Director/Manager of Foundation Relations

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking a Director or Manager, Foundation Relations for Berkeley Lab Foundation. The Berkeley Lab Foundation supports research programs, centers, and facilities at Berkeley Lab that are aligned with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) basic science and applied energy missions. This support can increase the real-world impact of research at Berkeley Lab by translating fundamental research to issues related to energy use. Now in its 11th year, the Foundation has an efficient and effective staff and organizational structure, as well as an engaged and hands-on Board, and Berkeley Lab has been attracting high-end philanthropic support across a wide array of donor interests (historically up to $10 million annually).

In this role, you will partner with Laboratory leaders, world-class scientists, and University of California (UC) colleagues to connect visionary research with the funders who can bring it to life — identifying, cultivating, and soliciting foundations, corporate philanthropy programs, and other institutional partners. Working closely with the Chief Development Officer, you'll apply proven fundraising strategies to grow a robust foundation and institutional giving donor pipeline. 

This position is open to candidates at either the Manager or Director level, depending on experience. As part of a small, dynamic Foundation team, you'll wear many hats — conducting prospect research, crafting compelling proposals, shaping fundable cases for support, and nurturing donor relationships from first contact through stewardship. You'll work at the intersection of philanthropy and cutting-edge science, navigating a complex technical environment while ensuring full alignment with DOE and UC contractual and regulatory guidelines. If you're energized by hands-on work, love building relationships, and want your efforts to directly advance scientific discovery, this is the opportunity for you.

About Berkeley Lab:

At Berkeley Lab, our collective purpose is to serve humankind through science. A Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Berkeley Lab is a DOE Office of Science national laboratory managed by the University of California. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes to date. We conduct groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies, performed by teams whose expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Our five world-class scientific user facilities are used annually by more than 16,000 researchers from around the world. 

Berkeley Lab has a dynamic workforce of 4,000 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $1.36 billion. About 95% of the Laboratory’s funding comes from federal and state taxpayers, and we are committed to caring for the people, research, and resources that make our mission possible, a responsibility we call stewardship.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Chief Development Officer, Lab leadership, and Principal Investigators to translate cutting-edge research priorities into compelling, fundable cases for support tailored to foundation and institutional audiences.
• Connect scientists and program leads across the Lab to surface collaborative, cross-disciplinary funding opportunities that resonate with institutional funders.
• Draft and manage proposals, letters of inquiry, and stewardship reports that keep funders engaged and informed.
• Partner with the Lab's contracts, financial, and operations teams to ensure funds are accepted and managed appropriately.
• Contribute to the Berkeley Lab Foundation's strategy for growing its foundation and institutional giving pipeline.
• Help grow a robust pipeline of foundations, corporate giving programs, and institutional funders aligned with Berkeley Lab's research mission.
• Research and help design targeted engagement strategies aimed at securing grants from the low six figures up to $1 million and beyond.
• Manage a personal portfolio of foundation and institutional prospects through the full development cycle — from identification, cultivation, solicitation to stewardship.
• Build relationships with foundation and corporate giving officers to elevate Berkeley Lab's visibility and priorities.
• Support design and execution of donor engagement activities – meetings, tours, and outreach materials – in collaboration with Berkeley Lab leadership and scientists.
• Help ensure foundation and institutional philanthropy aligns with DOE, UC, and IRS regulations, collaborating with Berkeley Lab, UC, and legal teams on gift and grant agreements.
• Build connections with development colleagues across UC and partner institutions to strengthen collaborative fundraising.

Additional Responsibilities for the Director Level:

• Collaborate with the Lab Director, Deputy Director, Associate Lab Directors, and Principal Investigators to translate research priorities into compelling fundable cases for support tailored to foundation and institutional funders.
• Set and drive the Berkeley Lab Foundation's short- and long-term strategy for the foundation and institutional giving pipeline.
• Set and drive the strategy for identifying and growing a high-value pipeline of foundations, corporate giving programs, and institutional funders.
• Develop creative, targeted strategies to engage prospective institutional funders with the goal of securing grants ranging from six figures to $5 million.
• Cultivate senior-level relationships with foundation executives and corporate giving officers to open doors to new opportunities.
• Design and lead donor engagement activities that showcase the Lab's impact and keep funders invested in its mission.
• Ensure all foundation and institutional philanthropy is managed consistently with DOE, UC, and IRS regulations, working with Berkeley Lab and UC staff and external legal support to negotiate allowable gift and grant agreements.

Given the small size of the Foundation team, this role also contributes to organizational operations, including:

• Assisting with donor visits, events, and Board meetings.
• Developing written and visual materials for internal and external audiences.
• Participating in activities and working groups that support Berkeley Lab's culture of philanthropy and stewardship.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including experience raising funds for science, research, or technical programs, and demonstrated success securing foundation and/or corporate grants (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Experience contributing to the growth of a foundation or institutional giving program, or a demonstrated interest in pipeline-building work. 
• Track record of securing grants in the five- to six-figure range, and ideally direct experience with $1-million+ awards.
• Demonstrated ability to support the full donor development cycle – identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship – along with strong research and analytical skills. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex scientific and technical work into clear, compelling proposals for institutional funders.
• Comfort operating with a good deal of autonomy on a small team, including a willingness to handle both relationship-building and hands-on administrative aspects of the work.
• High level of initiative, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple overlapping priorities independently.
• Experience with Salesforce NPSP, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to travel occasionally and to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings or weekends for donor events.

Additional Qualifications for the Director Level:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including at least 2 years raising funds for science, research, or technical programs, and demonstrated success securing foundation and/or corporate grants (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly growing a foundation or institutional giving program from a limited base, strongly motivated by pipeline-building and comfortable setting strategy.
• Track record of securing grants at the $1-million+ level, with a clear trajectory toward and ideally direct experience with $5-million+ awards.
• Ability to work through complex, cross-organizational questions and develop workable recommendations.

Desired skills/knowledge:

• Experience fundraising within a university, national laboratory, federally funded research institution, or similarly regulated environment.
• Familiarity with DOE, UC, or comparable government contracting and gift-acceptance policies.
• Experience working directly with scientists or technical staff to shape funding proposals.

Additional information:

• Appointment type: This is a full-time career appointment, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay.
• Salary range: The expected salary for the position is $120,000 - $180,000, depending upon the candidate’s skills, knowledge, and abilities. This includes education, certifications, and years of experience, and job classification.
• Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work Modality: This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule - a combination of teleworking and performing work on site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Work schedules are dependent on business needs. Individuals working a hybrid schedule must reside within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab.

Learn About Us:

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Working at Berkeley Lab

The University of California Office of National Laboratories

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.