Director, Strategic Partnerships & Growth

Ford · Auto · Detroit, MI +1 · General Management

This role is for a Director of Strategic Partnerships & Growth at Michigan Central, focusing on building and managing external funding relationships with corporations, foundations, and individuals. The position involves developing a capital strategy, managing a prospect pipeline, and serving as the primary external relationship manager. Success will be measured by the number of active relationships, closed commitments, and the development of a national funder strategy. The role requires experience in philanthropy, corporate giving, or impact investing, with a strong track record of closing significant gifts or grants, and existing relationships with national foundations or corporate social impact programs. Experience in place-based economic development or urban innovation is also valued.

What you'd actually do

  1. Develop and execute a multi-year capital strategy focused on philanthropic, corporate civic, and mission-aligned private giving, with a deliberate emphasis on national funders.
  2. Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospects; lead all stages from cultivation to close to stewardship.
  3. Serve as Michigan Central's primary external relationship manager across philanthropic, civic, and corporate partners, owning senior-level touchpoints and long-term engagement plans.
  4. Develop clear engagement menus for partners (grants, sponsorships, fellowships, convenings) tied directly to Michigan Central's economic development and workforce priorities.
  5. Continuously scan the national philanthropic, corporate giving, and impact-investment landscape for new funding programs, collaborative opportunities, and policy tailwinds.

Skills

Required

  • 8+ years of experience in philanthropy, corporate civic giving, impact investing, or related fields
  • Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
  • Experience working in or with place-based economic development, workforce development, or urban innovation initiatives
  • Genuine connection to Detroit or a strong motivation to invest in the city's future

Nice to have

  • Compelling communicator who can translate complex work into clear, persuasive narratives for executive audiences
  • Entrepreneurial — comfortable building systems, relationships, and strategy in a high-growth, evolving environment

What the JD emphasized

  • demonstrated track record of closing significant gifts or grants
  • deep, existing relationships with national philanthropic foundations and/or corporate social impact/giving programs
Read full job description

Michigan Central is where founders, industry, researchers, and government come together to test, build, and scale technologies that will define the future of how we build and move in the future.

In this position...

The Director, Strategic Partnerships & Growth will build and manage Michigan Central's external funding relationships across corporate, philanthropic, and individual major giving channels. This is a frontline role with decision-makers at foundations, corporations, and civic institutions. It will also require building out a fundraising strategy.

The position reports directly to the Director of Growth and works closely with senior leadership across Michigan Central and the broader ecosystem of partners.

This position is onsite 5 days per week in Detroit, MI.

What you'll do...

Capital Strategy & Revenue Generation

  • Develop and execute a multi-year capital strategy focused on philanthropic, corporate civic, and mission-aligned private giving, with a deliberate emphasis on national funders.
  • Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospects; lead all stages from cultivation to close to stewardship.
  • Set annual revenue targets and report pipeline health and progress to senior leadership.
  • Actively expand Michigan Central's presence and credibility within local and national philanthropy and corporate social impact networks.

External Strategy, Positioning & Civic Partnerships

  • Serve as Michigan Central's primary external relationship manager across philanthropic, civic, and corporate partners, owning senior-level touchpoints and long-term engagement plans.
  • Develop clear engagement menus for partners (grants, sponsorships, fellowships, convenings) tied directly to Michigan Central's economic development and workforce priorities.
  • Lead cross-sector forums and ecosystem convenings that deepen our network and strengthen Michigan Central's position as a national model for place-based innovation.
  • Shape how Michigan Central is understood externally as a driver of Detroit and Michigan's economic growth and not just a Ford project.

Narrative & Case Development

  • Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop a compelling, consistent narrative for Michigan Central's economic development and workforce agenda.
  • Create and maintain high-quality fundraising materials: cases for support, investment decks, one-pagers, impact reports, and executive talking points.
  • Build and maintain a library of case studies that demonstrate measurable partner and community impact.
  • Ensure clear distinction and alignment between Michigan Central's value to Ford and its broader impact on Detroit and Michigan.

Strategic Foresight & Market Intelligence

  • Continuously scan the national philanthropic, corporate giving, and impact-investment landscape for new funding programs, collaborative opportunities, and policy tailwinds.
  • Advise Michigan Central leadership on emerging trends in place-based economic development, workforce/skills, and civic innovation.
  • Translate market intelligence into concrete partnership and capital strategies.

Internal Coordination & Accountability

  • Work closely with program and finance teams to align funding strategies with program design and delivery.
  • Establish lightweight internal processes for opportunity intake, decision-making, and grant/sponsorship execution.
  • Build a culture of stewardship — ensuring program teams follow through on commitments made to funders and partners.
  • Maintain accurate records of relationships, opportunities, and outcomes in shared CRM tools.

What Success Looks Like in 2026

  • A documented portfolio of 15 to 20 active relationships across corporate, foundation, and individual giving channels, with a clear stage and next step for each.
  • Two or three closed commitments, whether new funding or renewed relationships elevated to a higher level of investment.
  • A national funder strategy, built in partnership with leadership, that identifies five or more foundations or corporate giving programs outside Southeast Michigan worth pursuing in year two.
  • A clear working command of the LLC/501(c)(3) distinction and the ability to explain it to any funder.
  • Implemented simple, effective processes for tracking opportunities, reporting outcomes, and coordinating with internal teams.

You'll have...

  • 8+ years of experience in philanthropy, corporate civic giving, impact investing, or related fields — with a demonstrated track record of closing significant gifts or grants.
  • Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
  • Demonstrate deep, existing relationships with national philanthropic foundations and/or corporate social impact/giving programs — not just a familiarity with the landscape.
  • Experience working in or with place-based economic development, workforce development, or urban innovation initiatives.
  • Genuine connection to Detroit or a strong motivation to invest in the city's future.

Even better, you may have...

  • A compelling communicator who can translate complex work into clear, persuasive narratives for executive audiences.
  • Entrepreneurial — comfortable building systems, relationships, and strategy in a high-growth, evolving environment.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

  • Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage.
  • Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more.
  • Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more.
  • Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases.
  • Tuition assistance.
  • Established and active employee resource groups.
  • Paid time off for individual and team community service.
  • A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
  • Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is leadership level 6 and ranges from $115,500-$218,100. Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

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