Senior Regional Director of Regional Development
- Employer
- University of Georgia
- Location
- Athens, Georgia (US)
- Salary
- Commensurate qualifications and experience
- Date posted
- Dec 12, 2024
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- Position Type
- Administrative, Business & Administrative Affairs, Development & Advancement
- Employment Level
- Senior-Level
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Public Four-Year Institutions
Job Details
The Senior Regional Director position is a key fundraising leadership position in Development and Alumni Relations. This Athens-based position will have significant leadership responsibilities for the regional development team and will act as a key contributor to the strategic planning and vision for the team. This is a blended leadership and fundraising position as it oversees frontline fundraising team members and also carries a fundraising portfolio. Regional team members are responsible for fundraising for university wide priorities and our work is organized through various annual fundraising metrics. The work of the Senior Regional Director necessitates strategic planning with individual team members, mentoring and coaching fundraisers as they strive for goals, some fundraising travel, and prospect management within their own portfolio. The Senior Regional Director will report to and partner with the Senior Director of Regional Development on team and gift strategies, enhancing campus partnerships, and any other projects related to the ongoing success of the regional team.
Regional Directors are expected to conduct up to 160 planned, strategic meetings with top prospects each year. Senior regional directors are expected to conduct around 70-80 constituent meetings each year as they balance fundraising expectations with leadership responsibilities. Travel to fundraising markets should be coordinated around the availability of top prospects and coordinated with key internal stakeholders.
This team is an extension of the development efforts of all UGA schools and colleges in addition to the various academic units and the Athletic Association. Because of this group’s diverse geographical reach, as well as the representation of the entire university, regional directors exemplify a donor centered approach by maximizing a donor’s philanthropic potential and passion to invest in any area of the University of Georgia.
Preferred Qualifications:
- At least 5 years of professional experience related to major gift fundraising and development in Higher Education, preferably an R1 institution.
- Master’s degree or other post-secondary specialized degrees or certificates.
- Demonstrated success as a fundraiser with a proven track record of working with key levels of leadership to secure major gifts for multiple institutional priorities.
- Experience in planning, developing, and executing successful fundraising strategy.
- Proven ability to lead and manage a team of major gift fundraisers.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
- This position is structured as a permanent position within the Division of Development & Alumni Relations. We are unable to sponsor a work visa for this position.
- Writing sample required to be submitted with the application can include, but are not limited to, any professional correspondence with external contacts [omitting personal identifiable information], a priority menu or proposal submitted to a donor, or any other professional writing sample demonstrating a candidate’s ability to proficiently communicate in written form that is appropriate for a search committee to review.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies:
- Strong people leadership skills
- Proven record of accomplishment of success in major gift fundraising or similar role
- Ability to cultivate and solicit private major gifts from high-level prospects
- Knowledge of private funding landscape in higher education
- Highly motivated self-starter that takes initiative on projects and is willing to extend their impact to help the overall organization succeed
- Collaborative style combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment
- Excellent writing skills with extreme attention to detail and confident, strong verbal communication
- Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible
- Team-oriented strategist able to effectively manage complex situations
- Highly organized and able to handle multiple projects while balancing time management and multiple priorities
- Analytical, with adherence to self-guided goals and deadlines
- Adept at navigating complex environments with evolving priorities
- Ability to maintain high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to university business and confidential donor and prospect information
- Skilled using Microsoft Office products such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Creative thinker with ability to receive constructive feedback on ideas
- Ability to respond to donors needs and concerns in a kind and professional way
Additional Division Expectations:
- Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment
- Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting are expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.
Duties/Responsibilities
(40%) Lead a team of regional director positions focused on the university's fundraising mission
- Ensure fundraising strategies, goals, and pipeline development are set for the Fiscal Year and that all work is focused on attaining these goals.
- Maximize the quality of prospects and optimal prospect portfolio size for direct reports.
- Ensure direct reports focus their time and work on solicitation, cultivation and stewardship and that proper follow-up is completed after visits with the prospects in their portfolio.
- Train, mentor, and oversee activities of the direct reports. Evaluate performance and provide regular feedback to each direct report.
