Primary Role

The Director of Development is a major gift officer of the college, leading the leadership giving and planned giving staff, coordinating campaigns, and securing the financial support needed for the college to achieve its strategic objectives.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

  • Understands the needs and priorities of donors, recognizing past gifts, cultivating future gifts, and successfully completing asks through effective communication of the needs, accomplishments and goals of the college.
  • Coordinates development team activity in consultation with annual fund office, alumni relations office, Executive Director of Development and president’s office.
  • Develops strong volunteer involvement in identifying prospective donors, assisting in individual solicitations, and serving as leaders in campaigns.
  • Promotes a strong commitment to donor centered fund raising.

Supervision Required/Given

  • Reports to the Executive Director of Development.
  • Supervises a team of direct reports including student employees and interns.

Position Qualifications

  • BS/BA is required. An advanced degree is desirable.
  • A minimum of three years of increasingly responsible experience in charitable gift programs sufficient to demonstrate competency and capabilities with: gift proposal design, estate gift and tax planning, solicitation of gifts from widely varying constituencies, and recruitment and utilization of volunteers.
  • Excellent communication skills and a keen ability to foster, build, and maintain relationships on all levels.
  • A proactive manner and the ability and inclination to formulate and to articulate opinions, creating consensus and momentum.
  • A team player with the proven ability to lead a staff, to develop competencies in others and to delegate responsibility.
  • Willingness to travel extensively and work non-traditional hours.