Key Responsibilities
•Major Gifts: Manage an assigned portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects through discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, with a focus on closing more than $3 million annually in philanthropic support. Engage donors through correspondence, calls, events, and extensive face-to-face visits. Track solicitation and stewardship progress in Salesforce in accordance with University prospect management guidelines. Develop and implement long-term strategies for each prospect and collaborate with division colleagues to achieve unit and institutional goals.
•Unit Liaison: Coordinate and participate in development activities within the College of Aviation and attend the Dean’s leadership meetings to understand the College’s needs, challenges, and opportunities. Coordinate with central advancement on annual giving, advancement communications, data acquisition, planned giving, donor relations, and donor impact reporting. Advise the Dean on philanthropic policies, practices, schedules, strategies, and best practices. Build effective relationships with administrators, faculty, and staff and engage them in fundraising efforts.
•Collaboration and Communication: Translate complex scientific concepts and programs into compelling, donor-friendly language for proposals and outreach. Prepare fundraising communications, foundation reports, faculty updates, acknowledgment letters, and other materials. Monitor University outreach events for major gift leads and develop meaningful donor and prospect events that showcase opportunities for support.
•Staff Management: Lead and manage the Director of Philanthropy and Associate Director of Philanthropy for the College of Aviation. Support professional development through inclusive, transparent, and empowering leadership. Participate in regular staff and frontline fundraiser meetings to coordinate development and alumni relations activities, and serve on committees as requested.
•Other Duties: Perform other duties as assigned and appropriate to the position’s rank and the University’s mission.
• Bachelor’s degree required; foreign equivalent or higher accepted.
• Ten years of full-time fundraising experience in higher education, a complex healthcare system, or a large nonprofit organization.
• Proven record of success cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts of $100,000 or more from individual donors.
• Experience managing numerous priorities and a broad portfolio of donor or client relationships.
• Experience with Salesforce or a comparable donor relationship management application.
• Master’s degree.
• Additional fundraising experience in higher education, a large nonprofit organization, or a healthcare institution.
• Experience working in an academic or medical center.
• Experience managing volunteers or an advisory board.
• Comfort working with high-net-worth individuals and maintaining confidential information.
• Basic knowledge of planned giving vehicles and techniques.
• Experience developing a new donor constituency.
