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Foundation Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Foundation Academies

Director of Advancement

Trenton, NJ · On-site

$500K/yr

We are Foundation Academies: Trenton, New Jersey's largest and highest-ranking K-12 free public charter school serving more than 1,000 scholars across three schools on two campuses. Our mission is to ...

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$42K

$111.3K

$196.5K

How much do foundation director jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for foundation director in the United States is $111,257.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $80,500.00 and $129,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Does a Foundation Director Do?

As a foundation director, your job is to support the foundation's board and provide administrative services to help it execute its stated mission. Foundation directors often offer input on the vision and strategy of the organization, help find donors, prioritize the budget based on the organization's needs, and cultivate positive relationships with other organizations and donors. You may also supervise the development and integration of notable gifts to the foundation, manage and train employees, plan and evaluate marketing programs, and ensure all required documentation is complete. You may find foundation director jobs under other names, such as executive director.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Foundation Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Foundation Director, you need expertise in nonprofit management, fundraising, grant writing, and strategic planning, often supported by a degree in nonprofit administration or a related field. Familiarity with donor management software, financial reporting systems, and CRM platforms is typically expected. Exceptional leadership, relationship-building, and communication skills set top candidates apart in this role. These skills are crucial for driving organizational growth, securing funding, and building meaningful partnerships to advance the foundation’s mission.

What are some common challenges Foundation Directors face when balancing fundraising efforts with organizational mission?

Foundation Directors often need to prioritize fundraising without losing sight of their organization’s core mission and values. This can involve navigating donor interests that may not completely align with program goals, as well as ensuring that fundraising strategies support long-term impact rather than short-term gains. Effective Directors collaborate closely with program staff and board members to maintain mission integrity, communicate transparently with stakeholders, and implement funding strategies that advance both financial sustainability and the foundation’s objectives.

What is the difference between Foundation Director vs Grant Coordinator?

AspectFoundation DirectorGrant Coordinator
Required CredentialsTypically a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nonprofit management, business, or related field; experience in fundraising and leadershipUsually a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; experience in grant writing and administration
Work EnvironmentLeads the foundation’s strategic initiatives, manages staff, and oversees large-scale programsSupports grant processes, manages applications, and coordinates with grantees
Employer & Industry UsageFoundations, nonprofits, charitable organizationsNonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies

The Foundation Director focuses on strategic leadership and overall management of the foundation, while the Grant Coordinator handles the administrative aspects of grant processes. Both roles are essential in nonprofit settings but differ in scope and responsibilities.

More about Foundation Director jobs
What cities are hiring for Foundation Director jobs? Cities with the most Foundation Director job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Foundation jobs? The most popular types of Foundation jobs are:
What states have the most Foundation Director jobs? States with the most job openings for Foundation Director jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Foundation Director jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Foundation Director jobs are:
Foundation Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Foundation Director job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 25% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,257 per year, or $53.5 per hour.
Foundation Director - Gift Services

Foundation Director - Gift Services

Houston Methodist Corporate

Houston, TX

Full-time

Posted 12 days ago

Houston Methodist rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 290 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

56th of 864 rated healthcare providers

Job description

At Houston Methodist, the Foundation Director Gift Services is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of all aspects of gift processing, including gift acceptance and accurate recording of philanthropic gifts and commitments, ensuring alignment of gift services with Foundation goals and institutional priorities.
Prefer candidate with knowledge of financial systems and processes; highly computer literate with strong Microsoft Office skills – particularly Excel; and experience with fundraising CRM systems. This position collaborates with Foundation staff and other internal stakeholders on the design and implementation of strategies for operational efficiency, service excellence, and comprehensive fund management to achieve the goals of maintaining donor trust, ensuring effective donor stewardship and compliance with federal/state regulations and institutional policies. Collaborates with Foundation fundraising program leaders to develop timelines, tracking, and processes in support of program goals. Drives continuous improvement and leverage technology to enhance efficiency, accuracy, donor service, and alignment with industry best practices. Director also manages the production of gift agreements/statements of gift intent for major and principal gifts. Duties also include serving as the senior liaison to Houston Methodist Finance/Treasury teams on all philanthropic gift processing, reconciliation, financial closings, and audit matters.
The Foundation Director Gift Services position responsibilities include managing the daily work activities of the work unit/department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence, and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position provides guidance to staff and is responsible for staffing, budget compliance, contributing to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching, and counseling employees on work-related performance, and assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also implements training, monitoring and operations initiatives that secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.
FLSA STATUS
Exempt
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
  • Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, finance, or related degree

