Website Acumen
About Acumen
Acumen is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 that invests in innovative enterprises with the aim of solving problems of global poverty. With a focus on sectors like energy, agriculture, healthcare, and education, Acumen funds companies and social enterprises that provide critical goods and services to underserved communities. To date, Acumen has invested over $200 million in over 200 companies across regions including Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. In addition to financial investment, Acumen is committed to developing leaders with moral imagination through programs that engage and support emerging leaders dedicated to tackling poverty in their communities.
About this Role
The Associate Director for Institutional Partnerships at Acumen will play a pivotal role in the Development and Partnerships team, focusing on institutional fundraising with corporations and foundations. The role requires leading program design and strategy development to build impactful funding partnerships. This position is central to solving global poverty issues through collaboration with institutional partners, and it involves significant responsibility for cultivating, managing, and closing relationships with key stakeholders. The Associate Director will work directly with senior Acumen leaders in developing, implementing, and managing partnerships on a global scale. In this role, the Associate Director will also support current partnerships while creating new opportunities for learning, thought leadership, and collaboration between funders and social enterprises. The candidate will be expected to manage various engagement activities such as fundraising, account management, and communications. A high level of creativity, collaboration, and global coordination is required to meet fundraising targets and establish Acumen’s leadership in impact investing.
Responsibilities
- Develop a funding pipeline for Acumen Academy and other priority initiatives.
- Lead ideation and pitch meetings and formalize best practices for institutional partnerships.
- Identify and cultivate new institutional partnerships.
- Manage internal evaluation processes and communication regarding partner engagement.
- Conduct annual assessments of institutional partnerships, providing recommendations for improvement.
- Explore and present Acumen’s work at corporate events, conferences, and forums.
- Develop marketing assets to align with corporate messaging.
Requirements
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in fundraising and relationship management.
- Proven experience in program development and budget management.
- Ability to work strategically and navigate through complexity.
- Experience building strategic funding relationships with corporations.
- Strong interpersonal skills with a history of successful collaboration.
- Compelling communication skills in both writing and speaking.
- Authorization to work permanently in the US.
Benefits
- Compensation package including performance-based bonus.
- Opportunities for professional development and growth within a leading impact organization.
- Engagement in meaningful work with a global impact on poverty alleviation.
- Access to a collaborative and supportive work environment.