About this role
Johns Hopkins University offers an exceptional opportunity to shape a more connected and ambitious approach to corporate engagement. As the first research university, Johns Hopkins’ faculty, clinicians, researchers, students, and institutional leaders are transforming the world through advancing discovery within and across sectors. The successful candidate will help unlock the full potential of this ecosystem by connecting corporate partners with bold ideas, interdisciplinary expertise, and opportunities for meaningful philanthropic investment. The Sr. Director for Corporate Philanthropy and Strategy works across organizational boundaries, deepening high-value relationships, and positions Johns Hopkins as a partner of choice for corporations seeking lasting societal impact.
Reporting into the Associate Vice President for Advancement, with a dotted line into the Chief Innovation Officer for Johns Hopkins, the Sr. Director will serve as the lead strategist for corporate philanthropy, ensuring fundraising opportunities are identified, coordinated, and fully integrated into the university’s broader corporate engagement and revenue strategy. As a senior development leader, the Sr. Director will drive strategy at an enterprise level, builds internal alignment around corporate development activity, and advances sustained, multi-year fundraising success, leveraging institutional and individual relationships. The Sr. Director will combine philanthropic expertise with deep institutional knowledge to advance high-value corporate relationships in support of Johns Hopkins’ highest priorities. Working closely with DAR and university leadership, the Sr. Director will establish priorities, convene stakeholders, monitor progress, and build the systems and partnerships needed for the long-term growth and effectiveness of corporate philanthropy across the institution.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities:
Corporate Philanthropy Strategy:
- Manage a select portfolio of prospective and ongoing corporations and corporate foundations. Partner with university leadership and the Office of Principal Gifts to advance high-value corporate-affiliated prospects and executive donors.
- Lead corporate philanthropy strategy in partnership with the Sr. Director of Corporate Engagement, aligning philanthropic opportunities with other forms of corporate engagement and development across Hopkins.
- Develop fundraising strategies for priority corporate accounts, including corporate foundations, sponsorships, and executive philanthropy. This includes identifying where key pieces of the strategy may have opportunities in philanthropic and non-philanthropic engagement. Serve as an expert on identifying which components of corporate entity engagement are philanthropic and advise on gift accounting accordingly.
- Discover and leverage corporate partner interests to advance and invest in JHU priorities and programs.
- Serve as DAR's central leader and tracker for corporate fundraising activity across schools, divisions, and development teams. Work closely with DAR leaders across JHU to ensure that they have the tools they need to excel in the highly complex Hopkins corporation fundraising and engagement landscape.
- Oversee advancement efforts for Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures ensuring fundraising and engagement efforts are integrated into the larger corporate strategy.
- Engage with alumni, trustee, and donors to continue to build robust mentor and industry relationships for faculty and student entrepreneurs and inventors to maximize the positive impact on the world.
- Co-lead enterprise account planning with the Sr. Director of Corporate Engagement to ensure philanthropic opportunities are explored in all major corporate relationships. Collaborate with faculty, administrators, and DAR colleagues to plan and execute engagement and solicitation strategies.
- Oversee corporate philanthropy pipeline management, performance tracking, and opportunity identification. Facilitate strategy sessions with stakeholders to align on corporate philanthropy opportunities.
- Represent DAR in corporate strategy governance and help establish shared metrics, CRM standards, and relationship management protocols.
Corporate Engagement and Impact:
- In partnership with the Sr. Director of Corporate Engagement jointly: establish and deepen strategies for top corporate relationships, coordinate executive engagement strategies with corporate entities, maintain visibility into ongoing corporate activity; track shared performance metrics, and convene stakeholders around complex corporate opportunities.
- Leverage engagement and existing DAR relationships with individual stakeholders to deepen corporate engagement opportunities.
Team Management and Leadership:
- Lead and develop a team of professional and support staff; establish priorities, assign responsibilities, monitor performance, facilitate professional development, resolve conflicts, and ensure accountability for organizational goals.
- Direct personnel actions, including hiring, performance management, promotions, transfers, and workforce planning, in accordance with university policies and procedures.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with senior university leaders, faculty, DAR colleagues, donors, and external partners; serve as a senior advocate and collaborative partner for shared corporate relationships and philanthropic opportunities across units.
- Establish multi-year goals and performance measures for the corporate philanthropy program; evaluate progress, adjust strategies as needed, and communicate results to DAR and university leadership.
- Develop and manage the program budget and other resources, ensuring responsible stewardship and alignment with institutional priorities.
- Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, ethical standards, university policies, and donor intent in the development, acceptance, administration, and use of philanthropic support.
- Represent DAR and Johns Hopkins at public events, meetings, and speaking engagements as appropriate.
Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree.
- 10 years of related professional experience, with five plus years leading corporate engagement or philanthropy within a complex institution.
- Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree.
- 15+ years of related professional experience.
- 10 years of experience within the corporate sector and/or venture capitalism.
- Experience and expertise in venture philanthropy.
- Experience in engagement, solicitation and stewardship of $50m+ corporate relationships.
- Experience in complex higher education and academic medical center environments.
Skills and Competencies:
- Exceptional knowledge of corporate engagement in all forms. Strong ability to distinguish which opportunities for corporate engagement with a non-profit, research institution align with philanthropy.
- Building effective networks and trusted working relationships across a complex, highly matrixed institution.
- Setting a clear vision, translating institutional priorities into actionable strategies, and making sound decisions amid complexity and ambiguity.
- Developing others through clear expectations, coaching, meaningful feedback, and accountability for results.
- Building consensus and collaboration while navigating competing priorities and maintaining focus on mission, strategy, and measurable outcomes.
- Leading with adaptability, empathy, authenticity, and transparency.
- Executive-level communication, judgment, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
- Advanced knowledge of complex fundraising, corporate donor engagement, proposal development, stewardship, and development operations.
Classified Title: Sr. Director Corporate Relations
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Sr. Director, Corporate Philanthropy and Strategy
Role/Level/Range: L/05/LI
Starting Salary Range: $175,000.00 -$260,000.00
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Hybrid: On-site 3-4 days a week
Department name: 10001630-Sr. VP Development & Alumni Relations
Personnel area: University Administration
This salary range does not include all components of the JHU Development compensation program. This position may be eligible for a discretionary bonus. Therefore, the actual compensation paid to the selected candidate may vary slightly from the salary range stated herein. For more information, please contact the hiring department.