EXPERIENCE
  • Eight years of experience in gift processing/administration, accounting, or fund management related experience in non-profit, of which one year must have been in a people management role. For internal employees, seven years of experience in relevant field with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility
  • Healthcare fundraising experience preferred

SKILLS AND ABILITIES
  • Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
  • Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
  • Ability to effectively communicate through a variety of channels with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles; engages the recipient(s) and helps them understand and retain the message
  • Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
  • Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
  • Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
  • Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
  • Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
  • Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
  • Working knowledge of all aspects of gift cycle, including gift entry and acknowledgment preferred
  • Knowledge of the IRS regulations as they pertain to gift acceptance, processing, receipt delivery, and 501(c)3 organizational operations
  • Ability to identify errors and determine strategies to mitigate future risk
  • Relational database experience, including data entry, query construction, report creation, and data manipulation
  • Experience with financial reconciliation and audit processes

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in the department. Provides development and mentoring of staff. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover. Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.
  • Provides fair and consistent leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
  • Facilitates and promotes effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
  • Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.
  • Collaborates with various Foundation units to support Foundation goals and best in class donor experience and fund management. Participates in strategic planning for Foundation operations and donor systems.
  • Partners with Foundation Finance and Donor Relations/Stewardship teams; hospital finance/treasury; departments; and service lines on fund establishment, revenue classification, gift reporting, and internal/external audits.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Plans and organizes day-to-day department operations, schedule and activities. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
  • Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
  • Supports fundraising initiatives and campaign gift tracking by assessing progress, accuracy and timeliness of gift entry.
  • Serves as primary liaison to Corporate Finance/Treasury unit and as resource to Foundation staff and donors on gift processing related issues and accounting of giving, including the management of donor inquiries by phone or through the dedicated inbox.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines, including infection control principles. Monitors and confirms staff maintain their required credentials that demonstrate competency per accrediting agency or department guidelines as applicable.
  • Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.
  • Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, reporting accidents, near misses, and/or adverse events immediately per department protocol and identifying solutions via collaboration. Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
  • Monitors self and employee compliance with policies, procedures, and System HR Standards of Practice and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
  • Oversees the full cycle of gift processing, ensuring that all gifts are posted, acknowledged, and transferred efficiently, timely and accurately in accordance with federal/state, Foundation and institutional policies and procedures. Establishes protocol for the protection and privacy of donor records, including the electronic management, organization, and security of donor files.
  • Develops and implements policies and procedures for all aspects of the gift processing cycle, month and year-end financial closings, pledge management, write-offs, reconciliations, and standards for best-in-class donor experience, timeliness, and accuracy.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Assists in the development of department budget and ensures that the department operates in a cost-effective manner. Manages/audits department expenses within approved budget parameters, ensuring that the department meets the budgeted/flex revenue and/or expense targets on a monthly and annual basis. Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department/patient needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
  • Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
  • Oversees the administration of all charitable pledges and gifts, including cash, check, credit card, ACH, wire, securities, matching gift, planned gift, and gift-in-kind tender types. Ensures proper accounting of gifts for compliance with donor restrictions and institutional policies, including endowed and restricted current use gifts.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department operations or other department-specific measures by leading unit projects and/or other department/system directed/shared governance activities. Supports change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
  • Proactively evaluates processes; recommends and implements action plan(s) for change; follows through to ensure effective, sustainable change. Participates in the development and implementation of new procedures and the review and revision of existing procedures.
  • Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals.
  • Seeks opportunities to identify developmental needs of self and staff and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development Plan (MDP) on an ongoing basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development.
  • Maintains awareness of charitable giving regulations, gift types, nonprofit accounting principles and industry trends/best practices in gift processing and administration.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
    WORK ATTIRE
    • Uniform: No
    • Scrubs: No
    • Business professional: Yes
    • Other (department approved): No

    ON-CALL*
    *Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
    • On Call* No

    TRAVEL**
    **Travel specifications may vary by department**
    • May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
    • May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
  • Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, finance, or related degree

EXPERIENCE
  • Eight years of experience in gift processing/administration, accounting, or fund management related experience in non-profit, of which one year must have been in a people management role. For internal employees, seven years of experience in relevant field with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility
  • Healthcare fundraising experience preferred

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, seven community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care clinics, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Come lead with us!

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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