Application Guide
How to Apply for Director, Strategic Funding Initiatives
at Partners In Health
🏢 About Partners In Health
Partners In Health (PIH) is a globally respected nonprofit that delivers modern medical care to the world's most vulnerable communities, operating in 11 countries with a mission-driven approach that combines social justice with health equity. Working here means joining a team that values long-term partnerships, systemic change, and the belief that healthcare is a human right.
About This Role
As Director of Strategic Funding Initiatives, you will lead a multidisciplinary team to align fundraising efforts with PIH's organizational priorities, overseeing high-value campaigns, business development, and integrated partnerships. This role is impactful because you'll directly shape how resources are generated to support health systems strengthening in underserved regions, working across major, principal, and institutional giving.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a check-in with your team to review progress on active campaigns and proposal deadlines, followed by a strategy session with program leads to align funding opportunities with country needs. Afternoons could involve meeting with major donors or foundation partners, reviewing proposal drafts, and analyzing data to refine fundraising approaches, all while coaching senior staff on professional development goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Partners In Health Is Looking For
- A seasoned fundraising leader with 10+ years of progressive experience, including complex, high-value funding initiatives and a track record of designing and executing proactive strategies across major, principal, and institutional giving.
- A strategic thinker who can align resource generation with organizational priorities, drive campaign design, and strengthen proposal development systems for complex funding opportunities.
- A proven people leader who can coach and develop senior-level staff, manage a multidisciplinary team, and foster collaboration across Advancement and other departments.
- An exceptional communicator and analyst who can synthesize data and narratives to guide decision-making, with experience in global health or mission-driven nonprofits preferred.
📝 Tips for Applying to Partners In Health
Tailor your resume to highlight leadership of complex, high-value funding initiatives—use specific dollar amounts and outcomes (e.g., 'Led $50M campaign for health system strengthening in Rwanda').
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to PIH's mission of social justice and health equity, referencing a specific country or program (e.g., Haiti, Malawi) to show genuine interest.
Demonstrate your ability to work cross-functionally by providing an example of aligning fundraising strategies with programmatic priorities in a previous role.
Emphasize your experience with systems improvement—mention any process optimizations you've led to increase fundraising efficiency (e.g., CRM implementation, proposal tracking).
Research PIH's current campaigns (e.g., COVID-19 response, community health worker programs) and reference them in your application to show you understand their funding needs.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for global health equity and alignment with PIH's mission-driven approach to healthcare as a human right.", 'Specific examples of leading high-value, complex funding initiatives that involved multiple stakeholders and yielded significant results.', 'Your experience managing and developing senior-level staff, with a focus on building cohesive, high-performing teams.', "Your strategic vision for integrating major, principal, and institutional giving to maximize resource generation, with ideas for PIH's next campaign."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review PIH's annual reports and recent news to understand their current funding priorities, such as the Community Health Worker program or COVID-19 response efforts.
- → Study PIH's organizational structure and the role of the Advancement team, including how they integrate with country programs.
- → Learn about PIH's history and founding principles, particularly the work of Dr. Paul Farmer and the organization's focus on accompaniment and social justice.
- → Familiarize yourself with PIH's major donors and funding sources (e.g., USAID, Global Fund, private foundations) to understand the landscape.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on your own achievements without connecting them to PIH's mission or specific programs—generic fundraising experience isn't enough.
- Overlooking the 'systems improvement' aspect of the role—don't just talk about raising money; show how you've made processes more efficient.
- Failing to demonstrate leadership and coaching experience—this role requires developing senior staff, so provide concrete examples of mentorship.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Partners In Health!