Director of Scholarships and Philanthropy

Oneday is building one of the largest MBA programmes in the United States, and the only accredited one where every student is paired one-to-one with a founder who has built a seven-figure company in their space.More than 1,000 founders are enrolled; many are first-generation graduates, veterans or immigrants financing their degree with federal aid.We are launching the Oneday Founder Scholarship Fund, held at our accredited non-profit university partner, to put the MBA within reach of founders who could not otherwise afford it.You will be our first philanthropy hire and will build the fund from zero: strategy, donor relationships, first gifts and stewardship. This is a major-gifts role. The donors are exited founders, investors, family foundations and corporate partners, and our mentors and investors are the warm starting list.What you will doSet up the fund with our university partner: gift agreement, selection criteria, donor reporting and naming options, so every gift is receipted and deductible.Build and work a portfolio of 75 to 100 prospects at $25K and above, and personally close named, multi-year and endowed scholarships, including gifts of stock and DAF grants.Write foundation proposals to funders of entrepreneurship, first-generation and workforce education.Prepare the co-founders for the top 15 to 20 asks and make them together.Run stewardship: match donors with their scholars, deliver impact reports, host two donor events a year.Build the basics: prospect research, pipeline tracking, gift acceptance process, case for support.Work with marketing and admissions so the scholarship is visible in the funnel but never used as a closing discount.What success looks like in 12 monthsFund live with a signed gift agreement and published selection criteria.$500K or more committed from 20 or more donors, with three or more gifts at $50K and above.First cohort of scholars named and matched with their donors; first impact report delivered.A qualified pipeline of 75+ prospects and a plan to reach $1.5M a year.Who we are looking forMust-haves:7+ years in major gifts or foundation relations, with gifts of $100K and above you closed personally, ideally in higher education.Experience with college advancement practice: gift agreements, endowments, naming policies, financial aid interaction.Comfortable asking founders and investors for money, and being the only fundraiser in a fast, revenue-driven company.Clear writer. US-based with work authorisation; able to travel.Nice-to-haves:Worked at or with a university entrepreneurship centre or a foundation funding entrepreneurship education.Planned giving or complex-asset experience; corporate sponsorship experience.You have founded something, or have been close to people who have.