Closed – Director of Foundation Relations

Common Sense Society (CSS) seeks an experienced professional for the full-time position as Director of Foundation Relations. The Director of Foundations Relations will serve as an integral member of the Development team and will be responsible for managing foundation relationships and the entire proposal process, from researching, preparing, submitting, and stewarding grant proposals, to ensuring timely reports and correspondence with foundations, in support of CSS’s programmatic priorities. The position reports to the Chief Development Officer and is based in the Washington, D.C. metro area or remotely.

• Researches prospective funders, noting relevant deadlines and guidelines.
• Cultivates relationships with program officers and key decision-makers at foundations, philanthropic organizations, and grant-making corporations.
• Coordinates with CSS program directors to understand funding needs and timelines and to define a strategy for program funding.
• Leads all CSS grant proposal development, letters of inquiry, submission, correspondence, interim/final reporting and all other documents related to the grant cycle.
• Develops and monitors grant budgets in coordination with CSS management.
• Monitors grant deliverables and provides timely reporting to funders.
• Ensures that CSS complies with terms of funding agreements and grants.
• Ensures that donors are properly credited in all communications (press releases, website, invites, annual report) and that they receive the corresponding invitations.
• Provides other institutional research and drafting as needed.

• Demonstrated commitment to CSS’s mission and core values
• 2-5 years of relevant experience in project or non-profit proposal writing
• Strong written and oral communication skills; detail-oriented
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines
• Flexibility in working with new issues, topics, and approaches