About the Position

The Associate Director, Institutional Giving, Business & Program Development, is a vital member of the team responsible for fundraising to fulfill the organization's mission as a nonprofit think tank dedicated to connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them.

Reporting to the Director, Institutional Giving, and in collaboration with colleagues on the Programmatic Fundraising Team, the incumbent will develop compelling materials and solicitation strategies to engage funders across the Institutional Giving portfolio and in alignment with the Institute's programs in Health, Strategic Philanthropy, and Finance.

The Associate Director will be responsible for overseeing the solicitation cycle, administration, and stewardship of grants from foundations, corporations, and other institutional funders. The role requires managing a prospect pipeline, tracking deliverables including impact measures for reporting, synthesizing quantitative and qualitative data, leading on cross-departmental communications efforts, and maintaining productive and professional internal and external relationships.

The Milken Institute is looking for a candidate with proven grant writing experience and strong relationship-building and communication skills, with an interest in and experience using new tools and platforms, including AI, to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of grants processes. Additionally, an understanding of best practices in research and the monitoring and evaluation of non-profit programs is desired, as is experience managing donor relationships and evolving strategy and evaluation priorities.

Responsibilities

• In coordination with Health, Finance, and Strategic Philanthropy Pillar staff, develop and effectively articulate the case for support of Milken Institute programs and submit LOIs and proposals in alignment with the Institute's fundraising goals.
• Steward funder relationships and oversee management of grants, including supporting engagement opportunities, where needed (i.e., event support, publications review, etc.).
• With supervision from the Director, Institutional Giving, create solicitation strategies and manage research to build the organization's funder portfolio.
• Represent the Institutional Giving team in meetings and pro-actively collaborate across the Milken Institute's departments and project teams.
• Ensure the accuracy of data within the Milken Institute's systems (Salesforce, SharePoint, etc.)
• Coordinate with the Business & Program Development team on Milken Institute event needs, including opportunities for funder stewardship and prospect cultivation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Minimum 5-8 years of experience in grant fundraising and/or management (or comparable work).
• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to craft and execute effective outreach strategies tailored to various internal and external audiences.
• Effective project management skills.
• Technically savvy and proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and facility with CRM platforms and donor management tools, with Salesforce experience a plus.
• Proficiency with developing dashboards and visualizations to communicate grant progress, including usage of AI such as Claude and Copilot where appropriate.

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

This position will work in a professional office environment on a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to the Santa Monica office location (Tuesday - Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. Please understand, this schedule is subject to change at the Institute's sole discretion.

This person will also be required to travel occasionally to other offices and/or venues to assist with events as needed, requiring occasional work outside of traditional hours. Domestic travel is possible. Additionally, this position requires interacting virtually on a regular basis with Milken Institute staff based in other locations in the United States and around the world.

Note

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment.

Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan - 403b (5% match)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Personal, Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Fertility Support
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs)
• Pet Insurance Discount
• Training & Development:
• LinkedIn Learning - over 15,000 self-guided classes offered
• Annual Mentor Program
• Wellness Resources:
• Employee Assistance Program
• CALM app membership