Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Job Description

Introduction:

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University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, 100% online university. Today, UoPeople has over 270,000 students enrolled from more than 200 countries and territories, including 50,000 students who are refugees. UoPeople is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

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We believe that higher education is a basic human right and that it can transform not only the lives of students, but also their families’ lives, their communities, their nations, and, by extension, the world. See President Reshef’s TED Talk when he announced the founding of the University.

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UoPeople is an innovative university, and we welcome team members who bring creativity and innovation to their roles. We’re a fast-paced organization with remote teams all around the globe. If you’re a self-starter who wants to succeed alongside a passionate team, we’d love to hear from you!

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UoPeople is supported by the generosity of individuals and foundations, including the Gates, Hewlett, Ford Foundations, Foundation Hoffmann, and others. The University has been covered by The New York Times, BBC, NPR, Times Higher Education, U.S. News & World Report, and many other leading media outlets. President Reshef’s TED Talk and Nas Daily interview about the University have more than 30 million combined views.

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REPORTS TO: Senior Vice President, Advancement

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Overview:

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The University of the People is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations updated to lead institutional grant development and funding initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Advancement, this role is responsible for identifying grant opportunities, developing competitive proposals, managing funder relationships, and ensuring compliance with grant requirements to secure sustainable institutional funding.

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The Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations will collaborate across Academic Affairs, Finance, Advancement, and Executive Leadership to develop compelling grant proposals that support strategic priorities, academic innovation, student success, and organizational growth. This role requires exceptional grant writing, project coordination, budgeting, and stakeholder management skills.

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ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES

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• Identify and evaluate grant opportunities from government agencies, foundations, corporations, multilateral organizations, and philanthropic institutions.

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• Develop and manage a comprehensive institutional grants pipeline aligned with the University's strategic priorities.

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• Lead the preparation, writing, editing, and submission of high-quality grant proposals, letters of inquiry, concept papers, and funding applications.

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• Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Finance, Advancement and Executive Leadership to develop competitive funding proposals.

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• Develop grant budgets, project narratives, logic models, implementation plans, and supporting documentation.

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• Manage relationships with grant-making organizations and funding partners throughout the grant lifecycle.

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• Coordinate internal proposal development timelines and ensure timely submission of all grant applications.

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• Monitor awarded grants to ensure compliance with donor requirements, reporting obligations, and funding agreements.

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• Prepare grant reports, progress updates, financial narratives, and impact reports for funding organizations.

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• Maintain accurate grant records, funding pipelines, reporting schedules, and proposal documentation within grant management and CRM systems.

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• Track grant performance metrics, funding success rates, and institutional fundraising outcomes.

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• Provide strategic recommendations to expand institutional funding opportunities and diversify revenue sources.

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• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, institutional policies, and grant administration standards.

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• Stay informed of emerging funding opportunities, higher education grants, and philanthropic trends.

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• Represent the University in meetings with funding agencies, foundations, institutional partners, and external stakeholders.

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KEY COMPETENCIES

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• 6–10 years of experience in grant writing, institutional fundraising, proposal development, or nonprofit development.

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• Demonstrated success securing grants from foundations, government agencies, corporations, or international funding organizations.

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• Exceptional grant writing, editing, and proposal development skills.

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• Strong knowledge of grant budgeting, compliance, reporting, and post-award management.

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• Experience managing multiple complex grant proposals simultaneously.

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• Excellent project management and cross-functional coordination skills.

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• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving capabilities.

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• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

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• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building abilities.

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• Experience working with grant management systems, CRM platforms, and reporting tools.

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• Ability to work independently while managing multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

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• Experience within higher education, nonprofit organizations, international development, or global education institutions is highly preferred.

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QUALIFICATIONS

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• Bachelor's degree required

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• Master's degree is preferred.

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• Demonstrated experience preparing successful institutional grant proposals and managing grant-funded projects.

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• Experience developing grant budgets and compliance reporting is required.

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• Grant Professional Certified (GPC) or Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification is desirable.

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