Foundation Associate Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

ClimateWorks Foundation is a catalyst for accelerating climate progress, driving bold solutions that benefit people and the planet. We connect funders and implementing organizations worldwide to identify and scale transformative solutions across sectors and geographies, achieving faster, greater impact together. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $2 billion to more than 850 grantees across 50 countries, working with over 80 funders.

• Scaling solutions: Our collaborative Global Programs — focused on solution areas including carbon dioxide removal, cooling, industry, transportation, and more — produce results that are bending the greenhouse gas emissions curve. From the U.S. to Europe, China, Brazil, and beyond, we collaborate with a diverse community of funders, NGOs, and climate leaders to accelerate just and equitable climate solutions.

• Guiding and supporting funders: Our Global Services provide funders with comprehensive resources to assess, build, evolve, and execute high-impact climate-giving strategies. Our Global Intelligence service equips funders and the climate community with climate insights to pinpoint opportunities for impact and philanthropic insights to help identify investment priorities. We facilitate Global Collaborations that enable funders to increase individual and collective impact. Our Global Grantmaking services enable funders to invest in climate solutions around the world.

• Fostering collaboration, exploration, and growth: Our collaborative approach and commitment to learning ensures that we continuously explore innovative ideas and emerging opportunities — all with the aim of scaling philanthropy-supported initiatives to help end the climate crisis.

As experts in climate science, public policy, economic and social analysis, and strategic philanthropy, ClimateWorks’ staff understands the multi‑faced challenges and opportunities of climate change. We are researchers, strategists, collaborators, and grantmakers who care passionately about our mission. For more information, please visit www.climateworks.org.

Led by the Vice President, Philanthropic Partnerships, the Philanthropic Partnerships team at ClimateWorks leads fundraising for the organization and supports efforts to generate funder interest in climate philanthropy. The Philanthropic Partnerships team, in collaboration with departments across ClimateWorks, works to build meaningful and strategic relationships with donors in climate and adjacent sectors to support top climate solutions and introduce new donors to opportunities to invest in climate. The team collaborates closely with ClimateWorks Executive, Programs, Finance departments, external partners, and regional climate foundations.

The Senior Associate Director, Philanthropic Partnerships (Senior AD) will join the Philanthropy team of frontline fundraisers working to advance ClimateWorks’ mission and philanthropic goals. This position will be responsible for leading donor strategies and activities for a portfolio of programs, providing direct supervision for frontline fundraisers, building meaningful relationships with donors, and supporting the department’s work to build and maintain a strong pipeline of new prospective donors. The Senior AD will be a relationship-centered fundraising professional with a proven track record of closing significant gifts, ability to manage a portfolio of programs and translate technical programmatic work into compelling narratives for donors, and experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff. This position reports to the Director, Philanthropic Partnerships and will collaborate with colleagues across ClimateWorks and external partners to support the Philanthropic Partnerships team in meeting revenue targets to strengthen and expand the impact of ClimateWorks and the climate sector. The Senior AD will be resourceful and demonstrate initiative to help advance ClimateWorks’ mission.

The Senior AD will manage all donor related activities for a portfolio of programs, with a focus on cultivating and stewarding philanthropic investments from individuals, family foundations, and institutional donors. This position will execute customized engagement strategies for donors to support closing gifts, deepening existing donor relationships, and identifying new opportunities to increase the number of donors for programs. The Senior AD will develop, implement, and manage annual fundraising plans to track and plan all donor moves to support fundraising efforts for their portfolio. The Senior AD will possess in-depth knowledge of program content, translate complex programmatic work into narratives for donor audiences, and oversee the design and preparation of compelling concept notes, proposals, reports, and donor related materials and communications. They will partner closely with program leads to execute donor moves, and work closely with colleagues across ClimateWorks to ensure that all materials developed for donors are high-quality, impactful, and support revenue and retention goals.

The Senior AD will provide direct supervision of 2-3 frontline fundraisers (Managers and Senior Managers of the Philanthropy team). They will provide coaching, strategic direction, and support the growth and development of frontline fundraisers and the Philanthropy team. They will conduct regular check‑ins, set clear expectations, and serve as a thought partner to individuals in developing and executing their own portfolio strategies. This position will maintain broad oversight into donor activities and relationships for the programs that their direct reports are managing.

The Senior AD will support bespoke cultivation and stewardship strategies that deepen and expand donor relationships, inspiring long‑term philanthropic commitment. This position will work closely with the VP, Philanthropic Partnerships, Director, Philanthropic Partnerships, the Philanthropy team, and Donor Communications team to implement customized strategies to cultivate new donors and steward donor relationships. The Senior AD will support the development and execution of a system to track donor moves and evaluate contacts/relationships to support and maintain a strong pipeline of new prospective donors for programs and ClimateWorks.

The Senior AD will serve as a key connector across ClimateWorks’ departments (Programs, Finance, Strategy, Learning and Impact) on all donor related activities, building and maintaining the cross‑department relationships that are necessary to advance ClimateWorks’ philanthropic goals. They will coordinate, facilitate, and support internal meetings and briefings for donor related activities related to their portfolio. This position will collaborate with the Philanthropic Partnerships Philanthropy team to share learnings, solutions, and information to support team goals, and with the Philanthropic Partnerships Operations team to ensure that data and information related to donors is properly entered, updated, and maintained in Salesforce. They will work closely with Philanthropic Partnerships team colleagues and contribute to the growth and development of the team.

• 8-10+ years of progressive experience in a fast-paced frontline fundraising/development role.
• Demonstrated success and proven track record in managing an active donor portfolio, executing engagement strategies, and closing significant gifts from major donors, family foundation and/or institutional donors.
• Experience developing and executing strategic approaches to cultivate and advance relationships with new prospective donors.
• Direct personnel management experience of frontline fundraisers and/or development staff, with the ability to lead with empathy and adapt leadership style to meet the needs of team members.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills. Must be able to interact effectively with donors, executive team, management, and colleagues at all levels.
• Strong critical thinking, research, analytical, and organizational skills. Ability to operate in a highly evolving and complex environment, handle sensitive matters with discretion, and strong understanding of donor confidentiality.
• Willingness to take initiative, anticipate needs, problem-solve, and work cross-functionally with colleagues and across departments to support ClimateWorks’ philanthropic goals.
• Excellent project management skills with strong attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize working on multiple projects simultaneously while meeting internal and external deadlines.
• Proven experience using CRM (customer relationship management) databases to track/record development activities.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently (both virtually and in-person) with minimal supervision.
• Commitment to ClimateWorks’ mission and values.
• Commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment.
• Willingness to travel.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Previous experience/knowledge of climate/environmental issues.
• Experience with Salesforce.

ClimateWorks offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience (geographic differential applied based on location).

For this US-based position, the salary range is as follows:

• Tier 1: $175,000–$185,000 (San Francisco, New York City)
• Tier 2: $160