Assistant Director of Development

Position Overview

The Assistant Director of Development is responsible for qualifying and disqualifying new prospects, building positive relationships with existing donors in their portfolio, and growing philanthropic support for the University, with a focus on researching, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts of $2,500–$50,000. This position will also collaborate with senior development teammates in securing gifts at the $125K+ level. Primary areas of focus include annual fund, increasing 1881 membership, and building the future major gift pipeline.

Reporting to the Director of Leadership Annual Giving, the Assistant Director will utilize technology, AI, and strategic resources to focus on high-quality and high-volume outreach to drive pipeline development and gift acquisition. This position offers a hybrid work arrangement with time worked both on campus and remotely.

Responsibilities

• Maintains a high volume of outreach, averaging about 200 unique actions per month to secure qualification meetings with prospects. Meetings may be virtual or in-person, using digital tools for outreach and donor interaction, focusing on soliciting annual gifts, multi-year pledges, and planned gifts, as well as securing commitments at the leadership annual giving level. The longer-term goal is to build prospect relationships and renew existing donor commitments.
• Builds a portfolio of prospects through strategic qualification, utilizing available resources to identify and develop relationships with alumni, families, and community members with inclination and capacity to make a gift.
• Develops and executes an annual fundraising business plan with strategic qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship steps for prospects. Meets regularly with the manager to assess and divide fundraising priorities, review strategies, and track progress toward meeting fundraising performance benchmarks.
• Maintains comprehensive knowledge of university-wide fundraising priorities, with a particular focus on current use funds.
• Proactively develops professional fundraising skills using internal and external sources.
• Attends university and university-sponsored events and volunteer meetings, often during evenings and weekends; represents the university to external constituents.
• Collaborates with internal colleagues to engage regional or affinity-based groups by promoting event attendance, identifying volunteer leaders, and nominating award winners.
• Participates in Advancement monthly staff meetings, prospect tracking meetings, and committee meetings.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 3 years of development experience in a non-profit environment or related field (e.g., sales, recruitment) working directly with external constituencies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous fundraising experience making personal solicitations.