Director, Development – Institutional Philanthropy
Location: Location Agnostic (available to work US East Coast / EST hours)
Type: Full-time, Remote
Reports to: Vice President, Development (EST)
About Grassroot Soccer (GRS)
Grassroot Soccer (GRS) is an adolescent health organization that utilizes the power of soccer to equip young people with the life-saving information, services, and mentorship they need to live healthier lives.
Since 2002, GRS has reached over 25 million young people in 60+ countries with life-saving HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Position Overview
We are seeking a proactive and strategic Director of Development, Institutional Philanthropy to join our dynamic business development team.
This individual will be a creative fundraiser with a proven track record of securing large, multi-year grants from corporate, foundation, and government sources. The ideal candidate will have exceptional writing and proposal development skills, as well as the ability to build and manage relationships with funders.
They should be strategic, proactive, resourceful, and hungry to find new opportunities. They will develop innovative approaches to fit Grassroot Soccer priorities with the goals of our funding partners.
If you are an experienced business development professional with the drive to take our funding to the next level, we encourage you to apply!
The Director of Development – Institutional Philanthropy is responsible for securing unrestricted and restricted funding for GRS programs and strategic priorities across foundations, corporations, and multi/bilateral donors.
Reporting to the VP, Development, and working in close collaboration with the executive, development, programs, research, and strategy teams, this position will develop and manage institutional fundraising strategy and lead key members of the development team.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy, Proposal Development, and Portfolio Management: Corporates & Foundations (50%)
- Build and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to grow and diversify unrestricted and restricted revenue (~$2M/year).
- Grow and manage portfolio of current and prospective funders, including discovery, qualification, strategy building, proposal writing, cultivation, stewardship, and relationship management.
- Partner with internal stakeholders on funder/prospect strategy and relationship management.
- Lead development of internal briefs for key donors to support strategic positioning and trend spotting.
- Communicate GRS programs and impact in ways that align with funder priorities.
- Share funder engagement best practices across the organization and actively contribute to a culture of philanthropy and stewardship.
Institutional Funding Team Management and Operations (20%)
- Develop and support the Development team in grant and proposal development, grant management and reporting, and prospecting.
- Manage the Institutional Philanthropy team and related consultants.
- Partner with Development and Marketing teams on communications and key funder engagement opportunities.
- Oversee department budget, dashboard, and KPIs in line with GRS’s 5-year plan.
- Ensure donor management systems are optimized for tracking and reporting.
- Provide regular reports and analysis to leadership, board, and other stakeholders.
Strategy, Partnership Development, and Portfolio Management: Government/Multilaterals (10%)
- Oversee, develop, and manage GRS’s pipeline of government, bilateral, and multilateral funding opportunities.
- Lead development of internal briefs for donor positioning and trend spotting.
- Support bid strategy for prospective government/multilateral awards, including capacity statements, teaming agreements, and budgets.
- Support strategic partnerships with donors, INGOs, and local NGOs.
- Advise on country-level strategy, including networking, meetings, and technical briefings.
Other Responsibilities (15%)
- Explore new restricted/unrestricted revenue sources and partnerships.
- Represent GRS at conferences and events to build visibility and networks.
- Partner with teams to provide programmatic updates to key funders.
- Support GRS events (e.g., Gala) involving funders and partners.
- Prepare briefing materials and engagement collateral for leadership.
- Other responsibilities as assigned.
Anticipated Travel: ~20% (domestic and international)
Qualifications and Competencies
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher.
- 7–10+ years’ non-profit/NGO experience securing 6–7 figure funding from corporates, foundations, and institutional funders.
- 3+ years’ managerial experience.
- Strong background in grant management and proposal development for 6-figure+ opportunities.
- Experience in pipeline development and delivering results in decentralized, global organizations.
Preferred:
- Experience working with top global health funders (e.g., Gates, Wellcome Trust, CIFF).
- Knowledge of funder priorities, business practices, rules, and regulations.
The Ideal Candidate:
- Relationship Builder & Hustler: Skilled at identifying, managing, and growing funder relationships.
- People Person: High EQ, exceptional team collaboration across cultures and time zones.
- Creative & Strategic Thinker: Thrives in ambiguity, reframes opportunities, and aligns with funder priorities.
- Exceptional Communicator: Simplifies complexity, communicates persuasively, and adapts messaging.
- Process & Systems Manager: Skilled in turning leads into proposals and using tools for revenue tracking.
- Strong Writer: Attention to detail, adaptable to different audiences and formats.
Leadership Qualities at GRS
Successful leaders at Grassroot Soccer are bold, yet humble. They are passionate about the mission and understand their role in achieving it.
Day-to-day, they are:
- Proactive – anticipate opportunities and obstacles.
- Professional – level-headed and solutions-focused.
- Problem Solvers – comfortable with ambiguity, unlocking bottlenecks.
They demonstrate:
- Common Sense – making informed, timely decisions.
- Self-Awareness – recognizing blind spots and building complementary teams.
They have a strong bias for:
- Follow-through and Outcomes – delivering results, not just activity.
- Treating People Well – empathetic, kind, and accountable.
Application Process
All candidates should apply using the following link:
👉 https://forms.gle/rdqTTsysCaDVw7Gd6
Application Deadline: Open until filled. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Benefits & Commitment
At GRS, we are committed to fostering a workplace where all employees feel valued, supported, and empowered.
We offer:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Retirement plan
- Paid time off
- Professional development opportunities
Salaries are competitive and based on experience, qualifications, and geographic location.
Grassroot Soccer is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that all employees—regardless of background—have equal access to opportunities for growth and success.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.