Senior Associate, Partnerships and Philanthropy

Role and Responsibilities 

The Senior Associate, Partnerships & Philanthropy plays a critical role on Social Finance's dynamic fundraising team, which mobilizes philanthropic and investment capital to advance our mission. This position combines analytical rigor, operational excellence, grant management, and data-driven reporting to support the team's strategic objectives. 

 

This role is ideal for a proactive professional who is passionate about fundraising and impact investing, thrives in fast-paced environments, and demonstrates strong judgment when navigating complex challenges. The successful candidate will leverage technology, including CRM and AI tools, to drive efficiency and generate insights, approaching their work with a solutions-oriented mindset. Working closely with Associate Directors in Partnerships & Philanthropy, the Senior Associate provides essential support, coordination, and analysis that enables senior leadership to focus on strategy development, relationship management, and major fundraising initiatives. 

 

The percentage breakdowns below reflect expected effort distribution; actual time spent may shift in response to changing priorities and workload fluctuations. 

Grants Management and Donor Collateral (30%) 

• Manage foundation and philanthropic grant processes, including tracking deadlines, coordinating internal inputs, and assembling and submitting proposals, reports, and other required materials (budgets, 990s, etc.) 

• Access and manage online grant portals, including maintaining passwords and account information 

• Support proposal development, fundraising decks, and written materials in partnership with Associate Directors and senior leaders  

• Troubleshoot submission issues as they arise, including communicating with foundation grants management staff or program officers to resolve portal - or payments-related challenges 

• Engage cross-functionally with internal teams (programmatic, Finance, Legal & Compliance, etc.) to gather inputs for grant applications and reports 

• Maintain grant calendars, deliverables trackers, and documentation to ensure timely and accurate submissions  

• Assist with gift processing, acknowledgments, and stewardship coordination  

• Serve as a reliable execution partner to ensure grant and donor requirements are met efficiently and professionally 

Internal Fundraising Coordinator for Select Priorities (30%) 

The Senior Associate serves as the Internal Fundraising Coordinator for select fundraising priorities, currently, but not limited to the ReNEW Fund, the Social Finance Institute, and annual General Operating support. In this capacity, the Senior Associate will: 

 

• Manage the fundraising pipeline for each priority, keeping prospect stages, next steps, and ownership current and accurate in the CRM 

• Support the development and maintenance of fundraising collateral for each priority, including decks, one-pagers, and proposal content, in partnership with Associate Directors and the relevant internal teams 

• Serve as the primary interface with the internal teams leading each priority for weekly fundraising check-ins, ad hoc requests, and fundraising meetings 

• Prepare agendas and materials for weekly check-ins, track action items, and follow up to keep work moving between meetings 

• Triage ad hoc requests from internal teams, responding directly where appropriate and escalating to Associate Directors or senior leaders as needed 

• Coordinate preparation for fundraising meetings, including briefing materials, attendee logistics, and post-meeting follow-up 

Data Management, Fundraising Research, and Analytics (30%) 

• Maintain accurate, timely, and well-organized fundraising and prospect data in CRM and related systems, in close coordination with Associate Directors 

• Conduct high-quality research on individuals, foundations, and family offices to support cultivation and solicitation strategies 

• Support the preparation of fundraising reports, dashboards, and pipeline summaries for internal leadership 

• Prepare briefing materials, prospect summaries, and background memos for donor meetings and senior leadership 

• Assist with ad hoc analysis and data pulls to support fundraising strategy, planning, and decision-making 

• Partner with Associate Directors to improve data hygiene, documentation, and reporting workflows over time 

 

Events, Convenings, and External Engagement (10%) 

• Manage an active calendar of donor and prospect events, including small gatherings, briefings, roundtables, and cultivation events  

• Lead logistical planning for fundraising events, including scheduling, venue selection, vendor coordination, guest communications, and event materials  

• Coordinate internal event planning processes, including timeline management and task tracking, run of show, briefings, and event follow-ups, etc. 

 

Technology, AI, and Continuous Improvement     

• Actively leverage technology and AI tools to streamline research, reporting, writing, and administrative workflows  

• Identify opportunities to automate, templatize, or improve processes to reduce manual work and increase efficiency  

• Serve as a thought partner to Associate Directors on how technology can improve fundraising operations and insight 

 

Qualifications 

We are looking for candidates with a high level of professional excellence, initiative, strategic and detail orientation, and passion for our mission. 

 

Position Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree required 

• 3-6 years of relevant experience in fundraising, advancement, consulting, finance, marketing, or nonprofit operations; grants management experience preferred 

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to produce polished, donor-ready materials quickly and accurately; experience with grant or proposal writing is a plus 

• Highly organized, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously, supported by strong time management and prioritization skills 

• Proven ability to excel in a fast-paced environment, balancing urgent requests and longer-term priorities while maintaining accuracy and quality 

• Strong quantitative skills and familiarity with business, finance, and fundraising principles 

• Exceptional presentation and PowerPoint skills, with an eye for clean, professional visual design and formatting 

• Experience with CRM systems and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, etc.) 

• Hands-on experience using AI tools to improve efficiency and quality in research, writing, reporting, and administrative workflows, with sound judgment about when to verify and refine AI-generated outputs 

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to coordinate and collaborate effectively across internal teams and with external stakeholders, keeping partners aligned through clear communication and consistent follow-up 

• Ability to maintain discretion and handle sensitive information about ultra-high-net-worth individuals and funders with professionalism and confidentiality 

• Entrepreneurial mindset, proactive approach to problem-solving, and commitment to delivering high-quality work 

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Benefits 

At Social Finance, we strive to deliver a benefits program that will enhance our overall value proposition to employees. Our current benefit offerings include: 

• Comprehensive health care coverage: medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; access to Blue Cross Blue Shield Wellness Program “AHealthyMe Rewards” and more 

• Retirement savings plan with employer contribution 

• Short-term, long-term and life insurance policies 

• Commuter benefits and cell phone reimbursements 

• Hybrid work model (in office a minimum of two days per week and on an ad-hoc basis as needed) 

• Dedicated budgets for team building and employee recognition 

• Annual budget for external professional development opportunities 

• Mentorship and onboarding programs 

• Collaborative and energizing workspaces in downtown Boston, MA; San Francisco, CA; Austin, TX; Washington, D.C. and New York, NY. Please note this position will be based in either our Boston or DC offices.  

• Paid vacation and paid holidays (with 12/24-1/1 off every year) 

• Paid parental leave 

• A truly stellar team of high performing, values-driven and fun (!) professionals 

Salary 

Social Finance uses a lockstep compensation model for purposes of equity and transparency - we strive for everyone coming in at a given level to be paid equitably. For this position, at the Senior Associate level, the starting base salary is $98,000; however, during the interview process, we will take into account a candidate's full work experience and may adjust the job title, and commensurate starting salary, as appropriate. At this level, employees typically receive a $2,500 salary increase annually and are eligible to participate in our firmwide annual bonus program. Bonuses are typically between 5-10%, though bonuses are not guaranteed and are dependent on both organizational and individual performance.