Ngs

Sr. Director, Philanthropic Foundations

Washington, DC · Director

No sponsorship$166k-$175kDetected 30 days ago

Project ManagementCRMBusiness DevelopmentNegotiationLeadershipCollaborationProblem SolvingMentoring

About the role

This division encompasses three core areas: Corporate Partnerships, Philanthropic Foundation Partnerships, and Government Partnerships.
The Senior Director must demonstrate exceptional initiative, judgment, and leadership maturity, balancing strategic oversight with hands-on execution.

Lead cultivation and solicitation of major foundation partnerships, overseeing strategy, proposal development, deliverables, and budget creation in close coordination with Advancement and Program teams.
Respond promptly and strategically to partner feedback, escalating issues as appropriate to leadership. (40%)
Manage a portfolio of complex, high-value grants supporting Society programs, collaborating closely with program leads and executive leadership.
Lead the Philanthropic Foundations team in developing actionable solicitation strategies, draft proposals, budgets, timelines, and deliverables.
Partner with the Grants Manager to ensure exceptional stewardship of all open grants, including reporting, expenditure tracking, and site visits.
Collaborate with Advancement Operations to support identifying and prioritizing new foundation opportunities and align them with institutional goals.
The team collaborates across the Society to build transformative and impact-driven strategic relationships.
In 2025, the Advancement team established a new Institutional Partnerships division tasked with building a comprehensive portfolio of strategic partners focused on driving significant revenue and impact for the Society.
Hybrid - At the Society, we believe in the advantages of coming together to build community, mentor and learn from colleagues, and connect more deeply with our mission.

Other areas as required.
Proficiency with grant management tools, CRM systems, and related technologies.
12+ years of experience in a nonprofit or business development environment, with demonstrated success leading matrixed teams and creating and executing strategic growth plans.
The ideal candidate will bring proven strategic and people leadership, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to navigate a complex organization with diplomacy and decisiveness.

every Tuesday and Wednesday.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
W e encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position.
We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.
Track record of securing significant multi-million-dollar foundation grants (seven- and eight-figure preferred).
Master's degree preferred

Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.
The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more.
At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.
The salary range for this position is $166,250.00 - $175,000.00.
It also produces global events that deepen connections and leverage the Society's power to convene, and directs robust annual, major, and planned giving programs, empowering the Society with a broad base of public support.

Develop and implement strategic vision and execution plan for securing impact-driven, philanthropic foundation partnerships that advance the Society's mission and programs. (20%)
Demonstrated experience shaping and executing a strategic vision and plan for institutional or philanthropic partnerships.

This listing is sourced directly from Ngs's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.