Director, Institutional Philanthropy

Position description

At Evidence Action, we deliver data-driven interventions that transform lives at an unprecedented scale. We identify neglected global health issues and deploy proven solutions, forging healthier futures for generations.

Our model operationalizes leading academic research (including from Nobel-winning economists). We measure progress and outcomes at every stage to ensure we’re making a real impact for people living in poverty and suffering from preventable or treatable health issues. Operating across 9 countries, our team of 800+ has reached over 500 million people, working closely with governments to scale these interventions.

• Our Deworm the World program has delivered over 2 billion treatments, significantly reducing worm prevalence and generating more than $23 billion in lifetime productivity gains.
• Through Safe Water Now, we’ve saved the lives of over 15,000 children.
• Our Accelerator explores untapped opportunities in global health, testing low-cost interventions with the greatest potential to save and improve lives.

At Evidence Action, your colleagues are your greatest asset. You’ll partner with high-caliber colleagues in an environment blending innovation, autonomy, and teamwork. Our team excels in disruptive thinking and believes in rolling up our sleeves to get things done. If you’re looking to work flexibly and with purpose, join a team that delivers measurable change for millions.

About the Role

We’re seeking a Director of Institutional Philanthropy to lead a robust strategy to increase support from our portfolio of institutional partners – primarily comprised of private foundations – during a time of significant programmatic and organizational growth. . In a new role that is reporting to our Chief Growth Officer, you will lead our Institutional Philanthropy team, setting the gold standard for fundraising excellence with Program leaders, and personally leading the strategy for our highest value relationships with major foundations. This role combines strategic vision with hands-on execution; from architecting multi-million dollar partnerships to coaching program leaders on business development to implementing AI-enabled systems that improve our fundraising operations. You’ll oversee the complete grant lifecycle, establish best practices across teams, and build the processes that turn big goals into sustainable results.

We’re seeking a proven fundraising leader with a track record of securing large, multi-year grants ($1M-$10M+) from private foundations while driving significant year-over-year growth. You’ll bring strategic and operational expertise, exceptional relationship management skills, and the executive presence to represent our organization at the highest levels. As a systems-builder and collaborative leader, you’ll work cross-functionally to optimize performance through data-driven insights and continuous innovation. This is your opportunity to shape the financial foundation for scaling evidence-based solutions that improve millions of lives globally.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead our institutional fundraising strategy—currently focused on foundations, with potential to expand into corporate and government funders, to drive our revenue growth.
• Cultivate, manage, and grow our portfolio of institutional funder relationships in close coordination with program leaders, ensuring coordinated engagement across programs and serving as a senior representative in strategic proposals, meetings, and stewardship.
• Build out and manage a robust pipeline of prospects that align with Evidence Action’s work, conducting research, qualifying leads, and designing individualized cultivation plans.
• Lead the Institutional Partnerships team, empowering direct and indirect reports through coaching and professional development.
• Set the standard for excellence in institutional fundraising by defining and modeling best practices in relationship management, proposal development, and reporting, and coach program leaders (who own their program’s revenue) on crafting compelling cases, presenting to funders, and advancing high-priority opportunities.
• Oversee the full grant lifecycle—from pipeline development and proposal writing to reporting and renewals—ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Establish and maintain clear roles, responsibilities, and collaborative processes across programs, finance, fundraising, operations, and communications.
• Drive innovation that increases that team’s capacity, e.g. using AI Tools to streamline proposal drafting, reportings, and funder insights.
• Track and analyze institutional fundraising performance using metrics and dashboards, adapting strategies based on results and funder feedback to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

Position Location

This role location is flexible anywhere within the United States for fully remote candidates.

Qualifications

• You have a mix of experience with institutional fundraising, strategic partnerships, or business development, ideally at mid-to-large sized global nonprofit organizations
• You have expertise in building and managing high-value foundation relationships and securing large, multi-year grants (e.g., $1M–$10M+) from US-based and global funders with demonstrated ability to drive significant year-over-year growth.
• You have a strong understanding of the industry and market trends, with the ability to identify opportunities for growth.
• You have experience leading teams and coaching direct and indirect reports for high performance and accountability
• You are a strong collaborator and have experience managing cross-functional teams across multiple time zones, with the ability to motivate and direct team members.
• You are a strategic operator with the ability to define and execute institutional fundraising strategies, build pipelines, and lead cross-functional collaboration.
• You excel in relationship management and communications, with an authentic and confident presence to represent the organization externally and inspire funders.
• You have experience designing and optimizing systems and processes for pipeline management, proposal lifecycles, reporting, and donor management; Salesforce experience is a plus

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a U.S. employment visa at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. for roles based in the U.S.

Evidence Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

Benefits
The expected role range for this US position is listed below. We consider multiple factors when determining the base salary for a role, including but not limited to: role scope, program budgets, internal equity, and a candidate’s qualifications and/or prior experience.

Note: Pay and benefits will be commensurate with the role specifications, local statutory requirements, and the cost of labor in the markets where we operate.

The pay range for this role: $140,000-$155,000 per year

Application instructions

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