Associate Director of Major Gifts

Haverford College Associate Director of Major Gifts Position Profile

Executive Search Partner: Triad Academic Search

9/21/22

Haverford College is consistently ranked among the top 20 undergraduate liberal arts

colleges in the United States. Located outside Philadelphia, it is highly regarded for its

rigorous and intensely personal undergraduate education, which is delivered in a

beautiful arboretum setting and anchored in its Honor Code. The vast majority of students

live on campus and are active in athletics, student clubs, internships, service activities and

self-governance. Haverford was founded by Quakers in 1833, who believed that academic

excellence, offered in a setting of tolerance and mutual respect, would serve a larger goal

of "educating the whole person." While Haverford is nonsectarian today, those same

values continue to inspire and distinguish its students and alumni.

Haverford College Haverford, PA

Haverford's intentionally diverse curricular requirements ensure that

students are well-rounded, expansive thinkers. Students take courses

in each of three major academic divisions for a variety of ideas,

concepts, and intellectual approaches. Featuring 56 individual

programs focused on individual growth, Haverford offers specialized

majors, minors, and concentrations. 54% of the student population

has a minor or a concentration. Additionally, Haverford’s unique four-

college exchange program with Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and the

University of Pennsylvania allows them to retain the strengths of the

small college experience, while offering the expanded resources and

opportunities usually found at a larger university. Haverford students

can take a staggering array of classes at any of these Quaker

Consortium schools.

Haverford has chosen to remain small and to foster close

student/faculty relationships as a commitment to excellence and a

concern for individual growth. 98% of Haverford’s 1,435 students live

on campus, the student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, and they were listed

#25 in Forbes’ top liberal arts colleges. Additionally, they have a 92%



1,435 Students

9:1 Student to faculty ratio

98% Live on campus

1833 Founded

graduation rate, and all students complete a senior thesis. Haverford’s

faculty is noted for its strength in both scholarship and teaching, and

its members expect to transmit to students their enthusiasm and high

standards. The faculty members are teaching at an undergraduate

college of arts and sciences by choice and they expect to learn, as well

as to teach, in this close relationship with undergraduates.

Haverford students and graduates are extremely successful. They are

regularly recognized for scholarly achievement through awards and

fellowships such as Fulbright, Watson, Guggenheim, and the Nobel

Prize. Of Haverford’s students and graduates, 4 are Nobel Prize

winners, 85 are Fulbright Scholars, 5 are MacArthur Fellows, 28 are

Goldwater Scholars, 69 are Watson Fellows, 20 are Rhodes Scholars,

27 are Guggenheim Scholars, and 6 received the Pulitzer Prize.

Haverford students are admitted to medical school, law school, and

other professional schools at rates that are significantly higher than

the national average. Recent graduates have gone to programs at the

University of Chicago, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, MIT, UCLA,

Cambridge, and the University of Pennsylvania, to name a few. Alumni

pursue careers ranging from business and finance (22%), to healthcare

(17%), to public service and government (9%), to law and legal services

(8%), to science and technology (13%), to education (19%), to

communications, leisure, and tourism (7%), and architecture, arts, and

museums (5%). Wherever Haverford graduates go, they achieve great

things.





99% Faculty with highest degree in their fields

100% Students who complete a

senior thesis

56 Academic programs

8 Miles from Philadelphia

In his 1918 book about Haverford College, its then President Isaac Sharpless described

its unique standing among higher education institutions: “The purpose is to make the

whole Haverford family, managers, alumni, faculty, and undergraduates, a loyal and

interested democracy. It is on such a platform that our small college has been

standing...and it has no intention of following the well-meant advice of its larger

brethren to close its doors or change its general policy.”

A century-plus later, those ideals still hold true and the Haverford educational

experience leaves a lasting influence on its graduates. No matter their career paths, no

matter their expertise, Haverford alumni are recognizable as sophisticated and

compassionate actors and thinkers, who care deeply about the communities they serve

and are distinguished by their leadership. Chief among the College’s distinctive features

is the high-degree of responsibility and independence that its students are afforded in

governing their own activities and as active stakeholders in Haverford’s institutional

governance and operations.

