• Translates organizational strategy into a clear, actionable fundraising strategy, identifying emerging revenue opportunities and assessing their potential and alignment
• Moves fluidly between strategy and hands-on execution, developing multi-year fundraising plans while remaining actively involved in the day-to-day work required to carry them out
• Can translate advancement data and donor trends into strategic recommendations
• Directly manages a portfolio of significant donors and prospects and is comfortable cultivating relationships, making the ask, and closing gifts
• Creates mutually beneficial partnerships between companies and SSPI, with an understanding of corporate priorities including workforce development, STEM education, scientific innovation, and community investment
• Works closely with the CEO as a strategic partner and equips Board members with clear, specific, and achievable engagement opportunities
• Builds and leads a high-performing advancement and alumni relations team in a fully remote environment, coaching staff, setting expectations, and creating a collaborative culture

• Adapt and improve SSPI’s advancement strategy and implement a comprehensive annual and multi-year strategy, with a near-term goal of $1 million in annual fundraising while building the pipeline required for future growth
• Develop and execute a balanced and sustainable revenue strategy across major gifts, foundations, corporations, government funding, annual giving, events, and other opportunities
• Align fundraising priorities with SSPI’s 10-year strategic plan, programmatic goals, and growth objectives
• Establish revenue targets, forecasts, and performance measures, using results and emerging trends to guide decisions and adjust strategy

• Build a national corporate partnership strategy and cultivate relationships with corporate giving teams, foundations, and CSR/ESG leaders
• Develop compelling partnership opportunities that connect SSPI’s mission with corporate or foundation priorities
• Support and partner with the Director of Corporate and Foundation Giving to identify, prioritize, cultivate, and solicit high-value prospects, directly engaging senior institutional partners and supporting significant solicitations
• Ensure proposals communicate clear outcomes, compelling evidence of impact, and a strong case for investment
• Increase the proportion of multi-year, unrestricted, and strategically aligned institutional gifts

• Develop an integrated fundraising and engagement strategy for alumni, individuals, families, faculty, and friends of SSPI
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects, including high-capacity alumni, individuals, and families
• Create a clear pipeline and meaningful pathways for alumni to become donors, ambassadors, mentors, connectors, and advocates through annual and planned giving
• Build a consistent stewardship program that recognizes donors, demonstrates the impact of their support, and encourages continued and increased giving
• Partner closely with the Alumni Relations team to support and enhance a comprehensive engagement framework for alumni, providing executive oversight for regional meetups, localized chapters, and virtual programming to deepen lifelong affinity and donor conversion.

• Working with the Alumni Engagement Manager, spearhead the expansion of SSPI’s newly launched membership program by identifying market trends, setting member acquisition and renewal goals, designing high-value member benefits, and executing data-driven recruitment campaigns to sustainably increase annual recurring revenue. Ensure cross-departmental coordination on marketing and communication needs.

• Serve as the advancement liaison for the External Affairs Committee of the Board, working closely with the Committee Chair and CEO to advance fundraising priorities
• Provide Board members with clear, specific opportunities to open doors, cultivate prospects, solicit gifts, and steward donors
• Equip Board members with the information, materials, and coaching needed to participate confidently and effectively in fundraising

• Oversee and ensure effective use of SSPI’s CRM and other systems for prospect management, donor engagement, alumni relations, gift processing, and reporting
• Optimize standards for prospect research, gift recording, acknowledgements, and reporting
• Manage the advancement budget, fundraising calendar, and departmental priorities to ensure the team remains focused and follows through on commitments
• Ensure advancement practices comply with organizational policies, donor restrictions, and applicable legal and ethical standards

• Directly supervise and develop the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Development Coordinator, and Alumni Engagement Manager while indirectly providing leadership to the Events and Alumni Programs Coordinator.
• Establish clear annual goals and measurable performance expectations
• Conduct regular one-on-ones, coaching, feedback, and professional development conversations
• Build effective remote workflows and communication practices
• Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, experimentation, and continuous improvement

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, philanthropy, business, communications, marketing, public relations, or a related field.

• 10+ years of progressively responsible fundraising or advancement experience, preferably in organizations with national reach
• An advanced degree and/or CFRE credential is preferred but not required.

• Strategic leadership and systems thinking, with demonstrated ability to translate organizational priorities into actionable fundraising and alumni engagement strategies partnering with the Senior Director of External Affairs where appropriate
• Strong people leadership and coaching skills, with demonstrated ability to lead and support staff, set expectations, provide constructive feedback, and foster accountability and professional growth.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing annual and multi-year fundraising strategies that produce measurable revenue growth, including significant experience directly cultivating and soliciting five- and six-figure gifts.
• Proven record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts and establishing lasting relationships with individuals, institutional funders, and corporate partners in the science, technology, pharmaceutical, higher education, or related sectors
• Demonstrated experience partnering with executive leaders and board of directors to develop fundraising priorities, engage funders, and advance organizational objectives
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to communicate a compelling case for support to varied audiences
• Demonstrated experience overseeing and effectively leveraging fundraising and CRM systems (such as Raiser’s Edge or comparable platforms) to inform strategy, support pipeline management, and ensure accurate reporting and data integrity.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and the ability to learn and effectively use the technology required to lead
• Self-motivated with a demonstrated ability to work independently in a fully remote environment, effectively managing time, prioritizing tasks, and meeting deadlines while staying responsive and communicative.
• Demonstrates commitment to SSPI’s Mission and Values in their daily work and interactions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Constantly operates a computer.
• The ability to observe details at a close range and the ability to adjust focus.
• The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Travel to twice yearly in-person staff meetings plus occasional travel to alumni and donor events or programs, as needed.

• Authorization to work in the United States
• Background clearance