Director, Philanthropic Partnerships

Position description

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

 

The Team

The Philanthropic Partnerships team (PPT) works to mobilize resources and build the next generation of champions for global health and development (GH&D), ensuring that philanthropy helps the world’s most vulnerable children survive and thrive.

Our strategy is designed to close the gap between intent and action, ensuring philanthropy supports lasting change. We engage with ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI), corporate and private foundations, philanthropic collaboratives, advisors, family offices, and social impact investors—while also strengthening the broader philanthropic ecosystem. Key programs include: The Giving Pledge, Gates Philanthropy Partners, Proponent Labs, and initiatives that enhance the infrastructure for GH&D giving.

Over the next five years, our work will focus on mobilizing resources for priorities of GH&D and the foundation, including: expanding our approaches and partnerships to unlock more capital; growing our work across global regions; and cultivating the next generation of GH&D champions—while continuing to strengthen philanthropic ecosystems and reinforce the foundation’s leadership in global giving.

 

Please note that the foundation is partnering with Russell Reynolds Associates for this key leadership hire. To submit an application or nominate a candidate, please email [email protected]

 

Your Role
As the Director, Philanthropic Partnerships, reporting to the President, GPA, you will serve as a foundation leader responsible for implementing and evolving a new philanthropic partners strategy to accelerate resource mobilization for global health and development. You will oversee a global team of 35+ professionals, guiding them through a period of transition.

 

In this transformational leadership role, you and the leadership team will translate a newly approved strategy into a new organization, culture and performance metrics.  You will be responsible for leading high-value relationships and shaping large, critical partnerships across individual, institutional, and corporate philanthropists, as well as impact investors and other sources of private capital. This includes leading the Giving Pledge Program, Gates Philanthropy Partners, Proponent Labs, and the foundation’s engagement with funding collaboratives, philanthropic partnerships, and regional philanthropic mechanisms.

 

You will also play a key role in advising foundation leadership on major philanthropic initiatives, anticipating and adapting to policy shifts in key geographies, and leveraging your expertise to create and implement high-impact partnerships across multiple sectors.

 

Balancing long-term vision with day-to-day execution, you will drive impact both within the foundation and across the philanthropic ecosystem. Your leadership will be instrumental in ensuring the foundation remains at the forefront of philanthropic giving partnerships in GH&D.

 

What You’ll Do

• Lead the implementation, of PPT’s new global strategic direction while sustaining successful programs, fostering innovation, leading with cultural fluency, and ensuring long-term impact and alignment with evolving priorities.

•  Build and lead a high-performing team to execute PPT’s ambitious goals, fostering a culture of inclusion, accountability, and innovation.

• Individually and through strong team leadership, mobilize substantial new resources for global health and development, global child survival efforts and other foundation-wide priorities through existing and new partnerships and commitments across multiple types of philanthropists and investors, including crafting innovative funding models and engaging other models of giving such as impact investors.

• Oversee and manage grant-related budgets and co-funding strategies to optimize resource allocation and align with philanthropic priorities. Drive the design and execution of innovative co-funding opportunities by fostering strategic partnerships with philanthropists, donors, and investors to amplify shared goals and maximize impact.

• Stand up and demonstrate excellence in ultra-high-net-worth relationship management in service of partnership building. Maintain direct relationships, manage a team of relationship managers, provide support to the CEO and Chair in their relationships.

• Collaborate effectively and energetically across the organization, especially with regional offices where accountability for PPT relationships and results will be shared.

• Position the foundation as a leader in philanthropy by developing cutting-edge strategies, partnerships, thought leadership and investment portfolios in high-impact philanthropy.

• Lead a team that represents the foundation at high-profile events, engaging with demanding stakeholders and audiences to advance the philanthropic agenda.

 

Your Experience

• An Advanced degree or equivalent demonstrated experience preferably in public policy, international relations, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience in non-profit management, fundraising, or collaboration with philanthropic partners is preferred, with a strong understanding of philanthropic infrastructure and funding ecosystems.

• Experience navigating policy environments to align philanthropic efforts with regulatory frameworks and broader social impact goals is highly desirable.

• Extensive experience working with the public or social sector—particularly governments in low- and middle-income countries—multilateral agencies, and the private sector, complemented by strong knowledge of global health, development, and financing challenges, with a proven ability to design impactful solutions.

• Experience and expert knowledge in resource mobilization, including development, fundraising, and partnerships, with a strategic mindset for shaping and advancing comprehensive efforts and campaigns. Demonstrates the ability to think globally and beyond traditional donors, such as UHNWIs, by leveraging innovative funding mechanisms and engaging diverse donors and investors in sophisticated global and regional environments.

• Proven ability to lead and develop large, high-performing, multidisciplinary teams in complex, matrixed environments, fostering collaboration across diverse functions while ensuring execution of strategic priorities.

• Proven ability to engage confidently and effectively with high-profile, high expectation partners and audiences, including direct collaboration with organizational principles on sensitive and critical engagements.

• Proven expertise in strategy development and execution, with a track record of delivering impactful results.

• Demonstrated expertise in change management, with a proven ability to lead strategic initiatives, navigate matrixed global organizations, and maintain distributed team productivity and engagement during transitions.

• Experience in a role requiring advanced collaboration skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to work with efficiency and diplomacy, particularly as part of a team effort.

• Strong relationship management skills, including demonstrated success with UHNWIs, institutional partners, and diverse global stakeholders.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate with a broad audience representing diverse cultures.

The salary range for this role is $328,400 to $509,000 USD.  We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located.  The range for this role in these locations is $358,000 to $554,800 USD.  As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission and new hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process. 

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on hiringnearme.org