Institutional Advancement at Haverford: A Time for Growth and Opportunity

The Institutional Advancement Division propels Haverford’s mission and values through

inspired engagement and philanthropy. We support the strengthening of the College’s

values-based liberal arts education through its relationships with alumni,

parents/families and friends, and by building Haverford’s reputation as a remarkable

institution of higher learning. Particularly in the case of Haverford alumni, we view their

relationships with the College and their fellow alumni as lifelong and strive to enrich

them through different engagement and volunteer opportunities.

At Haverford, this is an exciting time. We are in the midst of developing a new strategic

plan that will position the College for its next decade and lead up to its 200th

anniversary (Haverford was founded in 1833). Expecting to conclude in the next six

months, this collaborative community-wide effort will set the institutional aspirations

and priorities that will inform our next comprehensive campaign. In tandem with the

development of Haverford’s new strategic plan, Institutional Advancement has created

a data-informed multi-year and multifaceted plan that undergirds growing the Division,

recalibrating several departments, adding new functions, and preparing for a robust

campaign. Over the next two years, Institutional Advancement will expand its staffing

between 25-40%, across multiple areas (Philanthropy, Alumni and Constituent

Engagement, Advancement Operations, and Charitable Gift Planning), and at all levels of

its operations, such as Advancement Communications, Volunteer Recruitment and

Development, Principal Gifts, and Analytics and Predictive Modeling. We seek

enthusiastic, high-caliber professionals to join our existing team of excellent colleagues

and help propel Haverford forward through the launch of our comprehensive campaign

and fulfillment of Institutional Advancement’s multi-year and multifaceted plan.

Institutional Advancement is being led by Ara Serjoie who has served as Vice President

since August 2021. His 28-year career has spanned higher education, youth

development, and health care. Ara lived in Tehran, West Berlin, and London before

moving to the United States to pursue a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and sciences

from Utah State University. He holds a master’s in public administration from the

University of Utah with an emphasis in nonprofit leadership and earned his Ph.D. in

higher education leadership and human resource studies at Colorado State University.

Haverford College invites applications to our available full-time, exempt, benefit-

eligible Associate Director of Major Gifts position. The Associate Director, Major Gifts

develops long-term philanthropic relationships with an assigned group of Haverford’s

best-able-to-give alumni, parents, and friends while serving as a key member of the

College’s fundraising team. Much of the Associate Director’s work may be completed

remotely, but the position requires a hybrid work schedule and the Associate Director

may be required to be on-campus for College events, prospective donor meetings, or

other activities as necessary.

JOB TITLE: Associate Director of Major Gifts

DEPARTMENT: Institutional Advancement

REPORTS TO: Director of Major Gifts

FLSA STATUS: HR will determine Exempt ☐ or Non-exempt ☐

BENEFITS: Full-time comprehensive benefit eligible

LAST REVISED DATE: 9/18/22

CUPA BENCHMARK: HR will provide (low) (mid) (high)

Position Overview

Associate Director of Major Gifts

• Creating donor engagement opportunities, both in-person and virtual

• Occasionally leading strategic programmatic initiatives

• Attending regional and affinity events

• Executing fundraising plans for assigned regional territories, including overseas.

Maintain, categorize, administer, and actively manage a prospect pool of alumni,

parents, and friends of Haverford College.

• Identify and prepare solicitation strategies, both in person and virtual, for

identified prospects, most rated between $100,000 to $1,000,000. Solicit and

secure major gifts, planned gifts, and Annual Giving commitments from these

prospects.

• Hold in person, phone, and virtual (Zoom) meetings in order to move

prospective donors through the Donor Engagement Process

• Correspond promptly with constituents in a manner reflective of the College’s

sense of integrity and purpose

• Maintain timely electronic and paper records of contacts with Haverford

prospects

Essential Functions & Primary Responsibilities

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage the fundraising and special event activities in support of assigned

College priorities and initiatives.

• Establish and execute regional travel plans based on priority solicitations and

consultation with the Director of Major Gifts.

• Work closely with Prospect Research team and other members of IA to plan

individual solicitation strategies in order to manage current identified

prospects and to recognize, identify, and introduce new prospects into the

overall campaign cultivation pool.

• Work collaboratively with the Director of Donor Relations on prospect follow-

up, proposal creation, and acknowledgment of gift commitments.

• Consider data integrity a priority and work diligently to document

capacity/gift/engagement related information in Raiser’s Edge (the alumni

database) in a timely manner.

