Description
Executive Director of Development
Advancement | College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)
Job Posting Title: Executive Director of Development
Salary range: $116,000 - $154,500
Position Overview
The Executive Director of Development will lead an established, cohesive, and growing fundraising team within one of the largest colleges of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) in the country, serving more than 3,500 students and over 45,000 living alumni. The College’s impact extends well beyond its alumni base, engaging more than one million past Ohio 4-H program participants and a vast statewide network of stakeholders through OSU Extension.
The expectation of this role is to maintain $50M+ in annual new fundraising activity while developing and executing comprehensive strategies that drive sustained, year-over-year growth. This includes strengthening the major and principal gift pipeline, enhancing corporate and foundation partnerships, expanding the donor base, and ensuring disciplined portfolio management and performance accountability across the team.
The Executive Director serves as a critical strategic partner to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) in advancing the College’s philanthropic priorities. They are responsible for the day-to-day management of development operations and for leading, mentoring, and holding accountable a large team of fundraising professionals to achieve ambitious goals.
In close collaboration with the CAO, the Executive Director will ensure alignment between development strategies and the broader advancement functions under the CAO’s supervision, including donor experience, alumni engagement, annual giving, and advancement operations. The role also requires strong partnership with the Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College to maximize philanthropic impact and ensure fundraising strategies are fully integrated with the College’s academic vision and priorities.
This role requires a deep understanding of the College’s mission, strategic priorities, needs, and value proposition in order to effectively engage and secure support from a wide range of constituents, including individuals, corporations, foundations, and partner organizations. The Executive Director must be equally adept at navigating a complex academic environment, working closely with academic leaders, department chairs, and faculty across CFAES to identify compelling funding opportunities and align philanthropic support with institutional priorities.
Serving as a key connector between donors and academic leadership, the Executive Director models and reinforces best practices for building strong, trust-based relationships among these essential constituencies. In partnership with the CAO, this leader will foster a culture of continuous learning by providing ongoing training and coaching for both development staff and faculty on the art and science of fundraising. Leading by example, demonstrating professionalism, and cultivating a culture of respect and accountability are essential expectations in this fast-paced, high-performing environment.
Reporting directly to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), the Executive Director relieves the CAO of significant supervisory and high-level responsibilities. This includes representing the College at Office of Advancement and university meetings and committees, as needed. The role operates with a high degree of independence and judgment, requiring the ability to make strategic decisions, solve complex problems, negotiate effectively, coach team members, and adapt to shifting priorities within an ambiguous and evolving landscape. Frequent travel is required, including periodic overnight trips, regular in-state travel, and occasional evening and weekend commitments.
The Executive Director actively manages a portfolio of prospective donors capable of making gifts of $100,000 or more, with a strategic emphasis on securing $1,000,000+ commitments and advancing cross-disciplinary initiatives aligned with campaign priorities. Preparation for solicitation involves the creative and strategic use of resources to assess donor capacity, cultivate interest, elevate philanthropic vision, sustain long-term engagement, and successfully close transformational gifts. Performance is measured by clear annual metrics, including personally scheduled visits, prospect qualifications, solicitations, gift commitments, and dollars raised.
To maximize impact, the Executive Director strategically leverages central advancement resources—including prospect development, gift planning, regional development officers, donor experience, principal gifts, foundation relations, and corporate relations—to advance the College’s ambitious fundraising goals and ensure coordinated, institution-wide engagement.
All members of External Affairs part of creating a culture that inspires an exceptionally multifaceted and talented team and are expected to exhibit The Ohio State University’s Shared Values. The Office of Advancement is committed to acting with kindness, respect, and integrity at all times and welcoming our colleagues’ ideas, voices, and perspectives, acknowledging that we are better together.
About the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
If you aren’t already we guarantee you will be passionate about the food environmental and agricultural industry once you join the team. CFAES and our community are uniquely positioned to take on critical challenges such as sustainable food security and safety environmental and ecosystem sustainability, the intersection of human animal and environmental health and the tensions and opportunities created between rural and urban communities and industries. The Land Grant mission of improving the lives of individuals families and communities is central to our work. One of the ways we accomplish this mission is through engaging alumni of our programs across our three campuses: Columbus Wooster and statewide through OSU Extension.
Duties and Responsibilities
95%
Leads a team of development professionals to meet the college's fundraising goals by identifying, securing and maximizing opportunities to align prospective donor interests and passions with college priorities. Leverages the CFAES Advancement team and University Advancement as appropriate to help advance the College's fundraising goals.
Manages a personal portfolio of approximately 50 prospects and donors. This portfolio should represent a majority of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary projects to reflect priorities set forth by the CFAES.
Recruits, trains, evaluates, motivates, and coaches employees of various backgrounds and identities; establishes and monitors goals, provides performance feedback and coaching, and supports professional development; completes annual performance management procedures; manages performance issues; is responsible for using independent, consistent and fair judgement in exercising authority; develops procedures, assigns and prioritizes work, and ensures that the resources needed to accomplish work are provided. Leads with intention to create a workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives, fosters equitable opportunity, and promotes a strong sense of belonging.
5% Completes special projects and performs other duties as assigned.
Metrics and Collaboration
The annual performance of all fundraisers at Ohio State is measured by the number of qualifications, cultivations, solicitations and commitments/dollars raised the individual accrues over each fiscal year. Each fundraiser may have different expectations regarding these figures based upon, but not limited to, their experience level, unit size, prospect portfolio, past performance, etc. Goal setting is done with the individual’s manager prior to each fiscal year to assure transparency, consistency and alignment.
All fundraisers at Ohio State are encouraged and expected to collaborate with their colleagues across the institution and can be counted as ‘Secondary’ on a gift in the solicitation, commitment and dollars raised phases of the development cycle. A secondary fundraiser can be considered when a team is working on a multi-unit gift, the fundraiser is a subject matter expert in an area critical to the solicitation or a fundraiser has a pre-existing, meaningful relationship with the donor and their participation helps move the gift forward.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education/experience
- Seven (7) years of relevant experience with at least five (5) years of professional fundraising experience (building relationships towards philanthropic end through making calls, conducting face-to-face appointments, creating and presenting proposals, closing gifts) and two (2) years of related experience in marketing, sales, public relations, financial advisement, account management or related field with emphasis on donor cultivation, solicitation and relationship cultivation of individuals/businesses.
- Three years management experience.
Desired Qualifications (We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage you to apply even if your experience does not align perfectly)
- At least seven years of professional fundraising experience raising the highest level of philanthropic gifts at an organization (preferably five six figures and above)
- At least seven years of professional fundraising experience in higher education or a hospital/health care environment
- Experience working in other advancement departments such as donor relations and stewardship, donor communications and/or alumni relations Master's degree or PhD a plus.
The Office of Advancement is committed to providing tools and resources for you to learn our business, proprietary databases, university-specific processes, and advancement practices.
You Need to Know
Aside from the unparalleled benefits of working for The Ohio State University and working in the vibrant, smart, enjoyable, and growing city of Columbus, Ohio, this opportunity will provide exceptional rewards that arise from working for an institution doing worldwide life-changing teaching and research. Learn more here: https://hr.osu.edu/careers/.
In accordance with the Disaster Preparedness and University State of Emergency Policy 6.17 this position has been designated as a standby position.
