About Us: At the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF), our mission is to connect passion with possibility, inspire generosity, and support greatness at the University of Minnesota by placing donors at the heart of everything we do and every decision we make. UMF is a nonprofit organization responsible for raising and managing gifts to the University of Minnesota.   For more information about UMF, please visit https://give.umn.edu/about/about-umf.

About the role: The Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) team at the University of Minnesota Foundation serves as relationship managers for corporations and manages system-wide partnerships. Working collaboratively with all key stakeholders, CFR aligns University and industry priorities to yield mutually beneficial results. Because many companies have multiple interests and activities, campus and system-wide, CFR partners with the President’s office, Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, Sponsored Projects Administration, Technology Commercialization, and Office for Equity and Diversity to provide coordinated industry relationships. The UMF Corporate and Foundation Relations team currently has two open positions: 

Foundations Relations Associate:

Role & Responsibilities

• Work with faculty, staff and Corporate and Foundation Relations Development Officers to qualify and manage a portfolio of foundation donors and prospects.  
• Qualify new foundation prospects and manage a group of existing partnerships. Identify, cultivate and solicit investments in coordination with University partners.
• Support the development and management of gift/charitable grant proposals and relationships between the private sector and units across the University of Minnesota system.
• Manage the foundation RFP process by promoting funding opportunities, supporting units interested in pursuing funding opportunities, and developing and submitting charitable grant proposals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of two years of professional development experience with demonstrated ability to promote and successfully solicit gifts or sponsorships in corporate or private foundation setting; or two or more years of experience in marketing, consultative sales, public relations, financial advisement, real estate or related field where cultivation/solicitation and maintenance of client relationships for provision of services was a primary responsibility. 

Corporate Relations Associate:

Roles & Responsibilities

• Support the growing Corporate and Foundations Relations (CFR) efforts of the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and Medicine & Health (MedHealth).  
• Work closely with unit leaders, faculty, staff, and CFR officers to qualify, cultivate, manage, and steward a portfolio of corporate and foundation partners.  
• Qualify new corporate prospects and manage a group of existing partnerships around talent development, research collaboration, branding visibility, and executive engagement for CSE and MedHealth.
• Connect UMN researchers to external technical experts to develop basic research, clinical trials, and licensing collaborations. Work with internal and external stakeholders to grow the STEM workforce.  
• Serve as the primary manager for a portfolio of CFR prospects capable of making gifts and major gifts of $25,000 and above.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or a combination of related education and work experience in prospect, business, law or library research to total at least four years.
• Demonstrated experience working with data in a wide variety of formats. 
• Ability to analyze and report a wide range of research findings.

Both of these roles must demonstrate commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment (exhibit 100% of the time)

We take care of you:

• Comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes medical, vision, dental, and pharmacy coverage; life insurance; retirement; long-term care insurance; and disability coverage.

• Come. Work. Stay. Play. The U of M is conveniently accessible by light rail, bus, and bike. And we offer discounted bus transportation through our “U-Pass” program.

• The University of Minnesota embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.

Diversity: The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission.  The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds. The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.  To learn more about diversity at the University of Minnesota:  http://diversity.umn.edu.

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment. Please note: All employees at the University of Minnesota are required to report complete vaccination against COVID-19 or submit documentation requesting a medical or religious exemption on their first day of employment. To learn more, please visit the University's COVID-19 Response webpage.

How to Apply: Applications must be submitted online through the U of M Careers site.  To submit your application, please use one of the following links: Corporate Relations Associate or Foundations Relations Associate. If you have any difficulties or questions while applying feel free to contact Jeff Karr, Recruiter at karr0097@umn.edu.