Director of Development, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

About the role

The Director of Development is a fundraising professional with management responsibilities who designs and implements innovative programs to identify prospective major and/or principal gift donors and executes plans to qualify, cultivate, steward and solicit donors to secure and increase significant philanthropic support in partnership with other development staff, School/Unit Directors, deans and/or faculty and campus leadership, aimed at assuring long-term financial support for the ASU Foundation and Arizona State University.

Responsibilities

• Creates and leads a coordinated program of fundraising and engagement activities designed to increase the number and level of annual, major and/or principal gift donors;
• Sets direction and approach in partnership with ASU leader’s vision in assigned area(s) of responsibility;
• Manages a personal major gift donor/prospect portfolio with a primary focus on securing gifts at or above $100,000 level and a personal fundraising goal of at least $1M in accordance with performance metrics;
• Led a comprehensive unit or central development department/program; develops and executes strategies to involve campus leaders, alumni, friends, and volunteers to identify and cultivate new individual, corporate, institutional and/or foundation prospects on behalf of assigned area(s) of responsibility;
• Guides the direction of written proposals, white papers, strategic plans, budgets, and other collateral materials as needed for securing significant ($100k+) philanthropic investments;
• High level of collaboration with both internal departments and broader University partners to identify common goals and develop, execute, and advance prospect and donor strategies and increase participation among high profile volunteers and donors (i.e., alumni engagement, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, development, donor relations, estate and gift planning, financial services, research, and prospect management, etc.).
• Ensures the proper stewardship and recognition of donors in portfolio;
• Manages projects with moderate oversight; depending on area(s) of responsibility, may serve as a project manager for some complex, multilayered, university-wide proposals aimed at raising the higher gifts for a university campaign;
• Manages a team (may include staff and volunteers) with moderate oversight; provides leadership, determines and evaluates individual goals, develops and implements training and mentoring, monitors coverage of primary areas of focus ensuring that goals and objectives are attained;
• Motivates, develops and retains a high-performance team;
• Ensures compliance with prospect management guidelines for tracking and maintenance of contact and progress reporting;
• Within area(s) of responsibility, maintains up to date knowledge on key alumni and high-level donors, and/or oversees continuous research, development and up-to-date knowledge on prospects and works with other areas to coordinate contacts;
• Participates, as a member of the ASUF development team and serve as a resource to development colleagues;
• Sustains and elevates working relationships with deans, chairs, directors, and faculty members within area(s) of responsibility.

Requirements

• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with academic leadership, faculty, prospects, donors, and/or volunteers in a wide range of roles;
• Complex problem-solving skills coupled with the ability to conduct research, gather data, analyze information, and prepare effective, accurate, and timely reports and other documents to support development objectives;
• Strong knowledge and understanding of database management;
• Ability to successfully lead, coach and guide a team to achieve desired result;
• Ability to inquire about and understand organizational interests and needs, and determine how to persuade or market to that organization with compelling benefits;
• Exercise good judgment, to demonstrate an understanding of ethics related to development activities, and to use discretion in interactions with donors, prospects, volunteers, and others;
• Foster effective working relationships within a team environment;
• Community relations skills and the ability to communicate and work effectively within a diverse community;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and comfortable working in donor/prospect computer database systems;
• Relevant Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree, Five (5) years of successful professional development and/or fundraising experience with some management experience, or any equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved, Documented success in personally implementing sophisticated, multi-year cultivation strategies that use a relationship-building and moves management approach leading to successful gift closure, Demonstrated ability in securing major grants and gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other private funding sources.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree, Five (5) to seven (7) years of successful professional development and/or fundraising experience in higher education and 2 to 3 years of management experience;
• Experience working in Salesforce and Workday;

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance;
• 401(k) plan with matching employer contribution;
• 22 days of vacation time;
• 11 holidays, including your birthday;
• Parental leave;
• Significant tuition reductions;
• Professional development is highly valued at ASU Foundation, where employees are encouraged to look across the organization and nurture new areas of interest;
• $30 bi-weekly cell phone reimbursement.