Director of Institutional Partnerships

Soles4Souls

Director of Institutional Partnerships responsible for securing corporate and foundation funding. Engaging with partners to drive significant revenue for Soles4Souls' mission.

Posted 6/2/2026full-timeRemote • Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, Texas • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $85,000 - $100,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build and manage an institutional giving portfolio, starting with an initial base of 5 partners and growing to 25–50 active corporate and foundation partners at the six- and seven-figure gift level; own the full funding relationship lifecycle from identification through renewal.
Drive all phases of the fundraising cycle—prospect identification, research, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship — with a focus on closing gifts and growing the portfolio.
Set and consistently meet or exceed annual institutional revenue goals; track and report on pipeline activity, revenue projections, and closed gifts regularly.
Maintain complete and accurate records of all prospect activity, proposals, correspondence, and meetings in the CRM.
Partner with senior leadership to develop, own, and execute a comprehensive multi-year institutional giving strategy that spans general operating, programmatic, and special project funding.
Set annual institutional giving goals in collaboration with the VP of Development and other senior leaders; contribute institutional giving projections to the organization’s overall development planning.
Grow the institutional portfolio year over year by aggressively prospecting new funders while deepening investment from existing partners through multi-year funding strategies.
Provide regular pipeline reports and revenue forecasts to the VP of Development; contribute to annual budgeting for institutional giving.
Proactively identify and pursue new corporate funding relationships outside of the footwear and apparel industries, including multi-year philanthropic partnerships.
Negotiate funding agreements and partnership terms; develop compelling proposals and presentations that communicate organizational impact and value.
Stay current on corporate social responsibility (CSR) trends and corporate philanthropic priorities to identify alignment opportunities.
Collaborate with the communications team to ensure corporate partners receive timely, compelling impact reports and recognition that deepens their investment.
Develop and maintain deep trust-based relationships with foundation program officers and decision-makers at the regional and national level.
Lead strategy and outreach for major foundation solicitations; identify emerging foundations and new funding priorities aligned with organizational programs.
Coordinate with program and finance staff on proposal development, grant budgets, compliance, and reporting to ensure all funder requirements are met on time.
Actively research institutional sources of funding and emerging philanthropic trends to continuously surface new opportunities.
Work cross-departmentally to identify funding opportunities that align with organizational programs and priorities.
Collaborate closely with the Community Partnerships team, whose members secure local and regional corporate and foundation support, to identify national escalation opportunities, converting existing relationships from regional to enterprise-level partnerships.
Collaborate closely with the Major Gifts team to align donor strategy, avoid overlapping, and identify prospects who may have both personal and institutional philanthropic capacity.
Partner with the Marketing team on funder-facing materials, impact reports, and storytelling that supports cultivation and stewardship efforts.

Requirements

What you’ll need

More than 5 years of progressively responsible institutional fundraising experience, with a clear, documented record of closing six- and seven-figure gifts from corporations and/or foundations.
Results-oriented, frontline fundraiser, candidates should be prepared to speak specifically to gifts closed, revenue goals met, and portfolio growth achieved.
Demonstrated experience developing or contributing to a multi-year institutional giving strategy at an organizational level.
Exceptional relationship-building skills; able to engage and influence C-suite executives, foundation leadership, and program officers with credibility and confidence.
Knowledge of CSR trends, foundation grantmaking processes, and best practices in corporate and foundation fundraising.
Experience with prospect research tools such as Instrumentl, iWave, or LinkedIn Navigator.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to develop compelling proposals and synthesize organizational priorities persuasively.
Strategic, self-directed, and highly accountable; able to manage a large portfolio and multiple deadlines with minimal supervision.
Live Soles4Souls’ values – TEAM – Transparent, Entrepreneurial, Accountable, Meaningful
Bachelor’s degree required.

Benefits

Comp & perks

medical insurance with 80% employer coverage
HRA account
100% dental insurance & vision coverage
long-term disability
life insurance
401K with up to 6% employer match
professional development benefits
open FTO
paid parental leave

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

institutional fundraisingfundraising cycleprospect identificationpipeline reportinggrant budgetsproposal developmentrevenue forecastingmulti-year funding strategiesnegotiationrelationship management

Soft Skills

relationship-buildinginfluencingcommunicationstrategic thinkingself-directedaccountabilitycollaborationtrust-buildingresults-orientedproblem-solving

Certifications

Bachelor's degree