Senior Manager/Manager, Grants & Foundations

Senior Manager/Manager, Grants & Foundations

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The Senior Manager/Manager, Grants & Foundations leads the Gallery’s engagement with local and international foundations, trusts, and grant‑making institutions. This role oversees the full grants lifecycle — from prospecting and proposal development to stewardship and impact reporting — ensuring excellence in content, compliance, and relationship management.

Working closely with the Deputy Director, Institutional Partnerships & Campaign Strategy, and collaborating across the PD team, the incumbent serves as the Gallery’s subject‑matter expert on foundation philanthropy and institutional funding trends.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of compelling, high‑quality grant proposals and concept papers that align with the Gallery’s mission, programme priorities, and funder objective
• Identify and cultivate new local, regional, and international foundation prospects
• Design and manage cultivation plans for key institutional funders, including multi‑year partnership agreements
• Develop strong internal relationships with curatorial, education, and programme leads to surface fundable opportunities
• Contribute to the alignment of institutional proposals with the Capital Campaign’s thematic pillars and long‑term fundraising roadmap

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for the Gallery’s portfolio of foundations and institutional partners
• Ensure the timely delivery of grant requirements, stewardship reports, and acknowledgement processes
• Work with senior leadership on strategic engagement opportunities, including site visits, briefings, and panel participation
• Maintain an in‑depth understanding of funders’ priorities, decision‑making structures, and philanthropic trends
• Represent the Gallery professionally in external engagements and at industry conferences
• Oversee internal coordination for grant submissions, ensuring that all documentation (budgets, impact metrics, outcomes) meets funder and Gallery standards
• Work with the Finance and Programmes teams to track fund utilisation, reporting timelines, and deliverables
• Ensure grant KPIs are realistic, measurable, and aligned with project outcomes
• Oversee the preparation of quantitative and qualitative impact reports for funders and leadership review
• Maintain accurate and complete records in the CRM and shared grant tracking systems

• Monitor philanthropic developments in Singapore and Southeast Asia, identifying trends in arts, education, and social impact giving
• Analyse competitive benchmarking to refine the Gallery’s positioning with foundations
• Support the Deputy Director in developing frameworks for institutional giving and campaign‑related case materials
• Contribute to divisional strategy discussions and cross‑team donor segmentation initiatives
• Execute other ad‑hoc duties to further the goals of the Partnership Development Department where appropriate
• Mentor and guide the Assistant Manager (Grants, Research & Campaign) and interns on proposal writing, research, and documentation standards
• Collaborate closely with the Manager (Family Offices, UHNWIs & Campaign Strategy) on integrated cultivation opportunities
• Support the Senior Executive (Admin & Procurement) in ensuring smooth operational processes for grants and events
• Foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and high performance within the Institutional Partnerships

• Annual institutional funding secured (value and diversity of grants)
• Renewal rate and satisfaction of existing foundation partners
• Quality, accuracy, and timeliness of proposals and reports
• Identification and cultivation of new institutional prospects
• Contribution to campaign readiness and cross‑divisional collaboration
• Staff development and mentorship effectiveness

Requirements and Experience

• At least 8 to 10 years of experience in fundraising, philanthropy, or partnerships, with a strong focus on institutional grants or foundation relationships
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing multi‑year or high‑value grants
• Excellent writing, proposal development, and analytical skills
• Proven ability to engage senior stakeholders and funders with professionalism and insight
• Strong project management skills and comfort working with financial data and performance metrics
• Familiarity with the philanthropic ecosystem in Singapore and Southeast Asia; knowledge of the arts or social impact sectors is an advantage
• Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce) and Excel‑based reporting
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends, if required

Personal Attributes

• Strategic and relationship‑driven professional with a collaborative mindset
• Persuasive communicator with high attention to quality and detail
• Analytical, proactive, and solutions‑oriented
• Comfortable working autonomously while managing multiple stakeholders
• Committed to the arts and motivated by the Gallery’s public mission

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Other

Industries

Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos