Join MENTOR in shaping the future. We're seeking a passionate Foundation & Corporate Partnerships Manager to fuel our mission of leading, expanding, and strengthening the mentoring movement, building capacity to make high-quality relationships accessible to all young people.
About MENTOR
MENTOR was created 35 years ago to expand opportunity for young people by building a youth mentoring field and movement, serving as the expert and go-to resource on quality mentoring. The result — a more than 10x increase in young people in structured mentoring relationships, from hundreds of thousands to millions.
Today, we activate a movement across diverse and broad sectors that seeps into every aspect of daily life. We are connecting and fueling opportunity for young people everywhere they are, from schools to workplaces and beyond.
MENTOR is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and has a sense of belonging. We believe that a diversity of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds are key assets in our mission to close the mentoring gap. We embrace our differences and celebrate our common humanity in advancing awareness of the need for the transformative power of supportive relationships for our young people. Candidates of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Join us in our mission to create a more equitable world for our young people.
About this Role
MENTOR is seeking a Foundation & Corporate Partnerships Manager to help grow, steward, and deepen relationships with institutional donors to drive organizational revenue goals and strategic growth. Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, the Manager will serve as a key relationship manager with institutional donors, lead the development of clear, compelling concept letters, grant proposals and reports, and support the growth of a robust institutional funding pipeline. This role is ideal for a relationship-oriented professional with persuasive writing skills, prospecting and project management experience, and an understanding of the youth development and mentoring field.
Key Responsibilities
• In collaboration with the Sr. Director of Development, develop and implement strategies to secure five- to seven- figure grants and fee-for-service funding opportunities from institutional funders.
• Manage a portfolio of foundation and corporate funders, including stewardship, renewals, and cultivation of new prospects
• Research, write and submit compelling, data-driven proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports, ensuring strong alignment with funder priorities and MENTOR’s strategic priorities
• Acts as a primary liaison with program directors, ensuring MENTOR’s programmatic impact translates into compelling narratives for funding opportunities and that grant reporting and funder deliverables are submitted timely and demonstrate ROI
• Conduct targeted research to identify new foundation and corporate funders to strengthen the existing portfolio
• Develop and manage a robust pipeline of foundation and corporate prospects and lapsed donors to reflect a steady track of upcoming grant opportunities and deadlines
• Optimize and streamline the grant administration process, ensuring proactive management of the grant proposal and reporting calendar, stewardship activities, current grant cycles, and renewal processes to ensure continued funding from existing funders
• Oversee general institutional funder communications including annual impact reporting, quarterly stakeholder calls, and cultivation mailings
• Cultivate and recruit National Corporate Honor Roll Members and support local MENTOR Affiliates in replicating the initiative locally
• Ensure institutional contacts and fundraising activity are accurately captured and updated within MENTOR’s development database
• Support sales and benefit fulfillment of National Mentoring Summit sponsorship opportunities
• Support the development team’s efforts to collaborate with and build the capacity of MENTOR Affiliates fundraising models
• As necessary, assist with the planning and implementation of select special projects and donor engagement events.
Key Qualifications
There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at each applicant‘s experience. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate many of the qualifications and experiences listed below.
• At least 3-5 years of partnerships or grant management experience, ideally at an advocacy, research or field-building organization.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with corporate and/or private foundations, including familiarity with their partnership approaches, expectations, and requirements.
• Strong written communication skills with a clear, concise, and compelling style
• Proven track record in grant writing, prospect research, and managing grants administration duties
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills
• Thrive in dynamic environments with a growth mindset, proactively addressing challenges
• Ability to prioritize and execute a variety of tasks with close attention to detail and deadlines
• Skilled at building strong relationships with colleagues and external partners
• Experience working on a team and collaborating with other departments, specifically in a project management role
• Experience with database systems, particularly fundraising databases
• Experience developing systems and processes to improve fundraising efficiency and effectiveness
MENTOR is a remote-first organization, prioritizing work-life harmony and flexible scheduling. Staff work virtually from any dedicated workspace with reliable internet, including our co-working space in Boston, Massachusetts. Occasional travel may be required for team meetings or company events, such as MENTOR’s annual National Mentoring Summit hosted in Washington, D.C. each January, or in-person donor events.
Compensation and Benefits
The base salary for this Manager-level role ranges from $65,600 to $78,000, based on MENTOR’s salary bands established as a result of our latest compensation analysis.
Full benefits include health and dental insurance, 403B, generous vacation, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and paid professional development. The summary of the benefits is here.
Applying for this Position
To apply, please complete the application form and upload a current resume and cover letter. You are also welcome to include optional writing samples that showcase your persuasive writing skills.
We hope to have phone interviews with select candidates throughout May. Candidates who advance will have a virtual interview with the Senior Director of Development and Chief Impact Officer, and an additional virtual interview with select members of the team. Candidates advanced to offer can expect a holistic reference and background check process. We hope to have the Foundation & Corporate Partnerships Manager join the team in June.
