Director, Development

Position Summary:

The Director of Development position offers an opportunity to join a growing major gift program that is moving into a comprehensive fundraising campaign and provides a pathway for professional development. Remote and flexible work schedules are available. This is a full time benefit eligible position that offers health, dental and vision insurance, retirement, disability, tuition assistance, vacation/sick accrual, flexible work schedule and holiday pay.

This position reports to the Executive Director, Major Gifts and is responsible for the development and management of a portfolio of 125 major gift prospects, primarily focusing on solicitations of $100,000 to $2M with prospects in the Northeast region. Although subject to change, the Northeast region currently includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Philadelphia metro area. The position will develop and execute long- and short-range strategies to qualify, cultivate, solicit, steward, and continually engage each assigned prospect, producing a continuous stream of donors. The position is expected to close solicitations within a best practice standard of 18 - 24 months. The work of the position is accomplished through: the development and maintenance of an astute awareness of social, business, and philanthropic cultures, a comprehensive understanding of the University's priorities and making persuasive verbal and written cases for supporting key programs and projects, effectively matching the interests of prospects to specific University needs, and serving as an expert liaison for the University of Dayton community. Serving in a collegial, consultative, and cooperative fashion, the position will partner with division, executive, and academic leaders in the strategic planning and execution of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.

Additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to: working in collaboration with Executive Director, Major Gifts to move campaign priorities and objectives forward, gathering data and assessing prospects, documenting and communicating individual strategies and activity for each qualified prospect, representing the University at events that promote engagement and philanthropy, providing support to event personnel in the identification and recruitment of attendees, and demonstrating leadership in the development community.

Minimum Qualifications:

A bachelor's degree.
Four years of frontline, individual fundraising experience or 6 years of related experience (i.e., sales, recruiting, business development).
Experience working successfully in a goal oriented and metrics driven environment.
Effective interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Ability and willingness to travel via a variety of transport modes (i.e., airplane, car, public transport, etc.) and to manage a 50% travel schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as needed.
A valid driver's license, low risk driving record and insurability by the University.

Preferred Qualifications:

While not everyone may possess all of the preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

While not everyone may possess all of the preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:
Seven or more years of individual frontline fundraising experience.
Experience fundraising in higher education.
Fundraising experience towards a comprehensive, multi-year campaign.
Experience in personally and consistently closing six- and seven-figure philanthropic gifts from donors. Demonstrated experience in working collaboratively with internal and external constituents.
Experience raising funds in a formal, comprehensive, multi-year campaign.
Experience partnering with academic leaders, executive leadership and division colleagues in the development and execution of long range and short-range strategies.
Experience giving presentations.
Experience in using a fundraising database or similar customer relationship management database.
Experience working with socially and culturally diverse communities.
Demonstrated knowledge of laws, best practices and philosophy of charitable giving.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

To apply please submit a cover letter addressing each minimum qualification and applicable preferred qualifications that you meet.

A federal court on December 7, 2021, issued a ruling that suspends the COVID-19 vaccine requirement that applies to federal contractors nationwide. With this development, the University will pause any enforcement action against employees who have not complied with the requirement to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, 2021 or to have requested an exemption to maintain their employment status.

The University will continue to monitor the state of the pandemic on campus and in the community as well as developments in federal and state requirements, and also will continue to regularly consult with public health officials and our medical panel. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, our protocols and requirements are subject to change depending on conditions on campus or in our community, and government requirements.

Closing Statement:

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity, achieve equitable outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, we will not discriminate against minorities, women, protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, or on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.