five and-six-figure level, or equivalent experience in a related field such as sales.
                      • Demonstrated team player with the ability to gain trust and confidence of colleagues and constituents.
                      • Experience and credibility when presenting materials to both internal and external constituents including individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
                      • Demonstrated commitment to excellence, honesty, transparency, and high levels of collaboration.
                      • Detail-oriented self-starter with demonstrated ability to work independently and manage multiple projects and priorities to meet aggressive timelines and challenging deadlines with minimal staff support.
                      • Entrepreneurial spirit, taking initiative and actively seeking to deepen current donor relationships and forge new ones.
                      • Balances competing priorities.
                      • Analyzes complex situations and anticipates issues.
                      • Demonstrates strong problem solving, organizational, and analytical capabilities.
                      • Ability to make travel arrangements using prudent fiscal considerations.
                      • Experience working with sensitive information and ability to maintain.
                        
                        Background Information
                        
                        This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements. Additionally, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States. Finally, each year Northern Arizona University releases an . The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.
                        
                        Salary
                        
                        Salary range begins at $118,430. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.
                        
                        FLSA Status
                        
                        This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and therefore will not earn overtime or compensatory time for additional time worked.
                        
                        Benefits
                        
                        This is a Service Professional (SPF) position. NAU offers an excellent benefit package including generous health, dental and vision insurance; participation in the Arizona State Retirement System or the Optional Retirement Program; 22 days of vacation and 10 holidays per year; and tuition reduction for employees and qualified dependents. More information on benefits at NAU is available on the . NAU is a tobacco and smoke-free campus. Service Professionals are hired on a contract basis, renewable each 6 months according to . Employees offered a position will be eligible for state health plans (including NAU's BCBS Plan). New employees are on the first day of the pay period following their enrollment, after their employment date. Employees will have 31 days from their start date to enroll in benefits. If a new employee chooses the ASRS retirement option, participation in the Arizona State Retirement System, and the long-term disability coverage that accompanies it, will begin on the first of the pay period following 6 months after the new employee's start date. New employees who choose to participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), which is an alternative to the ASRS plan for faculty and other appointed staff, will begin to participate on the first day of the pay period following election. Additionally, the long-term disability plan that accompanies the ORP will begin on the first day of the pay period following election.
                        
                        Learning and Development
                        
                        Your career at Northern Arizona University includes the opportunity for professional development. includes courses to be completed within the first 30 days.
                        
                        Immigration Suppt/Sponsorship
                        
                        NAU will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.
                        
                        Application Deadline
                        
                        May 19, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
                        
                        How to Apply
                        
                        To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by clicking on the "Submit" button by midnight of the application deadline. If you need assistance completing your application there are instructions available on the or in person in the Human Resources Department located in Building 91 on the NAU Campus - on the corner of Beaver and DuPont Streets.
                        
                        If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, , or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.
                        
                        Equal Employment Opportunity
                        
                        Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled/Protected Veterans. NAU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.
                        
                        
                        
                        NAU is an Employer of National Service. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other National Service alumni are encouraged to apply.
                        
                        
                        
                        To apply, visit
                        
                        
                        
                        
                        
                        
                        
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Keywords: CASE, Prescott Valley , Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Executive , Flagstaff, Arizona