Director of Development - WVU Institute of Technology (Beckley)

About the role

The Director of Development at West Virginia University Institute of Technology serves as the lead fundraising professional for WVU Tech, responsible for advancing philanthropic support across the full spectrum of giving. This role partners closely with the President, academic and athletic leadership, faculty, and staff to align fundraising strategy with campus academic priorities, student success initiatives, and strategic growth goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead and strengthen WVU Tech’s comprehensive fundraising program, with emphasis on major gift development of $50,000 and above, while also facilitating annual and mid-level giving strategies in support of campus priorities.
• Manage a dynamic portfolio of major gift donors and prospects, as defined by the WVU Foundation.
• Execute qualifying discussions with prospects identified by Prospect Development and Strategy and campus partners to define the philanthropic aspirations of prospects with capacity of $50,000 and above for WVU Tech.
• See the major gift cycle through with qualified major gift prospects through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Support of the full donor lifecycle across the giving continuum will be fostered by partnership with the WVU Foundation annual giving program and by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors below the major gift threshold of $50,000.
• Serve as a visible and trusted philanthropic partner across WVU Tech, maintaining a highly engaged campus presence and regular communication with leadership, faculty, and staff.
• Build deep, collaborative relationships that recognize the campus’s unique culture and community, proactively sharing fundraising priorities and progress, identifying emerging opportunities, and fostering a culture of philanthropy aligned with WVU Tech’s distinct identity and strategic direction.
• Serve as the primary strategic fundraising partner to the WVU Tech President and campus leadership team, collaborating with academic program directors, faculty, athletic leadership, alumni leaders, and staff to define funding priorities, develop compelling cases for support, and position philanthropy as a key driver of enrollment growth, workforce development, and student success.
• Develop and execute strategies to increase alumni participation, strengthen corporate and regional partnerships, and elevate WVU Tech’s philanthropic presence across southern West Virginia and beyond.
• Plan, schedule, and complete frequent travel in West Virginia, regionally, and nationally to advance portfolio activity and donor engagement, partnering with regional, planned giving and corporate and foundation relations colleagues as appropriate.
• Partner with WVU Foundation colleagues in Prospect Development and Strategy, Principal Giving, Institutional Giving, Planned Giving, and Donor Engagement to advance integrated fundraising strategies while maintaining primary accountability for WVU Tech outcomes.
• Develop and execute personalized stewardship plans in coordination with the Donor Relations program for select donors and oversee comprehensive donor acknowledgement and engagement efforts for the campus.
• Comply with all WVU Foundation reporting, documentation, and accountability standards while modeling responsiveness, professionalism, and strategic leadership in a one-person campus fundraising operation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience in the following: Direct and progressively responsible experience in major/planned gift fundraising or other employment involving similar direct client engagement is required.
• Executive presence, professional writing and business communication skills are required.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.

Qualifications

• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Benefits

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks.
• Wellness programs