Senior Director / Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations & Grants

Opened: 8/5/2025

Closed: when filled

About Us:

Located in Georgetown, Texas, Southwestern University is an independent, four-year undergraduate institution offers a top-ranked integrated arts and sciences curriculum that incorporates the humanities, fine arts, social sciences, and natural sciences.

At Southwestern University, we are committed to fostering an environment where every individual feels respected, valued, and empowered. We believe that a thriving community is built on the strength of varying perspectives and experiences, and we strive to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Our actions are guided by a commitment to fairness, openness, and the belief that our differences are what make us stronger as a whole.

Position Overview:

Southwestern University has an immediate opening for a Senior Director / Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations & Grants. This position will report to the Vice President for University Relations. The Senior Director/or Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations and Grants works strategically to identify, secure, and steward external funding from corporations, foundations, and government agencies that support institutional priorities, including faculty research and creative works grants, through timely proposal and report submissions. This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt position eligible for our comprehensive benefits program.

Essential Duties:

• Write and submit proposals for gifts and grants from corporations, foundations, and government agencies to support institutional priorities.
  
• In conjunction with the Division of Academic Affairs, work directly with faculty to research and identify external funding opportunities to support scholarly, creative, and pedagogical activities.
  
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with key major gift prospects and donors (primarily with corporations, foundations, and related individuals) through personal visits and appropriate communications.
  
• Conduct cultivation and stewardship activities to support strong relationships with institutional donors and funders, prospective donors, board members, and alumni.
  
• Sustain a campus-wide culture of active grant-seeking through providing prospect research, conceptual and editorial assistance, an open-door policy, and a service-oriented department.
  
• Guide faculty and staff in internal and external grant-seeking best practices and protocols.
  
• Collaborate with the Grants and Gifts Accountant and the Business Office to ensure pre-and-post-award compliance with budgets, contracts, regulations, award notices, financial and administrative management, reporting, closeout, and audit.
  
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date record keeping through use of a CRM database.
  
• Manage the work of all external grant consultants.
  
• Plan and implement strategies to generate financial support by identifying, researching, cultivating, and soliciting private/corporate foundations and federal and state funding sources.
  
• Lead application process including establishing timelines, identifying PIs, coordinating submission materials.
  
• Proactively research grant opportunities and reach out to faculty and campus partners and support submitting of applications.
  
• Monitor progress of approved applications and provide communication to funding sources in the form of quarterly, annual and final reports.
  

Plan and execute annual goals for area.

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Additional Duties:

• Advise on and conduct grant training programs for faculty and staff.
  
• Regularly participate in ongoing meetings with the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Dean of Faculty�s offices.
  
• Participate in regular and ongoing meetings with the Vice President of University Relations and University Relations division.
  
• Participate in university special events, including commencement and homecoming weekends.
  
• Supervise all external grant consultants.
  
• Participate in regular professional development activities (conferences, workshops, seminars) to maintain currency in the field.
  

Perform other related duties as assigned.

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Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor�s degree from an accredited university.
  
• Five (5) or more years of major institutional giving experience (5+ years-Director, 8 + years-Senior Director), including direct corporate and foundation relations and/or grants work.
  
• Exceptional writing skills with mastery of persuasive, informative, technical, emotive, and narrative styles.
  
• Knowledge of various writing style guides, including AP, MLA, and APA.
  
• Regularly work independently and collaboratively to meet multiple ongoing deadlines, sometimes on short notice.
  
• Strong project and relationship manager with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  
• Ability to quickly process, synthesize, and disseminate information for a wide variety of audiences and stakeholders.
  
• Demonstrated leadership skills, professionalism, and a strong work ethic.
  
• Supervisory and management skills.
  
• Flexible with the ability to adjust to fluctuating priorities to produce a reliable work product.
  
• Ability to perform well under demanding, deadline-driven situations.
  
• Ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation (less than 10%).
  

Reliable and maintain a regular work schedule.

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Preferred Qualifications:

• Master�s degree from an accredited university.
  
• Directly related experience at an institution of higher education or a large, multi-faceted organization.
  

Strength in budget creation.

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Starting annual salary: $104,561. The final offer for the successful candidate will be commensurate with experience and may exceed the starting salary.

Benefits:

Southwestern University offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes health and welfare insurance (medical, dental, and vision), life and AD&D insurance, long-term disability coverage, generous contributions to a 403(b) retirement account, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), various paid time-off options, undergraduate tuition assistance for you and your dependents, access to athletic facilities, free parking, and discounted meal rates, along with other benefits designed to support your well-being and work-life balance.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume, and the name and contact information of three (3) professional references through Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/171607. Email and paper applications will not be accepted.

All offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

In compliance with immigration laws, proof of work authorization in the United States will be required when employment begins. Southwestern University is an E-Verify employer.

Southwestern University is an equal-opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at hr@southwestern.edu.

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