Widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges, Pomona College is the founding institution of The Claremont Colleges and a globally oriented residential community rooted in Southern California. Since its founding in 1887, Pomona has built a distinctive academic environment defined by intellectual rigor, close faculty-student engagement, and a culture of probing inquiry and creative learning. With small class sizes, professors teaching every course, and deep access to research opportunities, the College offers students the advantages of an intimate learning community alongside the breadth and scale of the 5C consortium.
Pomona also holds a unique and values-driven role in American higher education through its commitment to access and opportunity. As one of a small group of colleges that meets the full demonstrated financial need of all enrolled students, Pomona is dedicated to enrolling the best students regardless of financial circumstances. With a $3 billion-plus endowment and a strong trajectory of institutional investment, the College is positioned to advance ambitious academic, global, and programmatic priorities at a defining moment for higher education.
The Opportunity
Pomona College is preparing for the public launch of the most ambitious campaign in its history, building on historic fundraising momentum and a rapidly expanding advancement enterprise. As the College enters this next chapter, the Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations will serve as the strategic architect and catalyst for a program poised for significant growth.
Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Complex, Legacy, and Principal Gifts, the Director will lead a comprehensive strategy to identify, cultivate, and solicit six- and seven-figure support from national and international foundations and corporations in alignment with Pomona’s highest priorities.
This is a high-impact leadership role with a clear mandate: expand the pipeline, increase seven-figure grant activity, strengthen national visibility, and evolve the program into a more proactive, institutionally aligned model. The Director will work closely with senior academic and administrative leaders, including the President and a newly established cross-functional leadership group, to shape funding priorities and position Pomona for long-term, trust-based relationships with major institutional funders. Faculty partnership will be central to success in this faculty-driven environment, requiring an intellectually curious and collaborative leader who can translate scholarly ambition into compelling philanthropic propositions.
For an entrepreneurial advancement professional, this role offers a moment of opportunity to build a best-in-class foundation and corporate relations program and help shape the future of one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges.
The salary range for this position is $140,000–$165,000.
