Department: University Advancement
Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing
Salary: $75,000 - $80,000 per year
Compensation Band: OS-OA07-Fiscal Year 2025-2026
FTE: 1.0
Application Review Begins
January 11th, 2026; position open until filled
Special Instructions to Applicants
To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a complete application that includes (1) a cover letter and (2) a resume that addresses how they meet the minimum and preferred qualifications.
Applicants must also submit a writing sample. This position requires a high level of writing proficiency. Submit a 1-page excerpt of your own writing, which could include an academic paper, grant or fellowship application or other example of your choosing. You do not need to write something new, we want to see an example of something you have written for a professional or academic purpose.
We are interested in finding the best candidate for the position. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t think you meet every one of our preferred qualifications. Use your application to let us know what is meaningful to you about the role and what transferable skills or other qualities you would bring.
Department Summary
University Advancement (UA) supports the University of Oregon’s (UO) mission of providing exceptional teaching, discovery, and service by strategically positioning the university to create awareness, build long-term relationships, and secure resources that increase understanding and further its aims. The division consists of approximately 200 employees primarily working out of Eugene, with offices in Portland and Bend. We are committed to fostering equity and inclusion in a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment that recognizes the value of all members of our community.
The Office of Development as part of University Advancement has a mission to maximize philanthropic impact at the University of Oregon. We do this by identifying, connecting, and engaging alumni and friends around the globe with their passions to advance the vision and priorities of the university.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director of Central Development Research Programs, the Senior Associate Director of Foundation Relations is responsible for identifying, cultivating, solicitating and stewarding private foundations with the capacity to make grants of $25,000 and above, prioritizing developing proposals to foundation prospects with the capacity to make awards larger than $100,000.
This position will assist multiple schools and units across campus, will manage a portfolio of private foundations, and will respond to queries from members of the UO community (Advancement colleagues, faculty, administrators, etc.) regarding opportunities with private foundations that may exist outside the portfolio. The primary focus of the person in this role will be identifying foundation prospects whose missions align with research, scholarship and community programming of the university’s behavioral and social science disciplines. This includes faculty in the College of Education, the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health, the Prevention Science Institute, as well as various programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Senior Associate Director of Foundation Relations will manage the stewardship/reporting for foundations in their portfolio. This position will coordinate with academic partners on awarded grants to write and submit reports in coordination with funder criteria and deadlines.
The Senior Associate Director will establish effective working relationships with school/unit fundraisers, deans, and faculty and administrative staff of the university to accomplish fundraising goals.
The Senior Associate Director will be responsible for meeting fundraising goals as they relate to the strategic needs of the University of Oregon. Performance as measured against these goals will be evaluated annually.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of skills and experience.
- Three years of professional experience in foundation and/or corporate relations at a university or other large institution OR five years of experience in a closely related field.
- Experience writing grant proposals or similar materials for foundations and/or corporations.
Professional Competencies
- Ability to source and develop competitive proposals to philanthropic foundations in support of research, scholarship and artistic activities led by UO faculty.
- Working with foundation prospects: Ability to identify, cultivate, and solicit foundation prospects and build relationships with key constituents connected with the university.
- Ability to work with university faculty and professional staff to understand priorities and programmatic needs in order to identify potential foundation partners and sponsors.
- Strong writing and editing skills: Ability to draft and edit proposals, letters of intent, and other materials designed to promote university programs to potential foundation partners.
- Portfolio Management: Ability to research and identify foundation prospects based on university priorities and giving opportunities. Ability to manage portfolio of 30-50 foundation prospects and regularly use CRM database and other tools to find and update prospect information.
- Professionalism: Ability to establish collaborative working relationships with Advancement colleagues and university faculty, staff, University of Oregon Foundation staff, and leadership and maintain professionalism when working with different university constituents.
- Institutional navigation and industry knowledge: Ability to make a persuasive verbal and written case for supporting key programs and projects, effectively matching the programmatic and mission goals of private foundations with specific university needs; ability to maintain core campus relationships and familiarity with industry best practices in foundation relations.
- Strategic planning: Ability to identify best potential foundation prospects for specific university projects and to develop effective engagement strategies for foundations. Ability to contribute to overall strategic planning for Central Development Research Programs, led by the Executive Director. Ability to interact, communicate, and work effectively with individuals, recognizing and respecting the many and varied identities of each person.
- Commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Ability to travel periodically.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in relevant discipline, including, but not limited to behavioral science, social science or education related discipline.
- Experience working at a research university or other higher education institution.
- Experience working with foundation and/or other institutional prospects.
FLSA Exempt: Yes
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit our website.
The University of Oregon is an equal-opportunity institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please email us or call 541-346-5112.
UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship, service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed here.
In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online.
