Director, Philanthropic Partnerships

About The James Beard Foundation:

The James Beard Foundation(“JBF”) is a vital cultural institution with deep roots honoring and advancing the culinary arts industry. JBF’s mission is to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability. As a 501(c) (3) national non-profit organization, JBF brings its mission to life through the annual James Beard Awards, industry and community-focused initiatives and programs, advocacy, partnerships, and events across the country.

The Development Team is responsible for generating over $7 million in philanthropic support in FY27, with a goal to grow to $10M annually by FY29-30. All members of the Development team work to cultivate and support a culture of philanthropy within the organization and represent JBF externally in front of current and prospective donor audiences.

The Director, Philanthropic Partnerships will report to the Vice President of Philanthropy. As a revenue leader, this person will be responsible for growing and managing hospitality-driven philanthropic partnerships that advance the James Beard Foundation’s mission and annual fundraising goals. This role oversees the Friends of James Beard Benefits program, the annual Bid for Good Auction (live and online), and the development of scalable passive fundraising and cause-related marketing initiatives nationwide.

The ideal candidate is a strong business developer and relationship manager who can both architect and execute revenue-generating programs with partners from across the hospitality and corporate sectors.

Responsibilities:

Achieve annual revenue goals across the Friends of James Beard Benefits (FOJBB), Bid for Good Auction, and passive fundraising initiatives

Develop and execute growth strategies to expand FOJBB nationally, including events with and without on-site JBF presence

Identify, cultivate, and close new philanthropic partnership opportunities, with a focus on five- and six-figure revenue streams

Pilot and scale passive beneficiary programs (e.g., round-up, percent-of-sales campaigns) that generate significant (five- and six-figure) support

Program Leadership & Execution

Oversee all aspects of the annual Bid for Good Auction, including high-value package solicitation, pricing strategy, promotion, fulfillment, and performance analysis

Manage key relationships supporting existing Sunday Suppers (culinary fundraising events) in New York, Atlanta, and Washington, DC, and proactively identify, cultivate and close new partners in other cities

Ensure strong partner stewardship, retention, and long-term engagement

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operations

Partner with Marketing, Events, and Finance to ensure cohesive execution, brand alignment, and accurate revenue tracking

Maintain and leverage Salesforce and other systems to track pipeline, revenue forecasting, and performance metrics

Provide regular reporting and analysis to the Vice President of Philanthropy to inform strategy and growth

Representation

Serve as an external ambassador for JBF, representing the Foundation at events and cultivating relationships that advance strategic objectives

Requirements

To be effective in this role, key core competencies and personal characteristics include:

8+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, business development, corporate partnerships, or related fields

Demonstrated success closing and managing revenue-generating partnerships

Strong strategic planning and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives

Exceptional external representative of the organization, with a confident public speaking presence and the ability to engage audiences that range from intimate donor gatherings to large-scale events.

Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with confidence engaging executive-level partners

Superior attention to detail

Experience using Salesforce and relevant fundraising/auction platforms

Commitment to the mission and values of the James Beard Foundation and familiarity with/understanding of the hospitality industry

Experience with special events or fundraising events

Ability to travel nationally – on average, 1-2 trips per month (1-2 nights/trip)

Salary: $95,000 -$115,000

Benefits:

JBF offers its employees a dynamic work environment with benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents; life insurance; flexible spending account; commuter benefits; retirement savings; employee assistance program; tuition reimbursement/ professional development; and generous paid time off. We also offer fertility planning support and up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave.

Additional perks include staff events, tickets to events at Platform by JBF (Pier 57), and much more.

The Foundation currently works on a hybrid schedule that requires employees to be in our NYC office 2 days per week. This position is not eligible for relocation.