• Serve as a strategic partner, mentor, and positive influence to other members

of the Individual Giving team.

The Associate Director of Major Gifts reports to the Director of Major Gifts and has

no direct reports.

Line of Report

• Bachelor’s degree required

• Understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the academic, cultural and social

diversity of the Haverford College community and a demonstrated track record of

commitment to DEI through professional and personal experience.

• Three to five years of major gift fundraising experience or transferable skill

equivalent

• Knowledge of fundraising philosophies and approaches

• Previous experience working in higher education, preferably liberal arts

institutions will be valued

• Exposure to Plus Delta’s Donor Engagement Process and/or the Raiser’s Edge

database ideal

• Prior experience working with alumni volunteers a plus

• Ability to interact with major gift and planned gift prospects as well as leadership

alumni volunteers and members of the Board of Managers necessary

• Excellent management, organization, communication, and interpersonal skills

• Extensive travel required domestically (a minimum of 5-7 days per month),

including international travel (approximately 1–3 times per year)

• Evening and weekend work required

Education, Training, & Experience

Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid U.S. Drivers’ License and ability to pass a Motor Vehicle

Record check is required

• All faculty and staff (including contract workers) who are employed or engaged by

Haverford College, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (to include a

booster dose when eligible), and provide proof of vaccination (to include a

booster dose when eligible), unless an exemption from this policy has been

granted as an accommodation or otherwise.

This status determines for the identification, treatment of time, and use of

“Essential Personnel” during campus emergencies, including those that dictate

suspension of services and/or closure of operations, i.e. inclement weather. During

an emergency, Essential Personnel are required to be on campus in order to provide

services that relate directly to the health, safety, and welfare of the College, ensure

continuity of key operations, and maintain and protect College’s properties.

☐ This is an Essential employee role

☒ This is a Non-essential employee role

Essential or Non-essential Employee

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions Required of this Position Please check the box that appropriately applies to this position for ADA purposes.



PHYSICAL DEMANDS NEVER

0 Hours

OCASSIONALLY

Up to 3 Hours

FREQUENTLY

3-6 Hours

CONSTANTLY

6-8 Hours

Lifting

To exert strength to move objects from

one place to another.



● Sedentary-Lifting 0 to 10 pounds

x

● Light-Lifting 10 to 20 pounds x

● Moderate-Lifting 20 to 50 pounds x

● Heavy-Lifting 50 to 100 pounds x

Pulling

To exert force upon an object to move

or change its direction.

x

Pushing

To draw an object toward oneself to

move or change its direction.

x

Carrying

To hold objects while moving entire

body.

x

Reaching or working above shoulder

To extend arms upward or outward

away from body.

x

Walking

To move entire body in erect position. x

Standing

To maintain body in erect posture in

stationary position.

x

Sitting

To rest weight on buttocks and back of

thighs with legs bent at knees.

x

Crouching/Stooping

To bend upper body forward while fully

flexing knees.

x

PHYSICAL DEMANDS NEVER

0 Hours

OCASSIONALLY

Up to 3 Hours

FREQUENTLY

3-6 Hours

CONSTANTLY

6-8 Hours

Kneeling

To maintain upper body in

erect position while

resting knees on ground.

x

Climbing

To ascend or descend

heights using ladders,

scaffolding, stairs, poles,

inclined surfaces.

x

Twisting

To rotate upper body

while feet remain

stationary.



x

*Driving

Operating a motor vehicle,

crane, tractor, forklift, etc.

Specify_________

x

Exposure Limitation

i.e. Cold weather, dust,

gas, fumes, etc.

Specify____________

x

Other:



* If driving is a job requirement, please re-confirm that the annual certification/verification of DMV records has been completed.

Haverford College has retained Triad Academic Search to assist in this search. All

inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications should be emailed in confidence

to:

Dharshan Jayasinghe

Chief Executive Officer

Triad Academic Search

dharshan@triadacademicsearch.com

For additional information, please visit:

https://www.haverford.edu/

https://triadacademicsearch.com/

Haverford College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer committed

to diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and providing equal opportunities and

access to all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual

orientation, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, disability, or veteran

status. Women, non-binary and transgender individuals, people of color, Indigenous

people, and those with other or multiple historically marginalized and/or

underrepresented identities are especially encouraged to apply. Haverford College

and our consortial partners are located on Lenape lands.

Application Process