Director, Business and Program Development

About the Milken Institute

The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives. These activities are designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities.

The Milken Institute’s events and programmatic activities, involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world. The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, with our annual flagship event, Global Conference, bringing together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions over the course of the event.

About Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy

Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy (Strategic Philanthropy) has the fierce conviction that philanthropic capital is the catalyst for a thriving world. We tackle persistent societal challenges by guiding individuals, corporations, and foundations with the insights, tools, and partnerships to develop the most impactful philanthropic strategies, develop and implement programs for deploying philanthropic capital, and fostering meaningful collaboration across the philanthropic ecosystem. Strategic Philanthropy’s areas of focus include 1) Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration that guides philanthropic investment to advance scientific research and improve health, 2) Environmental & Social Innovation Philanthropy that uncovers new solutions, advances future-focused progress, and mobilizes entrepreneurial talent, and 3) Philanthropy Leadership Collective that is a funder community for learning, engagement, collaboration, and activation.

About the Position

The Milken Institute is seeking a Director to support the Milken Institute’s Business and Program Development team, with a focus on fundraising for the Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy pillar which will focus on UHWN individuals, foundation leaders, corporate executives, and other funders. For the candidate with strong intellectual curiosity and a desire to create transformative partnerships, this is an opportunity to work with the Institute’s philanthropy programs and become a key player in an entrepreneurial, growing and dynamic organization involved in some of the most important issues.

This position will report to the Business and Program Development team and work in partnership with the EVP of Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy and work on the front lines to cultivate and steward funders, including ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) philanthropists, family office executives, foundation leaders, and other funders in order to meaningfully engage individuals and organizations in Institute programs. The Director will be instrumental in advancing the already strong growth of Strategic Philanthropy programming and expanding its reach into new philanthropic communities. The role will work closely with colleagues across the Business and Program Development, the Strategic Philanthropy pillar, Events, Communications, and international teams. This position will support expansion in targeted areas including, but are not limited to, crafting philanthropic vision and strategies, mobilizing capital for innovation competitions, investing in biomedical and science philanthropy, and expanding philanthropy leadership community.

Responsibilities

• Crafting, implementing, and evaluating a holistic business development strategy that supports the vision, growth, and goals of Strategic Philanthropy.
• Engaging directly with funders to understand their philanthropic aspirations, goals, and journeys, and identifying opportunities where Strategic Philanthropy can be supportive in facilitating greater impact
• Designing partnership opportunities and closing and stewarding major gifts for the Strategic Philanthropy programmatic pillar
• Establishing and managing relationships with key prospects and funders and coordinating all Milken Institute interactions with those partners
• Serving as key partner to Strategic Philanthropy leadership in financial planning and management, key communications efforts and campaigns, and strategy evolution
• Lead a small and talented team of business development professionals supporting proposal development, grant writing, database management, and select event operations.
• Ensuring partners are effectively integrated into convenings and other Milken Institute programs
• Participating in Milken Institute events and representing the Institute in key philanthropic convenings
• Providing insights and support as needed in the development of philanthropic tools, resources, and learning communities to scale strategic philanthropy practices
• Duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 10+ years of experience in fundraising, business development, partnership building, major gifts, and/or wealth management
• Experience building relationships with UHNW philanthropists that have resulted in transformative and strategic gifts
• Professional gravitas/executive presence that allows you to quickly gain the respect of UHNWIs and key stakeholders
• Ability to inspire enthusiasm about the mission of the Milken Institute and its MI Philanthropy programmatic initiatives
• Experience building funder collaboratives, partnerships, and/or coalitions
• Ability to establish trust and develop strong working relationships with philanthropic partners, leading experts, and across Milken Institute teams
• Superior project management skills, including the ability to proactively problem-solve and identify solutions in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple demands, projects, and deadlines
• Flexibility to travel as needed for meetings and events and to work across various time zones around the world
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams) and Salesforce required.

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

This position will work in a professional office environment on a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to the Washington, DC office location (Tuesday - Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. Please understand, this schedule is subject to change at the Institute’s sole discretion.

This person will also be required to travel occasionally to other offices and/or venues to assist with events as needed, requiring occasional work outside of traditional hours. International along with domestic travel is possible. Additionally, this position requires interacting virtually on a regular basis with Milken Institute staff based in other locations in the United States and around the world.

Note

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment.

Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Our Culture

The Milken Institute is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

Every person at the Milken Institute is treated with respect, supported with resources and training, and exposed to a broad range of experiences. We foster a space for growth with opportunities to share knowledge and passion with both clients and colleagues. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our leadership is actively involved in our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and fostering a culture that creates opportunities for everyone.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan - 403b (5% match)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Personal, Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Fertility Support
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs)
• Pet Insurance Discount
• Training & Development:
• LinkedIn Learning - over 15,000 self-guided classes offered
• Annual Mentor Program
• Wellness Resources:
• Employee Assistance Program
• CALM app membership