Description

About Us - Values Overview

We are one team comprised of individuals who are committed to excellence, curiosity and innovation. We are transforming lives and creating economic opportunity through education. We champion a people-first values-based culture where We Care about each other and those we serve. We believe that we are Better Together because we foster an environment of respect, belonging, and access for all. We demonstrate Courageous Integrity through setting exceptional standards and acting in the best interest of our communities. We are encouraged to Be Curious about opportunities for learning, creating, discovering, and innovating, and are encouraged to learn from failure. Show Your Fire by joining our team and exhibiting your passion and pride in your work as part of our UNT System team.

Learn more about the UNT System and how we live our values at www.UNTSystem.edu.

Department Summary

The Division of University Advancement strives to transform lives and unlock potential through the power of philanthropy and engagement by awakening and stewarding pride and loyalty for the University of North Texas.

Established in 1890, the University of North Texas is a place where students transform their lives through education and opportunity. With more than 46,000 students from across the state, nation, and world, UNT offers 240 academic programs — many nationally and internationally recognized. A Tier One research university and designated a Hispanic- and Minority-Serving Institution, UNT has a legacy of excellence in education, music, the arts, business and social sciences, with growing strengths in science and engineering. Last year, students earned nearly 13,000 degrees and joined UNT's network of 480,000 alumni, fueling progress and innovation.

Position Overview

The University Advancement Corporate and Foundation Relations Team is seeking an Executive Director to lead a foundation-forward advancement strategy focused on transformational private foundation partnerships. This role will devote the majority of its effort—approximately 80%—to identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major national and regional private foundations capable of making significant philanthropic investments in UNT’s institutional priorities, research enterprise, academic programs, and student success initiatives. Corporate relations will remain an important but secondary function, representing approximately 20% of the role and focused on select corporate entities in partnership with the President’s Corporate Concierge program aligning with UNT’s strategic priorities.

* Leads the development and execution of a transformational foundation relations strategy designed to secure major philanthropic gifts and grants from national and regional private foundations in support of UNT’s highest institutional priorities.
* Builds and deepens long-term partnerships with major foundation leaders, program officers, and trustees while positioning UNT faculty, research, and academic initiatives for significant multi-year foundation support.
* Provides strategic leadership and management for the Corporate and Foundation Relations team, setting priorities, metrics, and practices/processes that emphasize foundation support growth while maintaining targeted corporate engagement.

The position reports to the Associate Vice President for Development. In addition, it will supervise multiple direct reports, including a Grant Writer and a Senior Director/Director of Foundation Relations, with the opportunity for future team expansion as organizational needs and resources evolve.

Job Duties

Fundraising Management: 
* Works with advancement and development colleagues, faculty, deans, unit directors, volunteers, administration, and staff to identify, cultivate, and solicit major private foundations as the primary focus of the role, while also pursuing select corporate and corporate foundation opportunities aligned with UNT’s strategic priorities.
* Manages a portfolio of high-capacity foundation prospects and partners, cultivates relationships with foundation decision-makers, guides solicitation strategy, and advances complex proposals for transformational gifts and grants.
* Works closely with the UNT Foundation, Advancement Services, development colleagues, the Division of Research and Innovation, and the Office of Grants and Contracts to prepare competitive foundation proposals and align philanthropic opportunities with institutional and research priorities.
* Sets and pursues ambitious goals for increased foundation support, including growth in foundation funding, pipeline development, proposal/submission volume, and long-term partnership activity over a multi-year period.
Research and Proposal Development: 
* Conducts prospect research and maintains in-depth knowledge of UNT priorities, faculty strengths, research initiatives, and foundation funding interests to identify high-value alignment opportunities.
* Participates in structured strategy sessions with colleagues, faculty, deans, research leadership, and unit partners to coordinate foundation prospect identification, engagement strategy, proposal development, solicitation, and follow-up for national and regional foundations.
* Monitors, analyzes, and shares foundation giving trends, emerging funding initiatives, and national philanthropic priorities to inform proactive outreach, proposal strategy, and pipeline development.
* Guides faculty and academic partners in translating complex research, academic programs, and institutional priorities into compelling foundation concepts, letters of inquiry, proposals, and stewardship narratives.
Management of Stewardship and Donor Relationships: 
* Provides comprehensive, foundation-specific stewardship, including tailored impact reports, grant deliverable tracking, and other measures of accountability that demonstrate outcomes and build long-term trust with foundation partners.
* Oversees foundation gift and grant documentation, invoicing, expenditure tracking, scholarship and fellowship award coordination, and other post-award activities to ensure funds are used and reported appropriately.
* Monitors and enters all foundation and corporate activity in the database system in an accurate and timely manner, and works with CFR staff to steward donors through reports, engagement opportunities, events, and publicity.
Collaboration and Communication: 
* Works closely with internal and external partners to advance foundation-first fundraising strategies and pursue select corporate opportunities where there is clear alignment with UNT priorities.
* Works collaboratively with the Division of Research and Innovation, Office of Grants and Contracts, the President’s Chief Corporate Relations and Government Affairs Officer, deans, faculty, and colleges/units to align philanthropic foundation engagement with institutional research, academic, and public impact priorities.
* Provides guidance, training, and consultation to faculty, development colleagues, and campus partners on best practices in foundation grant seeking, proposal positioning, and strategic foundation engagement.
* Must be collaborative and demonstrate exceptional oral and written communication skills.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm; Nights and weekends, plus some overnight travel, will be necessary. Hybrid work opportunities possible.

EEO Statement

The University of North Texas System is firmly committed to equal opportunity and does not permit –and takes actions to prevent – discrimination, harassment (including sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking), and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application, employment practices, and facilities; nor permits race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or sex discrimination and harassment in its admissions processes, and educational programs and activities. UNT System Administration promptly investigates complaints of discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation and takes remedial action when appropriate. System Administration also takes actions to prevent retaliation against individuals who oppose any form of harassment or discriminatory practice, file a charge or report, or testify, assist, or participate in a related investigation or proceeding.
 

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in related field and eight years of increasingly responsible leadership and/or management experience or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

* Understand key global and local issues effecting higher education.
* Strong knowledge of tax law changes.
* Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
* Experience in effectively planning, analyzing, and coordinating activities.
* Ability to work effectively in a team and with many constituencies.
* Experience in developing, implementing and monitoring strategic plans.
* Demonstrated success in executing fundraising activities, identifying prospects, developing strong relationships, cultivating support and stewarding gifts.
* Strong verbal and written communication skills.
* Ability to maintain confidentiality of donor information.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following additional qualifications: 
* An ideal candidate brings a record of proactive identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of a significant corporate and foundation-focused portfolio, including experience advancing complex philanthropic opportunities within a public university or higher education advancement environment.
* Working knowledge and experience collaborating with faculty in a Tier One research institution and successfully matching research, academic, and institutional initiatives with major national foundation priorities.
* Demonstrated success securing major foundation grants or gifts, preferably including six- and seven-figure commitments, and deep knowledge of the national foundation landscape, funding trends, and philanthropic networks relevant to higher education.
* Influential, with effective social skills and a high level of comfort in social settings, corporate and community events, and gatherings. High visibility, both within the organization as well as outside the organization; a willingness to be a representative of UNT in the community.
* A dauntless personality with a record of setting and surpassing objectives.