Description:

The Commit Partnership (Commit) seeks a strategic, relationship-driven fundraising leader to serve as Director of Grants. Reporting to the Senior Director of Philanthropic Investments, this role leads strategy, stewardship, and growth for a portfolio of private and corporate foundation investors supporting Commit’s Early Childhood–12th Grade initiatives, Dallas County Promise, and other organizational priorities.

Commit’s Philanthropic Investments team plays a critical role in ensuring the organization has the resources necessary to advance its North Star goal of increasing living wage attainment for young adults in Dallas County to 50% by 2040, irrespective of race. As the nation’s largest collective impact organization focused on educational attainment and economic mobility, Commit works across Dallas County and the state of Texas to drive student-centered, data-informed policy, systems, and practice change. Since its founding in 2011, Commit has secured more than $275 million in philanthropic investments, helping drive transformative outcomes including state legislative actions that collectively created more than $7 billion in new and potential annual education funding.

The Director of Grants is responsible for securing, stewarding, and growing a portfolio totaling at least $5 million annually while building strong, long-term partnerships with institutional investors. This role translates complex systems-level work and measurable impact into compelling fundraising narratives, proposals, reports, and investment strategies that align donor priorities with Commit’s mission and strategic goals.

This position operates in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment requiring strong strategic planning, relationship management, project execution, and cross-functional coordination. The Director works closely with the Managing Director and Senior Director of Philanthropic Investments, other team members, executive leadership, program teams, finance, policy staff, and external stakeholders to advance organizational fundraising goals and strengthen Commit’s long-term philanthropic partnerships.

This job description is a summary and is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The salary range for this role is $110,500 - $139,000.

Please note that for external candidates, the expected salary range is approximately $110,500–$125,000.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Fundraising and Strategy

• Lead the execution and annual success of a portfolio of private and corporate grants supporting our backbone, EC-12, Dallas County Promise, and other programmatic priorities totaling at least $5M annually.
• Create and execute strategic, meaningful investor relations strategies for private and corporate foundation investors.
• Work with the Executive Leadership Team to execute strategies to build Commit’s pipeline of institutional investors with new, five-to-seven figure prospects from outside the organization’s existing donor pool.
• Draft proposals, concept papers, pitch decks, reports and other relevant materials to pitch, close, and steward new and renewed investment opportunities.

2. Investor Analysis and Data Management

• Maintain timely and accurate donor data and interactions in the Salesforce database and tracking gifts, pledges, and reporting requirements across various systems including SharePoint, Salesforce, and Teamwork.
• Partner with the Finance team to ensure grant budgets, financial reports, and other financial deliverables are correct, aligned, and submitted in a timely manner.
• Monitor key performance indicators and fundraising goals to ensure alignment with annual and multi-year revenue strategies, adjusting strategy as needed to ensure success.

3. Leadership and Team Collaboration

• Serve as a champion and advocate of Commit and our public education systems in external opportunities in our community and with investors.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with program, finance, policy, and executive teams to develop cohesive fundraising strategies and investor communications.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner on the Philanthropic Investments team, contributing to annual planning and collaborative fundraising strategy.
• Serve as a role model exhibiting philanthropy best practices.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Passionate about improving our public education systems, increasing economic mobility for Dallas and the state of Texas; holds a deep belief that EVERY student deserves access to high-quality education and the opportunity to succeed. - Bachelors degree in business, non-profit management, communications, marketing, sales, or another related field.
• Superior interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, including specific experience writing grant funding proposals. - Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and accountability and to be a team player.
• Ability to develop and follow through on creative and effective solicitation strategies and to motivate and generate enthusiasm for them among team members.
• Ability to quickly build and continuously develop trusting relationships with investors and other stakeholders.

Education and/or Experience Required

• Bachelors degree in business, non-profit management, communications, marketing, sales, or another related field
• 5+ years of experience in fundraising involving direct solicitation of corporations, foundations, and other institutions with a track record securing investments at the $1M+ level.

Language Skills

• Ability to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of
• most immediate.
• Ability to communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
• Ability to describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to read and write in Standard English.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others.
• Ability to interact with persons of various social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds.
• Ability to listen perceptively and convey awareness.
• Ability to interact diplomatically with the public in a continuous public contact setting.
• Ability to work as part of a team and in a team environment.
• Ability to maintain level-headedness in the face of resistance and contrary opinions.

Work Environment

This position primarily operates in a professional office environment but may require travel to program sites, partner organizations, or community events. The noise level in the work environment is typically moderate.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate verbally and in writing. The employee frequently is required to sit, stand, walk, and use hands to handle or feel. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to work on a computer for extended periods.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed must be representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensure, experience and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.