Dartmouth College

Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations

Deerfield Associates has been retained by Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, to conduct a national search for a Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations.

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a vibrant liberal arts college and a pre-eminent R1 research university where faculty and students partner to take on the world’s greatest challenges. A member of the Ivy League and the Association of American Universities, Dartmouth is both
rooted in its distinctive heritage and ready to help shape the future of higher education through creativity and innovation. Dartmouth is an intimate and inclusive community that serves as a hub of intellectual and personal growth and a gateway to worldwide study and research from a spectacular natural setting. The 4,500 undergraduates and 2,200 graduate and professional students are guided by more than 900 faculty who are both leading researchers and scholars who love to teach.

Following a liberal arts curriculum, the university provides undergraduate instruction in 40 academic departments and interdisciplinary programs, including 60 majors in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering, and enables students to design specialized concentrations or engage in dual degree programs. In addition to the undergraduate faculty of arts and sciences, Dartmouth has four professional and graduate schools: the Geisel School of Medicine, the Thayer School of Engineering, the Tuck School of Business, and the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. The university also has affiliations with the Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center. Dartmouth is home to the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences, the Hood Museum of Art, the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding, and the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Situated on a terrace above the Connecticut River, Dartmouth’s 269-acre main campus is in the rural Upper Valley region of New England. The university functions on a quarter system, operating year-round on four ten-week academic terms. Dartmouth is known for its strong undergraduate focus, Greek culture, and wide array of enduring campus traditions. Its 34 varsity sports teams compete in the Ivy League conference of the NCAA Division I.

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth is consistently cited as a leading university for undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report. In 2021, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education listed Dartmouth as the only majority-undergraduate, arts-and-sciences focused, doctoral university in the country that has “some graduate coexistence” and “very high research activity”. For more background on Dartmouth College, visit: www.dartmouth.edu

The university has many prominent alumni, including 170 members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, 24 U.S. governors, 10 billionaire alumni, 8 U.S. Cabinet secretaries, 3 Nobel Prize laureates, 2 U.S. Supreme Court justices, and a U.S. vice president. Other notable alumni include 79 Rhodes Scholars, 26 Marshall Scholarship recipients, and 14 Pulitzer Prize winners. Dartmouth alumni also include many CEOs and founders of Fortune 500 corporations, high-ranking U.S. diplomats, academic scholars, literary and media figures, professional athletes, and Olympic medalists.

Position Purpose

The Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations reports directly to the Senior Executive Director, Development & Academic Coordination. The new hire leads the corporate and foundation relations office; manages a portfolio of top corporate and foundation prospects, and selected institutional trust donors; develops strategies, and cultivates relationships that lead to solicitation and stewardship of major gifts in support of institutional priorities. Collaborates with faculty and related administrators to identify and pursue corporate and foundation opportunities and advocates institutional priorities to the corporate and foundation community. In addition, works with development officers and administrators to further develop prospect relationships with Dartmouth. The position is available immediately and will be filled following a comprehensive national search and the candidate of choice is identified.

Dartmouth College Corporate & Foundation Relations

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) works with Dartmouth faculty and administrators and with foundations and corporations to develop mutually beneficial partnerships that advance knowledge and have the potential to make a positive impact on campus and in the world.

