Assistant Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Assistant Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty) – Full-Time, Exempt

College/Division: Development • Department: - Corp and Foundation Relations

Pay: Commensurate with experience

General Information

The Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations reports to the Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. The role advances philanthropic support from private foundations and corporate giving programs by developing and managing a strategic pipeline of funding opportunities aligned with JMU’s strategic priorities. The person leads proposal development, manages charitable sponsorship opportunities, and supports faculty and campus partners in pursuing external funding. This position is key to expanding JMU’s philanthropic sponsorship portfolio and driving revenue growth through private philanthropic sources.

Duties and Responsibilities

Proposal Development & Faculty Engagement

• Lead primary drafting of high-quality proposals to foundation and corporate funders; coordinate with faculty and unit staff to gather program data, budgets, and outcomes; submit to the Associate Director for editorial review and approval.
• Translate academic and programmatic priorities into compelling, funder-aligned proposals and sponsorship opportunities.
• Advise faculty on expectations, timelines, and distinctions between philanthropic and sponsored funding.
• Maintain contact with funders during the review process; respond to requests for additional information.
• Submit templates, institutional boilerplate, and impact data to the Operations & Systems Manager for inclusion in the shared proposal content library.
• Co-facilitate faculty workshops and office hours with the Associate Director; draft written guides and proposal resources for campus partner use.

Philanthropic Sponsorship Strategy & Growth

• Serve as a key and recurring contributor within the Corporate Partnership Hub engagement team, representing philanthropic sponsorship opportunities and ensuring alignment between campus initiatives and external funding strategies.
• Develop repeatable philanthropic sponsorship frameworks and models for scaling across campus.
• Maintain and apply the team’s charitable sponsorship qualification framework to distinguish philanthropic gifts from sponsorship/exchange transactions; serve as resource for campus partners on this distinction.
• Manage all charitable sponsorship agreements, ensuring appropriate review and approval by the Senior Director and JMU Foundation.
• Prepare charitable sponsorship agreements, pledge invoices, and partner-facing communication for corporate contacts.
• Meet with campus partners interested in pursuing corporate sponsorship; qualify opportunities and direct them to the appropriate CFR team member.
• Leverage technology, including digital research and drafting tools, to increase the quality and efficiency of sponsorship development, corporate outreach, and proposal production.

Philanthropic Pipeline Management

• Develop and maintain a structured pipeline of private foundation and corporate philanthropic sponsorship opportunities, tracking prospects through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship stages.
• Partner with colleges, units, and institutional leadership to surface high-impact initiatives for philanthropic sponsorship investment.
• Collaborate with the Office of Prospect Development to identify and qualify new corporate sponsorship prospects aligned with institutional priorities.
• Ensure all opportunities are accurately recorded in Affinaquest (Salesforce) and the Corporate Partnership Hub, coordinated with the Operations & Systems Manager.
• Regularly evaluate pipeline health and movement; flag stalled prospects and gaps to the Senior Director.
• Use pipeline data to inform outreach priorities, proposal sequencing, and sponsorship framework development.
• Coordinate with the Operations & Systems Manager to ensure pipeline reporting reflects accurate sponsorship activity.

Stewardship & Reporting

• Lead stewardship and reporting for foundation and corporate gifts, ensuring accurate acknowledgement, accounting, and stewardship per donor intent and institutional policy.
• Manage the funder reporting process, including compiling outcome data, drafting narrative reports, and meeting deadlines.
• Build and maintain a renewal strategy for private foundation and corporate partners; identify upgrade and multi-year partnership opportunities.
• Coordinate stewardship and impact reporting for Madison Trust donors in partnership with the Associate Director.

Team & Operational Support

• Track activity in Affinaquest (Salesforce) to maintain accurate, up-to-date records for assigned proposals, sponsorships, and stewardship activities.
• Attend and contribute to CFR team meetings, pipeline reviews, and planning processes.
• Support the Associate Director and Senior Director on special projects and institutional priorities as directed.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree
• 2–4+ years of experience in advancement, fundraising, grant writing, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in proposal development and/or philanthropic funding.
• Strong writing, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to translate complex academic or programmatic concepts into compelling narratives.
• Discretion and compliance with institutional data privacy standards.
• Capacity to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred

• Experience in higher education advancement.
• Familiarity with private foundation and corporate giving landscapes.
• Experience working with faculty or academic stakeholders.
• Knowledge of distinctions between philanthropic funding and sponsored research.
• Experience with Affinaquest (Salesforce) or similar CRM systems.
• Experience with charitable sponsorship agreements or gift documentation.

Additional Posting Information

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates relocating to the area. For more information, visit

Conditions of Employment

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. The university does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

Reasonable Accommodation

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact (540) 568‑3597 or Assistance is also available at the JMU Human Resources Office, 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.