Senior Director of Development
About the Role
Columbia Global advances Columbia University’s global engagement by connecting faculty, students, and partners across regions to address complex global challenges through research, education, dialogue, and action.
Responsibilities
Lead the design and implementation of a five year revenue generation, sustainability, and diversification strategy across all Columbia Global entities and geographies, while actively contributing to its execution during a period of organizational evolution, institutional transformation, and operational complexity.
Translate the five-year sustainability strategy into prioritized pipelines, target funding mixes, measurable performance benchmarks, and clear annual revenue goals aligned with organizational capacity and strategic priorities.
Serve as a hands-on strategic partner to Columbia Global senior leadership, translating institutional priorities into actionable funding strategies, proposals, and donor and government engagement plans.
Establish organization-wide goals, standards, and expectations for revenue generation and stewardship in collaboration with program, finance, communications, and leadership teams, as well as central partners such as the Office of Alumni Development (OAD) and Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA).
Help define and operationalize frameworks for measuring fundraising performance, organizational sustainability, and long-term philanthropic growth across a complex and evolving global platform.
Personally drive a selective portfolio of high-priority, complex, or cross-cutting fundraising and partnership efforts, including donor cultivation, solicitation, proposal development, and institutional engagement, with a particular focus on opportunities spanning multiple initiatives, regions, or institutional priorities.
Support senior leadership and Columbia Global staff in donor, foundation, corporation, and government engagements through strategy development, briefing preparation, and active participation.
Assess and strategically sequence fundraising opportunities across global markets at varying stages of development, operational readiness, and philanthropic maturity.
Identify and pursue government, bilateral, multilateral, and institutional funding opportunities, working closely with Columbia Global teams and SPA to advance competitive proposals.
Navigate complex geopolitical, regulatory, and institutional environments related to global academic partnerships, donor engagement, and cross-border funding activity.
Manage a small, high-performing development team—currently one staff member—while laying the groundwork for future growth, including at least one planned additional role.
Mentor and support Columbia Global team members through coaching, shared execution, and clear performance expectations.
Build development capacity across Columbia Global by strengthening fundraising literacy, planning, and execution among staff in leadership, programs, communications, and operations.
Lead through influence across Columbia Global’s ten global markets, aligning distributed teams around shared revenue goals, standards, and practices.
Support change management as Columbia Global continues to professionalize and align development practices across a distributed and evolving global platform.
Reinforce consistent approaches to goal setting, portfolio management, stewardship, and accountability across the organization.
Partner closely with finance, monitoring and evaluation, and communications teams to ensure funding strategies are credible, compelling, and measurable.
Ensure high standards of donor stewardship, institutional accountability, compliance, and alignment with University policies and long-term strategic priorities across all fundraising and partnership activities.
Qualifications
Master’s Degree. Minimum ten years of progressive experience in revenue generation, fundraising, or resource development in a relevant field.
Demonstrated experience securing funding from diverse sources, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government or multilateral donors, with hands-on involvement in proposal development and donor engagement.
Experience developing and executing revenue or fundraising strategies in complex, decentralized, or global organizations.
Proven ability to operate effectively in matrixed environments, establishing goals, standards, and accountability across distributed teams without direct supervisory authority.
Experience navigating politically sensitive, regulatory, or geopolitically complex environments related to international partnerships, donor engagement, or academic collaboration.
Background in academic, higher-education, or research-intensive institutional settings, including experience working with faculty and institutionally driven funding models.
Experience leading or contributing to multi-year sustainability and revenue-diversification strategies within a complex institutional or global context.
Demonstrated success securing large and complex awards, including six- and seven-figure gifts, grants, contracts, or government funding.
Experience building, scaling, or professionalizing a development or resource-mobilization function, including hiring, mentoring, and establishing systems, processes, and standards.
Experience engaging boards or advisory bodies, including preparing senior-level materials, supporting strategic discussions, and leveraging board or advisory engagement to advance fundraising, partnerships, or institutional priorities.
Deep familiarity with fundraising, compliance, stewardship, and ethical development practices in higher-education or research-intensive institutions.
Experience operating across multiple international regions or markets beyond a single geographic context.
Compensation
The salary for this position is $180,000–$220,000 per year, commensurate with experience. *This position requires 15-25% travel domestically and internationally.* To express interest or read the full job description, please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence here.