Description

SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Major & Planned Giving, the Associate Director of Development is responsible for qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift prospects to secure major gift support of $50,000+ from individual donors. The Associate Director identifies, engages, and solicits donors at all life stages, including conducting prospect research, developing effective solicitation strategies, and stewarding donors throughout the major giving process. The Associate Director may require frequent business travel and meetings on and off campus during regular and non-traditional business hours and is expected to operate with high levels of autonomy and collaboration.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Structure, lead, manage, and oversee a major gift program.
• Manage a fluid portfolio of major gift prospects rated at $50,000+ through an active moves management process of qualification visits, cultivation, solicitations, and stewardship.
• Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects to secure major gift support of $50,000+ from individual donors.
• First year focus on identification and qualification activities.
• Present a persuasive case to prospects for support of key programs and projects, effectively matching the interests of the prospect to specific needs for the university and/or an assigned college, school, or unit.
• Collaborate with fundraising colleagues, faculty, academic leaders, administrators, and lead volunteers to increase and grow major gift support by deepening meaningful relationships with major gift prospects.
• Coordinate the necessary information needed from the appropriate Dean, Director, and/or senior administrator to create and implement a major gifts program for the University, college, or unit. Partner with the Associate Vice President for Development Strategy & Operations and with other Development areas, such as Annual Giving, Donor Relations, and Alumni Engagement, to coordinate contacts.
• Record and track all prospect and donor plan activities using the university's prospect management system.
• Work closely with the Development team to achieve the University’s Development goals and objectives.
• Conduct prospect research.
• Develop effective solicitation strategies.
• Serve a key role in conveying a clear sense of focus, competency, and credibility to those who invest in and support the University’s mission, students, programs, and other activities.
• Steward donors throughout the major giving process.
• Business travel and meetings on and off campus during regular and non-traditional business hours, and is expected to operate with high levels of autonomy and collaboration.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Management retains the right to add or change job duties at any time.

Requirements

REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college.
• A minimum of four years of experience in the areas of major gift fundraising, campaign fundraising, and prospect management.
• Demonstrated track record of soliciting, documenting, closing, and stewarding major gifts of $50,000+.
• Demonstrated success in one-on-one communications and sustained relationship building with donors, prospects, administrators, faculty, staff, and colleagues.
• Ability to creatively manage development activities and identify fundraising opportunities in an entrepreneurial, innovative, forward-thinking, and performance-driven manner.
• Demonstrated understanding of donor-centric, customer service-oriented, collaborative fundraising.
• Extensive working knowledge of identified “best practices” and leading-edge principles in the areas of development, fundraising, moves management, planned giving, donor stewardship, and proposal preparation.
• Proven ability in leading, managing, and organizing multiple projects with energy, clarity, optimism, collaboration, diplomacy, and integrity.
   

PREFERRED:

• Master’s degree from an accredited university or college.
• Higher education fundraising experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook) or Raiser’s Edge
• Intellectual curiosity, personal accountability, emotional intelligence, collaborative mindset, and openness to new ideas and constructive feedback.
• Performance-oriented, self-starter with proven ability to build relationships and communicate effectively.