Partnerships Director

About Outlier Projects

Outlier Projects is a climate philanthropy focused on accelerating frontier research to predict and prevent catastrophic climate risks. Most climate funding today focuses on two essential strategies: mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (protecting communities from climate impacts). But scientists are increasingly warning that warming is beginning to destabilize critical Earth systems — from ice sheets to cloud dynamics to natural carbon feedbacks — in ways that could amplify climate risks beyond what emissions reductions alone may prevent. Outlier supports a complementary and rapidly emerging third pillar of climate strategy: stabilization. We catalyze research to better understand how Earth-systems are being destabilized — and to explore whether new tools could safely stabilize them. Our work spans areas such as glacier instability, declining planetary reflectivity, methane and carbon feedbacks, and other frontier climate risks. Rather than directly funding researchers ourselves, we primarily support organizations that fund and orchestrate scientific research and act as foundational “field builders”, including advocating for greater governmental research leadership and promoting Global South engagement. In addition to providing our partners with financial and in-kind support, our small and highly engaged team focused on educating other philanthropic funders about the climate stabilization field and the need for greater support.

The Opportunity

To reach the requisite seriousness and scale, climate stabilization research requires significantly more philanthropic support. The Director of Partnerships will help build and mobilize the philanthropic ecosystem supporting this field. This role sits at the intersection of philanthropy and field-building.In collaboration with the Director and the Director of Strategy and Programs, you will identify and engage prospective funders, support the leaders of our partner organizations in their funder engagement, coordinate convenings and learning opportunities, and translate complex ideas into compelling narratives for philanthropic audiences.This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized in managing relationships and opportunities, and excited by the challenge of helping build a new field.

What You’ll Do

Support design and orchestration of partnership initiatives

• Design and execute philanthropic partnership initiatives, including collaborative funding efforts and novel engagement programs.
• Ensure partnership opportunities are well organized, well communicated, and moving forward.
• Coordinate outreach, materials, and follow-up across multiple stakeholders.

Strategic funder engagement

• Prepare briefing materials, background research, and summaries to support funder meetings and conversations.
• Coordinate introductions, follow-ups, and next steps with prospective and current partners.
• Translate complex scientific and strategic ideas into clear narratives that resonate with philanthropic audiences.

Design and support convenings

• Plan and execute funder gatherings such as private dinners, learning sessions, and small convenings that deepen engagement around this work.
• Coordinate logistics, guest lists, materials, and follow-up.

Strengthen partnership systems

• Develop dashboards and reporting that provide visibility into the funder pipeline and engagement progress.
• Maintain CRM systems and relationship tracking infrastructure.
• Over time, contribute to improving systems that allow the organization to manage partnerships effectively as the ecosystem grows.

Steward a philanthropic ecosystem

• Expand and manage the pipeline of prospective funders for climate stabilization research, including individuals, family offices, and foundations.
• Track relationships and engagement across the partnership pipeline, ensuring opportunities move forward and important follow-ups do not fall through the cracks.
• Identify promising new donor communities who could be motivated to support this work.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first few months:

• Key partnership initiatives and opportunities are moving forward and clearly tracked.
• Funder engagement — including conversations, introductions, and follow-ups — is organized and moving forward systematically.
• Leadership has strong briefing materials and coordination support for funder conversations.
• Convenings and engagement opportunities are well organized and thoughtfully executed.
• Outlier better understands the most promising opportunities to expand philanthropic support for climate stabilization research.

Qualifications

Required

• 5-10 years of experience in philanthropy, partnerships, fundraising, venture, family office advising, or other relationship-driven fields.
• Experience coordinating complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational skills and disciplined follow-through.
• Strong written communication and synthesis skills.
• Ability to build authentic relationships and develop trust with thoughtful and mission-driven people.

Helpful but not required

• Experience working in climate, philanthropy, research organizations, or other mission-driven fields.
• Experience planning or coordinating professional events or convenings.
• Comfort working in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.
• Strong intellectual curiosity and interest in complex scientific or policy questions.

Culture and Working Style

Outlier is a small and collaborative team. We value:

• Curiosity and intellectual openness.
• Direct communication and timely responses.
• Assuming good intent and addressing issues early.
• Sharing credit generously and supporting each other’s work.
• Keeping things thoughtful, constructive, and human.

Location

San Francisco Bay Area preferred, with hybrid in-person work expectations. We are open to other U.S. locations for the right candidate, with a preference for candidates in the Pacific Time Zone.

Outlier Projects offers a highly competitive benefits package, covering 95% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for both employees and their dependents. The organization also provides fully employer-paid life insurance, AD&D, short- and long-term disability, and an employee assistance program (EAP). Additional optional benefits include flexible spending and dependent care accounts, as well as commuter benefits.