Development Director

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and eight years’ related progressively responsible experience in development, advancement, fundraising operations, or a closely related leadership field, including at least five years of experience supervising professional staff and managing performance, workflow, priorities, and accountability.
• Experience must include oversight of fundraising operations and related business processes, such as CRM governance, gift administration, reporting, compliance, and data integrity, with demonstrated ability to translate strategic priorities into operational execution and measurable outcomes.
• Preferred: Advanced degree or relevant professional fundraising certification.
• Experience in higher education advancement or a complex nonprofit environment.
• Experience contributing to advancement strategy development and institutional fundraising planning.
• Experience working with boards, advisory groups, or senior leadership stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of reports and leadership briefings.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Raiser's Edge Database view or comparable fundraising CRM systems.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and commitment to confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Partners with the Executive Director to implement annual fundraising strategy, annual advancement priorities, donor stewardship initiatives, and performance goals.
• Oversees daily development operations, ensuring efficient, compliant, and effective advancement infrastructure, workflows and gift administration practices.
• Directs development operations staff and oversees CRM governance, gift processing, reporting, stewardship tracking, financial documentation, and related operational functions.
• Ensures integrity, optimization, and strategic use of Raiser's Edge and related development systems to support fundraising and engagement objectives.
• Develops and monitors fundraising performance dashboards and reporting tools for leadership and Foundation stakeholders.
• Establishes and refines policies, procedures, and internal controls to support accountability, compliance, operational effectiveness, and long-term scalability.
• Serves as liaison for Foundation coordination activities and university-wide alumni relations initiatives, as appropriate.
• Provides supervision, coaching, performance management, and professional development support to assigned staff while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and result-oriented team culture.
• Contributes to fundraising activities, donor cultivation and stewardship efforts, prospect strategy discussions, and initiatives designed to strengthen philanthropic support and alumni engagement.
• Prepares briefing materials, performance analyses, and strategic recommendations for senior leadership and represents ODAR in cross-functional and institutional initiatives.