Senior Director of Philanthropy, College of Arts & Sciences

The Senior Director is assigned by the University’s central development enterprise to support a particular academic or administrative unit.

The Senior Director is responsible for managing and coordinating fund-raising for both that unit and general institutional priorities. The Senior Director works closely with the leader of the assigned unit and senior staff of the central development enterprise to establish philanthropic priorities, and develops both long-term strategies and tactics for addressing them. When fundraising for the assigned unit, the Senior Director shall place special emphasis on securing funds for the priorities of the unit, as determined by the unit leader with the approval of the appropriate University officer(s).

The Senior Director is expected to actively engage and collaborate with their assigned unit, supporting that unit leader and designated faculty or staff in their efforts to secure philanthropic gifts for the unit. The Senior Director is expected to develop a rapport with personnel in the unit and to master the needs, opportunities, challenges, strategic plans, and points of pride for that unit. The Senior Director shall routinely attend planning and leadership meetings to which they are invited by the unit leader. The Senior Director shall be also actively engaged with the central development enterprise, attending required meetings and fulfilling all organizational and supervisory obligations, such as maintaining their training level.

The ideal candidate will be proactive, self-motivated, high-energy, and an outstanding listener and communicator, with proven experience in successfully engaging high-net worth prospects, foundations, and corporations to secure philanthropic support for the assigned unit and the University. 

Responsibilities include the following:

Major Gifts

The Sr. Director shall be assigned a portfolio of from 75 to 150 major prospects; conduct discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship within this portfolio engage current and prospective donors through print or electronic correspondence, calls, encounters at events, and, most importantly, individual, face-to-face visits; and travel extensively for those meetings. The Sr. Director’s primary objective is to secure gifts for the assigned unit, though other opportunities may be pursued as well in order to optimize overall giving to the University. A major gift is defined as $5,000; however, the pursuit of gifts of $25,000 or more must be emphasized in order to achieve annual goals.

Develop Major Gift Strategies

Develop long-term strategies and tactics for each prospect, implement them, and collaborate with colleagues in the division to achieve unit and institutional donor engagement and stewardship goals. The Sr. Director’s primary responsibility is to develop strategies for the prospects assigned to them for the unit.

Unit Liaison

Engage with and coordinate development activities within assigned unit. Participate in leadership meetings at their assigned units in order to better understand the unit’s needs, challenges, and opportunities. Help coordinate central advancement efforts in the areas of annual giving, advancement communications, data acquisition, planned giving programing, donor relations and donor impact reporting associated with the unit. Build lasting, effective relationships with administrators, faculty, and staff associated with their unit and across campus to best engage them in the process of philanthropy. Advise the unit leader on the institution’s philanthropic policies, practices, schedules, and strategies as well as on general best practices in philanthropy. Operate within the framework of the MOU governing the position and ensure a strong healthy relationship with between their assigned unit, other units, and the central administration of DAR and the University. Effectively deploy the unit leader and their personnel.

Support Central Development

Observe institutional development policies, participate actively in obligatory meetings held by central development, and maintain a satisfactory level of training and knowledge of best practices. The Senior Director’s main emphasis is to secure funds for their assigned unit. However, we shall be donor-centric. Thus, as necessary or as assigned, assist the central development enterprise in achieving its broader objectives. This may entail transferring or sharing assigned prospects based on interests in other units. Conduct discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship in accordance with those assignments. Engage current and prospective donors through print or electronic correspondence, calls, encounters at events, and most importantly, individual, face to face visits. Complete timely, accurate, concise, and complete contact reports and enter them into the Division’s enterprise system(s