- Schedule regular “one-on-one” meetings with each direct report for purposes of planning, collaboration, communication, and fund-raising management.
(30%) Conduct monthly scheduled meetings with prospective donors, alumni, assigned portfolio and UGA constituents in assigned regions. That goal, along with a fundraising goal, will be agreed upon annually during strategic planning and revisited quarterly.
- The purpose of the meetings is to discover, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward University-wide prospects and donors.
- Basic expectation of a meeting is that it is a scheduled and agreed upon face-to-face meetings between the Regional Director and the prospect.
- Territories to conduct monthly meetings include cities assigned to the Regional Director based on institutional priority, wealth ratings, and alumni density.
- Purpose of the meetings is to cultivate, solicit, and steward assigned and newly identified prospects and donors for current and deferred major gifts to benefit any School, College, or Unit within the University of Georgia.
(20%) Complete managerial processes critical to travel, scheduled meeting, and fundraising performance.
- Complete telephone/correspondence/preparation/follow-up; record meetings, interactions, and plans in the giving & alumni database (GAIL) in a thorough and timely manner after the completion of individual meetings and/or trips.
- Prepare timely, accurate, and relevant proposals, presentations, and other fund-raising materials as needed for solicitation.
- Develop a strategy or plan for each prospect assigned with a written solicitation strategy in place for each person.
- Plan and/or participate in quarterly strategy planning sessions for assigned regions with internal university stakeholders.
- Perform administrative duties as needed.
(10%) Work collaboratively with development and alumni colleagues across campus on prospects, alumni, and constituents in an effort to maximize giving potential for Schools, Colleges, and Units fundraising priorities.
- Create and execute fund raising plans for assigned regions with School/College/Unit fundraisers, Alumni Association, and other internal stakeholders.
- Work with School/College/Unit fundraisers to fulfill requests to schedule meetings with prospects for the Regional Director’s assigned regions.
- Attend division and development staff meetings, scheduled individual strategy meetings as well as agreed upon professional development activities.
About the Regional Program team
The Regional Program team builds and maintains relationships with alumni and friends to raise major gifts for the University of Georgia. The Regional Directors build a culture of philanthropy in regions across the country while strengthening affinity for UGA. Through frequent travel to assigned cities, this team provides strategic direction and leadership for alumni and friends as they make philanthropic and volunteer decisions.
About the University of Georgia:
Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,000 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 40,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.
EEO Policy Statement:
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).
USG Core Values Statement:
The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.
Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.
Company
As the birthplace of public higher education in America, the University of Georgia has inspired generations of entrepreneurs, researchers, and citizens to change the world since its founding in 1785.
The University of Georgia, a land-grant and sea-grant university with statewide commitments and responsibilities, is the state’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education. Its motto, “to teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things,” reflects the University’s integral and unique role in the conservation and enhancement of the state’s and nation’s intellectual, cultural, and environmental heritage.
The University of Georgia shares with the other research universities of the University System of Georgia the following core characteristics:
- a statewide responsibility and commitment to excellence and academic achievements having national and international recognition;
- a commitment to excellence in a teaching/learning environment dedicated to serving a diverse and well-prepared student body, to promoting high levels of student achievement, and to providing appropriate academic support services;
- a commitment to excellence in research, scholarship, and creative endeavors that are focused on organized programs to create, maintain, and apply new knowledge and theories; that promote instructional quality and effectiveness; and that enhance institutionally relevant faculty qualifications;
- a commitment to excellence in public service, economic development, and technical assistance activities designed to address the strategic needs of the state of Georgia along with a comprehensive offering of continuing education designed to meet the needs of Georgia’s citizens in life-long learning and professional education;
- a wide range of academic and professional programming at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels.
With its statewide mission and core characteristics, the University of Georgia endeavors to prepare the University community and the state for full participation in the global society of the twenty-first century. Through its programs and practices, it seeks to foster the understanding of and respect for cultural differences necessary for an enlightened and educated citizenry. It further provides for cultural, ethnic, gender, and racial diversity in the faculty, staff, and student body. The University is committed to preparing the University community to appreciate the critical importance of a quality environment to an interdependent global society.
- Website
- http://www.uga.edu/
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