Key Accountabilities

Oversees major foundation and corporate prospects/donors, partnering closely with the Senior Executive Director. Manages own portfolio of foundation and corporate prospects through the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles. Participates in significant proposal development and oversees and assists with writing proposals and stewardship for corporate/foundation prospects, including proposal submission and/or direct solicitation of gifts ranging from $100,000 – $10M+. Works closely with the Development and Academic Coordination team to ensure that goals and outreach internally to faculty and externally to foundations and corporations align with leadership priorities of the institution. As appropriate, travels to visit key corporate and foundation officers, sometimes in tandem with faculty and/or senior officers of the College, and coordinates campus visits for these prospects. Participates in management structures in support of top prospect strategy and tracking. – 35%
Hires, supervises, trains, and evaluates staff to meet changing department needs. Maintains a leadership style that is open and fluid and empowers staff through active communication and delegation creating an environment of respect, accountability, motivation, professional growth, and high productivity. In consultation with the Senior Executive Director of Development and Academic Coordination team, establishes and oversees clearly defined and measurable goals for the CFR team and establishes appropriate metrics to assess individual and team performance. Such systems should inspire all staff and engender commitment to reaching personal goals and to raising maximum dollars for Dartmouth while also advancing Dartmouth’s goals of respect, professionalism, and inclusion. Ensures a culture where effective teamwork, collaboration and innovation are expected, recognized, and rewarded; leads by example in professionalism, creativity, entrepreneurship, appropriate risk-taking and cross-organizational cooperation. Directs and delegates responsibilities to meet goals of the operating plans and develops appropriate metrics for assessing progress. Oversees allocation of resources for Corporate and Foundations and works with colleagues to resolve any gift recording difficulties associate with corporate, foundation and/or trust donors. – 35%
In partnership with the Senior Executive Director, meets regularly with members of the faculty, academic administration, and/or other key institutional leaders to stay informed of institutional priorities, and to identify and respond to opportunities for increasing foundation and/or corporate support. Develops and maintains effective working relationships with faculty. – 10%
Coordinates foundation and corporate relation activities across the institution and works with professional school officers to create a collaborative and innovative environment which results in maximum foundation and corporate support. Provides support to development officers and faculty at all schools who may benefit from prospect identification, strategic guidance, and gift and grant applications. Collaborates with colleagues in Advancement to provide comprehensive and effective stewardship for corporations, foundation, and trust donors. Assists, as appropriate when asked, to provide support for colleagues in Leadership Giving or related offices to provide advice and best practices in cultivation and stewardship related to cultivation and stewardship. – 10%
Works with research staff to identify corporate and foundation prospects with Dartmouth- related connections. As appropriate, collaborates with Advancement Communications and/or other Advancement Offices to help build awareness and branding (internally and externally) about Dartmouth’s Corporate and Foundation Relations Office and research/programs at Dartmouth that may be of interest to corporations and foundations. Keeps current with trends in these communities primarily through significant travel to and communication with organizations’ officers and actively seeks to identify areas of mutual interest between foundations and the College. – 10%

Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communications with others.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required
Minimum of 10 years of direct fundraising and/or related; experience in development fundraising or a related field, preferably in a higher education environment; understanding of and appreciation for the foundation and corporate funding community
Experience soliciting and securing gifts; ability to raise donor sights, articulate aspirational goals and ideas, present philanthropic opportunities, and close principal gifts; results oriented
Demonstrated exceptional writing skills/experience through a portfolio of samples
Experience working with faculty, senior officers of the university, or the demonstrated ability to do so
Management and administrative skills required to motivate, direct, and evaluate staff to accomplish fundraising goals; talent for coaching and mentoring more junior colleagues
Creative, professional, and entrepreneurial
Sophisticated understanding of organizations dynamics; ability to navigate the intricacies of complex organizations and building buy-in on strategies and tactics
Highly effective written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated presentation abilities including enthusiastic advocacy for academic priorities
Demonstrated analytical and strategic thinking capabilities
Recognized leadership qualities and experience in motivating peers; ability to work well both independently and as member of multiple teams; strong listening and collaborative skills; well-honed balance of confidence and humility; engaging personality and sense of humor
Excellent people skills and proven ability to work across and throughout a complex organization, including ability to foster inclusiveness and diversity; highly collegial and service-oriented; expresses candor and humility
High ethical standards and demonstrated integrity; ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with appropriate discretion
Tolerance for ambiguity
Well-refined organizational and project management skills combined with individual initiative, strong work ethic, and creative energy
Familiarity with or ability to master institutional systems
Sharp attention to detail
Willingness to engage in significant business travel

Preferred Qualifications

Direct foundation and corporate relations experience
Advanced degree
Capital campaign experience

Equal Opportunity Employer

Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged.

Background Check

Employment in this position is contingent upon consent to and successful completion of a pre- employment background check, which may include a criminal background check, reference checks, verification of work history, and verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, with results acceptable to Dartmouth College. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please note that Dartmouth has a COVID vaccination requirement for all employees; visit https://www.dartmouth.edu/hrs/ for details and information on requesting an exemption and/or reasonable accommodation. Compliance with this requirement is a condition of employment.

The College will entertain a hybrid work arrangement. Employee must live within commuting distance to the campus as there will be a requirement for on-campus presence.

Join a motivated and enthusiastic team at an internationally renowned academic institution! Dartmouth invests in its people through a robust onboarding program, peer partnerships, and ongoing professional development that bring staff together for shared learning experiences. Our strengths-based culture emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion as central to our mission and we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to consider a career at Dartmouth. Dartmouth offers a supportive work environment, competitive salaries, and a generous benefits package.

Employment will be contingent upon possession of a valid U.S. or Canadian driver’s license and continued qualification as an Approved Driver under the Dartmouth College Driver Safety and Motor Vehicle Policy.

Contact Information

To explore this superb career opportunity on a highly confidential basis please send a letter of interest, resume and the contact information for 4 references (who will only be contacted if mutual interest is determined) to:

Doug Cooney, Executive Search Consultant, DEERFIELD ASSOCIATES Executive Search, Inc.
572 Washington Street, Suite 15, Wellesley, MA 02482 Telephone: 781-237-2800.
Email: jobs@deerfieldassociates.com