Senior Director, Development & Strategic Partnerships

Position Title: Senior Director, Development & Strategic Partnerships          

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer

Position Status: Full-time, exempt

Work Location: Our team works an in-office hybrid schedule (Tuesday–Thursday) at our Washington D.C. headquarters. We are focused on finding the right person for this critical role; remote candidates are encouraged to apply, with the expectation of periodic travel to DC and to key funder meetings and marquee events.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $190,000-$215,000. EFIF offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance; 401k with a 5% match and 3% auto-enroll; life and long-term disability insurance; pet insurance; and a pre-tax Flexible Savings Account, Health Savings Account, and parking and metro benefits. We have generous annual paid time off, including 15 days of vacation, 10 days of sick leave, plus all federal holidays and the week between December 25 and January 1.

About EFI Foundation

EFI Foundation (EFIF) is a DC-based nonpartisan energy innovation lab/hub founded by Ernest J. Moniz, the 13th U.S. Energy Secretary. The organization advances science-based policy solutions to accelerate the clean energy transition. In just a decade, EFIF has contributed to more than a dozen federal initiatives, including provisions in the bipartisan Energy Act of 2020, as well as key aspects of subsequent legislation introducing investment incentives for clean energy and the creation of a $100 million new office at the Department of Energy to accelerate the deployment of key technologies. This video overview offers a survey of EFIF’s work. This role will build on that success by bringing our achievements to a wider audience of supporters and financially positioning EFIF for a second decade of thought leadership and policy impact.

EFIF is the preeminent thought leader in energy technology. Its staff have testified at more than a dozen Congressional hearings, are sought-after moderators and speakers at signature events and have been on stages at DC and NYC Climate Weeks; CERAWeek; and events in the UAE, London, Brussels, and Prague in the last year alone. Our analysts and founder appear regularly in Tier One media outlets, and the organization brings exceptional expertise and experience to the energy transition landscape. As the organization enters its second decade, this newly created role will leverage the organizations’ extraordinary talent and expertise, and translate those assets into greater organizational visibility, stronger public partnerships, and ultimately higher and more sustained levels of philanthropic support.  

Position Overview 

EFIF seeks a seasoned development professional to work collaboratively with the senior management team as a key architect and partner in the organization’s next chapter. Building on a decade of programmatic success, this new team member will expand the organization’s portfolio of philanthropic partners, while building on the structure, discipline and operational oversight of EFIF’s fundraising program. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role will serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, responsible for both co-developing and executing on our development strategy, working in close partnership with colleagues across the organization to build EFIF’s brand and network, diversify its revenue portfolio, and drive the growth that will support the organization’s ambitious programmatic agenda.

This Senior Director, Development & Strategic Partnerships will grow EFIF’s multi-channel fundraising program that prioritizes multi-year investments, unrestricted support and revenue diversification. In addition to deepening a culture of philanthropy and growing our development functions, this leader will expand the organization’s cohort of corporate partners, activate EFIF’s board network, and build healthy and diverse pipelines that will lead to 6 and 7-figure gifts. 

The new senior director will:

1. Continue to develop and grow the organization’s development infrastructure, including implementing systems for effective pipeline management, budget forecasting, CRM, and management systems.
   
2. Work with senior leadership to develop and implement a fundraising strategy that lays the groundwork for increased unrestricted funding and supports the organization's intent to move from project-based funding to multi-year, institutional support, including setting measurable goals, defining the path to achieve them, and executing against that plan.
   
3. Advance a multi-channel cultivation strategy that strengthens organizational pipelines, engages prospective and current major donors, activates board networks, increases institutional support, and expands corporate engagement.
   
4. Expand the organization’s Innovator’s Circle, a group of high-net-worth individuals and corporations that financially support EFIF.
   
5. Partner closely with the organization’s program leadership to leverage the organization’s sizeable research capacity and programmatic talent for specific funding opportunities.

General Time Breakdown

• Major Gift Fundraising (40%) Close six- and seven-figure commitments from foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and corporate partners.
• Pipeline Management (30%) Build a disciplined funnel: prospect identification, cultivation, proposals, CRM, and revenue forecasting.
• Board Activation (15%) Mobilize senior leadership and board networks to convert relationships into philanthropic partnerships.
• Corporate & Membership Growth (15%) Identify and expand mission-aligned corporate partnerships and membership opportunities.

Who You Are

• A strategic development professional with experience as a fundraiser and relationship builder who can cultivate and close 6 and 7-figure major gifts from foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and corporate partners.
• A pipeline-driven operator who understands how to build and manage a disciplined development funnel with clear coverage targets, renewal strategies, and multi-year commitments.
• A senior manager with executive presence who brings experience and comfort in activating senior leadership and board networks to expand EFIF’s reach.
• An entrepreneurial and self-motivated professional who can build compelling narratives and persuasively speak to the organization's value proposition and programming.
• Highly organized and data-driven, using CRM tools and forecasting practices to track pipelines, manage donor relationships, and improve close rates.
• A collaborative partner to program leadership, helping translate research initiatives into fundable opportunities and aligning development strategies with EFIF’s organizational priorities.
• A credible external representative who can engage philanthropies, corporations, and major donors with professionalism and clarity about EFIF’s mission and impact.
• Experience working in nimble organizations, with the ability to generate new ideas, align key collaborators, and own implementation from strategy through execution.
• Aligned with our mission and motivated by mission-driven work, with an interest in advancing pragmatic solutions to energy, climate, and technology challenges.

What you Bring: 

• 10+ years of leadership experience in fundraising, partnerships, or development experience, ideally in policy, philanthropy, corporate philanthropy, think tanks, research institutions, or mission-driven organizations.
• Demonstrated success in securing large gifts or partnerships (e.g., six- and seven-figure commitments) from foundations, corporations, or major donors.
• Experience managing and expanding fundraising pipelines, including prospect identification, cultivation, proposal development, and closing multi-year commitments.
• Track record of working with senior leadership or boards to activate networks and advance fundraising strategies.
• Experience managing donor relationships and pipelines in a CRM system, with a strong emphasis on forecasting and pipeline coverage discipline.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex policy or research initiatives into compelling funding opportunities.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial nonprofit environment where fundraising strategy is closely integrated with organizational strategy and program development.
• Familiarity with the philanthropic and policy landscape in Washington, DC and the energy sector more broadly.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.
• Must have work authorization in the U.S.

Don’t meet every single requirement?

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. EFIF is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY

EFIF is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Women, people of color, LGBT individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents with the right to work and live in the U.S., and veterans are encouraged to apply. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

If you need assistance or accommodation for this job application due to a disability, you may contact us at info@efifoundation.org.