FUSE is seeking a dynamic Director of Philanthropic Partnerships to champion excellence in development systems, storytelling, and funder engagement that advance the FUSE mission. Reporting to the Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships, this leader will direct the lifecycle of major grants and donor relationships—from prospecting and proposals to reporting and stewardship—while strengthening operations, data management, and collaboration across teams in a vibrant, mission-driven culture.

Location: FUSE is a fully virtual organization, and this position can be based remotely from anywhere in the United States.

Annual Salary: This position offers a non-negotiable annual salary of $132,000, along with robust benefits. More details can be provided upon request.

About FUSE

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and community stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward high-priority local needs. Projects address today’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including affordable housing, economic mobility, climate resilience, public safety, infrastructure, technology, and more.

FUSE conducts a full executive search for each individual project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the community being served.

Executive Fellows are embedded in government agencies working with senior leaders for at least one year of full-time work. Prospective responsibilities may include thorough data analytics and research, developing enhanced operations and financial models, building change management and strategic planning processes, and/or building broad coalitions to support project implementation efforts. Executive Fellows are data-driven and results-oriented, and able to effectively manage complex projects. They build strong relationships with a broad array of stakeholders, foster alignment within and across various layers of government, and build partnerships between governments and communities.

Throughout the fellowships, Executive Fellows receive training, coaching, and professional support to help achieve their project goals.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships, the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships leads FUSE’s portfolio of institutional and major donors, overseeing the full grant and donor lifecycle—from prospecting and proposal development to reporting, renewal, and stewardship. The Director will work with partners across departments to drive a coordinated, data-informed fundraising process and ensure excellence in systems, storytelling, and funder engagement. This hands-on leader strengthens cross-team collaboration, supports strategic cultivation efforts with the Vice President and senior leadership, and helps build a strong, organization-wide culture of philanthropy. This role is part of a growing team and, in the future, may have a direct report.

Key Responsibilities - Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following:

Strategic Fundraising Development

  • Partner with the Vice President to design and execute annual fundraising plans that advance FUSE’s multi-year campaign and revenue goals.
  • Manage a growing portfolio of institutional and major funders, leading the planning and execution of proposals and stewardship reports to help build and strengthen long-term funder relationships.
  • Utilize Salesforce as a tool for tracking progress and ensuring timely, high-quality submissions and reports aligned with funder expectations and FUSE’s mission.

Grant & Donor Management

  • Oversee the full lifecycle of grants and major gifts, engaging cross-departmental team members to ensure alignment of narratives, budgets, and outcomes.
  • Coordinate and work closely with Program & Evaluation, Finance & Operations, Strategic Partnerships, and Marketing & Communications to manage the proposal and reporting processes and deliver cohesive, data-informed materials.
  • Build and maintain core content and templates that support consistent, compelling funding communications, fostering long-term engagement.
  • Develop strategic stewardship plans through various vehicles, including funder briefings, site visits, and impact updates, with the involvement of key FUSE stakeholders.

Systems & Operations

  • Foster a team culture along with professional growth, data accuracy, and operational efficiency.
  • Establish and oversee departmental systems, including Salesforce, reporting dashboards, and standard operating procedures, to ensure the effective use of tools and resources.
  • Partner with Finance & Operations to manage grant documentation, compliance, and audit readiness.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Department Operations

  • Support the Vice President in working across departments to help align philanthropic strategies with priority geographies, fellowship timelines, and impact reporting.
  • Contribute to organization-wide efforts to build a culture of philanthropy.
  • Support continuous process improvement in all aspects of work to build long-term sustainability and excellence.

Required Skills and Experience

  • A passion for civic innovation and a belief that local government can affect change in people's lives.
  • 10+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, grants management, or institutional giving, preferably within a complex or multi-stakeholder nonprofit.
  • Proven track record managing high-quality proposals and reports for major foundations and funders.
  • Knowledge of philanthropic trends, major foundation practices, and donor engagement strategies.
  • Demonstrated experience managing and mentoring staff, improving workflows, and managing multiple priorities.
  • Demonstrated experience with cross-functional collaboration working in a team environment to support department and organizational goals.
  • Exceptional project management, communication, and organizational skills.
  • Strong systems orientation with fluency in Salesforce, Google Workspace (or Microsoft Office), and document management tools (Dropbox or equivalent).
  • Experience designing or refining CRM dashboards and data protocols.
  • Ability to build trust, lead through influence, and coordinate effectively across remote teams.

Apply

Please submit an application and cover letter at https://fuse.org/careers/ by clicking on the associated job description. The cover letter should explain your motivation to join FUSE and how you anticipate leveraging your experience in this role.

FUSE is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.