Senior Director, Philanthropic Partnerships

OVERVIEW

The Senior Director, Philanthropic Partnerships leads CR’s efforts to secure principal gifts, institutional grants and impact investments in support of its mission, enterprise and impact strategies. A proactive fundraiser and relationship builder, this strategic leader drives new philanthropic relationships and secures significant resources to enable Consumer Reports to deliver impact for consumers and build the organization’s sustainability and effectiveness. Works closely with executive leaders and programmatic directors to strengthen CR’s profile and relationships in philanthropic networks, and build the institutional capacity to engage and sustain productive relationships with leading philanthropists and philanthropies.

Under our CRFlex program, this is a hybrid position and is eligible for remote work up to 60%. The successful candidate must reside within 75 miles of one of our main CR office locations (Yonkers, NY, Washington D.C.).  

HOW YOU'LL MAKE AN IMPACT

As the Senior Director, Philanthropy you will work with executive leadership, including the VP, Chief Social Impact Officer, to coordinate the cultivation of influentials, high-net worth philanthropists and institutional funders and partner with communications experts to raise CR’s profile in philanthropic networks through events, newsletters, and other engagement opportunities.

• Lead restricted/programmatic fundraising to secure the partners, resources, and investment required for CR’s growth with a goal of building $10M+ annually in principal gift/grant support for priority programs within an annual operating budget of approx $240M+.
• Prioritize cultivation and solicitation strategies for high value prospects to generate six- seven- and eight-figure commitments, and meaningful stewardship strategies to build long-term sustainable relationships.
• Position CR to receive cy pres awards as appropriate, including raising CR’s profile in the legal community.
• Explore how CR as a social enterprise can leverage impact investing opportunities to achieve measurable social and financial benefits.
• Manage a small team to achieve fundraising goals with a focus on creating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, innovative, collaborative, and performance-driven culture.
• Provide coaching and feedback to encourage and support high performance of team members.
• Work as a strategic partner to the Chief Marketing Officer to help build a donor narrative and brand position that aligns with principal gift and grant fundraising.
• Helps ensure CR’s fundraising policies and practices promote industry best practices, meet the highest standards of ethics and integrity, and protect CR’s brand and reputation.
• Oversees all activities related to restricted fundraising, setting strategic direction, executing operating plans, and ensuring that fundraising and budgetary goals are met. Identify strategies to maximize return on fundraising investment.
• May require up to 40% of time in travel for philanthropic partner and team meetings.

ABOUT YOU

You’ll Be Highly Rated If:

• Bachelor’s degree, and a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in leadership positions in fundraising and development functions or sales functions or comparable, including strategic planning, principal and major gifts, institutional giving.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communications skills, with a demonstrated ability to speak, write and present tailored information in a clear, concise and compelling manner, translating complex ideas into powerful, impactful opportunities for potential partners, with the ability to effectively persuade others to listen, commit to, and act on a new approach.
• Proven track record in principal gift/grant fundraising, with a demonstrated ability to create a pathway from cultivation to solicitation to the closing of principal gifts and significant grants.
• Relationships with the national philanthropic community and knowledge of trends, the dialogue on social justice and other issues, and the fora and venues for engagement.
• Experience recruiting, developing, and managing diverse and talented staff, as well as overseeing budget, operations and administration.

You'll Be One of Our Top Picks If:

• Demonstrated creativity in donor/funder stewardship and events
• Strong ability to forge solid working relationships with colleagues across the organization.
• Understands and processes complex information and exercises sound judgment, considering the situation, the issues, the key players, and the levels of authority involved. Proposes courses of action that further the objectives, priorities, and vision of the organization.
• Ability to lead change, inspire risk taking & innovation, leverage external perspective and communicate for impact

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