Senior Manager, Foundation Relations

Overview

Reports To: Senior Director, Institutional Philanthropy & Partnerships
Job Type: Full-time; Exempt
Region: United States
Location: Remote or Cambridge, MA
Start Date: Immediately
Contact: Please apply by using the company site.

About Root Capital
Agriculture is the key to unlocking a better future for billions of people. But while rural families sustain the world, they struggle to sustain themselves. Root Capital is a nonprofit social impact investor that puts its money where others don’t – in underserved agricultural businesses.

We provide financing and business training to agricultural enterprises in the “missing middle” – those that are too big for microloans but too small for commercial lenders. As these agricultural businesses succeed and scale, they become engines of impact that help farming families, communities, and economies to flourish.

Founded in 1999, we are the largest social investor in agricultural businesses. As both a lender and a nonprofit, our unique model allows us to go where other financiers don’t and support agricultural enterprises so they can succeed and grow. Our world-class team of experts identifies, partners with, and invests in exceptional agricultural entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Over 23 years, Root Capital has invested $1.8 billion in more than 750 agricultural enterprises, proving these under-served businesses are bankable and investable. We have shown that access to finance helps these enterprises succeed and fuels the economy. Root Capital’s investments and essential business and finance training have impacted 10 million farming families through job creation, financial security, and climate resiliency. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, we currently have offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Ghana, and Kenya.

Position Overview
The Senior Manager, Foundation Relations at Root Capital serves as a conduit between our programmatic staff and foundation partners, identifying mutually beneficial partnerships that further our mission and support the objectives of our foundation partners. The position plays a key role in Root Capital’s Institutional Philanthropy and Partnerships (IPP) team within External Affairs (EA). The Senior Manager helps uncover the goals and interests of foundation prospects and donors and collect and synthesize information about Root to establish a compelling case for support and collaboration.

Responsibilities
Strategy Development (20%)

Develop and implement a comprehensive foundation fundraising pipeline to generate substantial support from private and family foundations.
Design and oversee strategy implementation for key prospective and current foundation partners.
Ensure internal understanding and alignment of the priorities, goals, and budgets of our foundation partnerships.
Develop and implement innovative stewardship and engagement opportunities for foundation partners.
Portfolio Management (35%)

Secure at least $5M / year in new commitments from portfolio in support of Root Capital’s mission.
Act as Primary Relationship Manager (PRM) for a portfolio of a minimum of 20 accounts, delivering on all aspects of relationship management including regular communications, development of and timely, accurate and professional submissions of solicitations and reports, and stewardship of the relationship to position Root Capital for funding opportunities.
Leverage content from Root Capital’s communications (client stories, impact studies, analyses, etc.) to engage foundation partners and prospects.
Represent Root Capital at meetings, conferences, and events important to the foundation portfolio.
Collaborate with colleagues to support Root Capital’s delivery on foundation expectations.
In partnership with the writing team, lead the team on the development and submission of funding concepts, proposals, and reports to ensure they resonate with the supporter.
Follow Root Capital’s procedures and practices to ensure accurate recording and reporting on foundation relationships and grants, including regular communications, call notes, solicitation procedures, reporting and payment schedules.
Utilize best practices for tracking, acknowledgment, and reporting progress to foundation partners.
Leads Development (35%)

Proactively identify, cultivate, solicit, and build relationships with foundation prospects, ensuring a strong pipeline of 15-20 prospects.
Conduct research and analysis on prospect’s interests and giving potential. Initiate and develop communication with prospective funding sources and persuasively articulate Root Capital’s needs.
Develop and implement Root Capital’s cultivation strategy, managing engagements and activating volunteer and staff stewards to play a key role in cultivating relationships.
Develop and execute strategies for the cultivation of influential players in the foundation grant making community, building and maintaining relationships with sources of new leads.
Organizational, Programmatic & Team Responsibilities (10%)

Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of Root Capital’s mission, programs, activities, resources, and funding needs.
Participate in organizational strategy development, ensuring appropriate consideration of foundation trends as well as specific donor insights and theories of change.
Represent department internally to support a shared understanding of EA’s priorities and processes.
Perform other relevant duties as assigned.
Required Skills and Experience
Proven fundraising ability, with a minimum of 7-10 years foundation fundraising experience.
Demonstrated knowledge of methods, practices and procedures for moving foundations through moves management stages (identification, discovery, cultivation, strategy, solicitation and stewardship).
Experience and comfort engaging with and soliciting senior foundation executives and board members.
Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills including the ability to effectively communicate to a wide range of external and internal constituents on complex, technical ideas.
Strong writing/editing skills w/ proven ability to distill complex technical content into accessible formats.
Highly motivated, well-organized, and able to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.
Strategy driven, entrepreneurial self-starter capable of thinking creatively, taking initiative, and working independently, while enjoying working collaboratively and knowing when to seek support.
Experience in international development and time in developing countries strongly preferred.
Knowledge of and interest in financial markets and/or impact investing.
Language skills (Spanish or French) strongly preferred.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.
Commitment to Root Capital’s mission.
How to Apply
More information about Root Capital is available at www.rootcapital.org. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply using the form below as soon as possible, making sure to include a resume and cover letter that describes your interest, qualifications, language abilities, salary requirements, and how you learned of the position. Finalist candidates will be required to provide at least three work-related references.

U.S applicants: Root Capital Inc. participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government your I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information, see here. Learn more about your right to work.

Root Capital provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, active military or veteran status, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, and breastfeeding and expressing breast milk), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Root Capital is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that upholds our leadership principles of empowerment, equity, integrity, service, and transparency.