Chief Development Officer

Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with University of Maine School of Law and University of Maine School of Law Foundation in the search for a Chief Development Officer.

Reporting to the President and Dean of the School of Law, the Chief Development Officer will plan, execute, and grow a program that cultivates, solicits, and stewards philanthropic support while leading an alumni engagement program in alignment with the strategic plan of the University of Maine School of Law (Maine Law). The Chief Development Officer will direct development and alumni relations professionals, creating and implementing policies and procedures tied to accountability and performance in accordance with best practices of the development profession. The Chief Development will provide ethical, creative, and focused leadership while serving as a partner to the President and Dean of Maine Law.

The Chief Development Officer will capitalize on the strengths of Maine Law, including a forward-thinking Dean, a new campus in downtown Portland, and a dedicated alumni community, to increase philanthropy across major, annual, capital, foundation and corporate, and planned giving. The Maine Law President and Dean, Foundation Board President and membership, Chief Operating and Business Officer, and leadership in the State of Maine are committed to supporting Maine Law and to realizing untapped potential from its alumni and friends.

By design, University of Maine School of Law is, and always has been, one of the smallest law schools in the country. With an excellent student to faculty ratio, Maine Law takes pride in providing the personal attention that few law schools can match, a focus on hands-on learning, and a world-class faculty.

Maine Law’s mission is to advance justice and leadership in a changing world. It provides an exceptional, inclusive, and student-centered legal education and serves the local and global communities through teaching, scholarship, and public service. Maine Law pursues its mission through the implementation of its values by an engaged faculty and staff who encourage the advancement of justice for all members of society, promote a system of just laws, and provide students with the knowledge, ethical framework, and skills needed for a career in the law.

Maine Law benefits from the robust collaboration with other graduate programs within the university through the Graduate and Professional Center. Maine Law’s new home in the beautiful coastal city of Portland, Maine, is in the heart of Portland’s Old Port, at 300 Fore Street, just two hours from Boston. The new location, in the newly renovated Maine Center, is within walking distance of many law firms and both the Federal and State courts. Six floors, many with views of Portland Harbor, provide multiple classrooms, conference, and innovation spaces, as well as student study spaces that include individualized focus study spaces and multiple seminar-style classrooms all equipped with modern technology. The Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic, which houses the General Practice Clinic, Youth Justice Clinic, the Prisoner Assistance Clinic, and the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, are co-located on the third floor of the Maine Center. University of Maine’s Graduate School of Business and University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service are also part of the coalition that forms the Maine Center, providing rich cross-disciplinary opportunities in business and policy for Maine Law students.

The three-year curriculum at University of Maine School of Law is intensive and challenging, offering courses in subjects as diverse as international business transactions and environmental law, as well as traditional core courses. The purpose of the curriculum is to give students a solid foundation in legal analysis and practical lawyering skills that will serve them well in any field they choose to pursue.

University of Maine School of Law works closely with its partner—the University of Maine School of Law Foundation Board to fulfill its educational and professional mission. It is the mission of the University of Maine School of Law Foundation to raise, manage, and distribute funds for the support and improvement of Maine Law and the education that it provides. The Foundation was established in 2001 and is responsible for the building of an endowment and in addressing long-term academic and financial priorities at the Law School.

University of Maine School of Law is a diverse community inclusive of all races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, disabilities, classes, and religions. Maine Law is committed to equity in legal education and the legal profession. Its 2023 first year class of 90 students is comprised of 19% first-generation students, 54% women, 18% racially diverse, and ages 20-56 (average age 26).

Consistent with its mission of legal education, all members of the Maine Law community are expected to be self-reflective on the inequities that exist within the legal system and their role in eradicating injustices in the legal system. Maine Law commits to listening to and supporting those members of the community who suffer at the hands of unjust systems. It commits to identifying the oppression that permeates the law and the justice system, to examining methods for dismantling it, and taking accountable action to make a measurable difference. Maine Law reaffirms the commitment of its faculty, staff, and students to this work.

University of Maine School of Law Foundation will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least five years of increasingly responsible fundraising experience in a non-profit organization, preferably in an educational setting, is preferred. A law degree is a significant plus. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of University of Maine School of Law as well as the responsibilities and qualifications stated in the prospectus.

The salary range for this position is $150,000 to $200,000 annually.

To apply for this position, visit: https://opportunities.aspenleadershipgroup.com/opportunities/1349.