Director, Corporate and Foundations Relations

Lehigh University's Development and Alumni Relations division is building something meaningful, a stronger bridge between one of the nation's leading research universities and the corporate and philanthropic communities that share its ambitions. If you're an experienced fundraising professional who knows how to turn institutional relationships into lasting partnerships, this is a role worth your attention. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of College Development and University Initiatives, you will take ownership of a strategic portfolio of corporate and foundation prospects, working side-by-side with academic leaders across Lehigh's colleges to align philanthropic priorities with external funding opportunities. Your work will span the full relationship cycle, from research and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Position Number: S84950

This position is a Grade: 11 - 40 with an approximate salary range of $83,910-$102,080 and is subject to change based on experience, skills and qualifications.

Key Accountabilities

• Identify potential corporate and foundation partners to build targeted, long-term strategies that align with college priorities.
• Cultivate strong relationships across all funder levels—including program officers, trustees, and C-suite executives—through regular visits and strategic outreach.
• Lead strategy sessions and partner with academic leaders, Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), and campus stakeholders to drive sponsored research and philanthropic support.
• Articulate the college's value proposition to secure funding and provide comprehensive stewardship, including detailed reporting and host visits for institutional partners.
• Partner with academic leaders, faculty, alumni, and Trustees to identify, build, and leverage relationships with corporations and foundations for gifts, grants, research, and data agreements.
• Coordinate and facilitate high-level campus visits, executive briefings, and follow-up strategies to secure and advance strategic institutional partnerships.
• Partner with faculty and deans to design and package university priority initiatives for funding opportunities.
• Participate in university-wide training and identify growth and leadership opportunities for the Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) team.
• Write complex, budgeted proposals in partnership with stakeholders, consulting with departments to present and secure funding for priority projects.
• Work closely with DAR teams to streamline workflows, integrate prospect strategies, and maintain accurate records in the primary database.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Liberal Arts, STEM or Business field
• Five to eights years in development, fundraising, or a related field, ideally in higher education or non-profit setting
• Experience with major gift fundraising, writing foundation grants and capital campaigns
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, with the ability to craft compelling messages and engage donors/foundations at every level
• Experience event planning and project management, with a track record of successfully executing events
• Ability to work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including faculty, staff, alumni and leadership
• Proficiency in fundraising software (e.g. Blackbaud, Raiser's Edge or similar CRM) and Microsoft Office Suite

Why Lehigh

Lehigh offers a genuinely distinctive environment for advancement professionals — a research-intensive university with the collegial culture of a smaller institution, located in the Lehigh Valley with accessible connections to New York and Philadelphia. Lehigh University offers a comprehensive and family friendly benefits package which includes but is not limited to Health Care, Retirement and Educational benefits. The university's continued investment in its development infrastructure means you'll have real resources behind your work.

Lehigh University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate. We are committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse community and we seek qualified candidates to contribute to the university's mission.

Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing an accommodation for any part of the interview or hiring process may contact Lehigh's Accommodations Specialist.

Special Considerations

• This position includes driving as a routine function, therefore a valid Driver's License and a good driving record is required.

Successful completion of standard background checks including but not limited to: social security verification, education verification, national criminal background checks, motor vehicle checks, PATCH, FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Clearance and credit history based upon the requirements of the position.

Only complete applications will be considered therefore please complete the application in its entirety. Once the posting is removed from the website applications may no longer be allowed to be completed.

Advertised: July 30, 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled

About Lehigh University

Founded in 1865, Lehigh University is a premier coeducational, nondenominational, private residential research university that offers a distinctive academic environment for undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe.

Lehigh offers more than 90 undergraduate programs and majors featuring more than 2,000 courses in four colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The College of Business and Economics, The College of Education and The P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Lehigh confers a total of 12 degrees at the undergraduate and advanced degree level. We have 482 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty and approximately 200 adjunct faculty and lecturers and 10 full-time visiting faculty. With approximately 4700 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students, a small student-to-faculty ratio allows students to work closely with professors. About 69% of all full-time faculty are tenured, and 99% of full-time tenure-track faculty hold a doctorate degree or the highest degree in their field. We have 1,215 staff members supporting the academic, research and administrative functions.

Located in Pennsylvania's scenic Lehigh Valley, the campus is in close proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. Lehigh is situated on over 2,300 acres on four campuses. The Asa Packer Campus, Mountaintop Campus, and Murray H. Goodman Campus are contiguous and feature more than 153 buildings with 4.3 million-plus square feet of classroom, laboratory, office and living space. The campus also has 180 acres of playing fields and half of the campus is preserved as open space.