Associate Director, Development, Annual Giving

Stanford’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (“DAPER”) is the premier intercollegiate athletics program in the country, leading the nation with 138 NCAA team championships and supporting nearly 900 student-athletes across 36 teams. The development team within Stanford Athletics is part of the Office of Development (OOD), which advances Stanford’s mission by raising philanthropic support from alumni, parents, families, friends, and institutional funders.

About the role

The Associate Director of Development will support the annual fund, the Buck/Cardinal Club, by managing a portfolio of high-level annual fund donors, leading the Athletics Directors Circle, and overseeing a volunteer board. This role serves as the development liaison for multiple varsity programs to achieve fundraising goals and includes organizing cultivation and stewardship events such as pregame hospitality and VIP receptions. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated fundraising experience, strong relationship-building skills, and the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders to advance Stanford Athletics’ mission.

Responsibilities

• Work with a portfolio of assigned prospects/donors to cultivate, solicit, and steward their support, regularly closing annual gifts in the $1M–$2M range.
• Partner with gift officers across campus to cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts as part of volunteer, reunion, or special engagements.
• Develop fundraising strategies and track and analyze results of development activities, typically for single campaigns.
• Identify, recruit, and train volunteers, maintaining frequent contact through meetings, visits, email, and calls.
• Prepare volunteers for future service by educating them about university philanthropy and engaging them in solicitation efforts.
• Identify and prioritize prospects, assign volunteers, prepare background information for solicitations, and follow up to ensure completion.
• Establish ongoing relationships with alumni through visits, calls, and meaningful contacts to uncover philanthropic priorities and capacity.
• Introduce prospects to major gifts officers and facilitate cultivation activities for major gift asks when appropriate.
• Collaborate with development colleagues to align program goals with the university’s overall giving goals.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on results to internal and external constituencies.
• Design annual gift programs and goals using sophisticated analytics and leadership input to increase unrestricted support.
• Manage a small team or project as needed.
• Attend home athletic events to serve as an ambassador for the Buck/Cardinal Club and maintain visibility with donors, prospects, volunteers, coaches, and student-athletes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience with fundraising in a higher education environment.
• Ability to develop and initiate new strategies.
• Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling emergencies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse constituencies and build relationships that enhance development goals.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Skilled at articulating compelling cases for major gifts and annual discretionary support.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, including meeting deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong data analysis skills, including organizing and analyzing data and presenting results and recommendations succinctly to stakeholders.

Skills

• Strategic and relationship-building skills.
• Proven success managing donor portfolios and working with volunteers.
• Ability to inspire and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

Benefits

This is a hybrid role requiring at least three days per week on the historic Stanford campus.

Pay

The expected pay range for this position is $124,000 to $142,000 per annum.

Must possess and maintain a valid California non-commercial Class C Driver's License and comply with the California Vehicle Code and Stanford University driving requirements when conducting university business.