Senior Director of Development, Pharmacy & Nursing / Health Studies Executive Director, Pharmacy Foundation

About the role

The Senior Director of Development, Pharmacy & Nursing / Health Studies, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Pharmacy Foundation, leads the fundraising activities of the UMKC School of Pharmacy (SOP), Pharmacy Foundation, and the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS).

Serving as the liaison between the School of Pharmacy, the Pharmacy Foundation, and UMKC Advancement and Foundation, the Senior Director of Development will develop fundraising strategies based on the schools’ priorities as well as identify and secure major gifts (more than $25,000) from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

This position will also liaise with the fundraising leads for the UMKC School of Medicine and the UMKC School of Dentistry and serve as an integral member of the UMKC Advancement and Foundation team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Executive Director of the Pharmacy Foundation and provide guidance, vision, and direction to the Pharmacy Foundation Board via strategic planning, financial oversight, fund management and board/volunteer management.
• Prepare and implement strategies to attain development goals and objectives; while this work must be independently driven, it should also be part of the fundraising team’s collaborative process.
• Develop and propose solicitation strategies for major gifts, including cultivating relationships, identifying purposes and levels of gifts, and coordinating those involved in solicitations.
• Manage a portfolio of current and prospective donors with capacity to give $25,000 or more.
• Qualify and cultivate prospective donors for multiple units.
• Ensure clear and transparent communication with stakeholders (deans, foundation chair, volunteers) regarding fundraising efforts.
• Network with alumni, donors, and community organizations.
• Collaborate with advisory boards, faculty, and support staff to promote a culture of philanthropy.
• Achieve annual goals for donor interactions, proposals, and net production.
• Ensure the communications and marketing efforts of the unit are coordinated with development and alumni efforts.
• Collaborate with alumni relations staff, internal SOP and SONHS staff, university leadership, faculty and other support staff to encourage team spirit and culture of philanthropy.
• Work with UMKC, Foundation, and Advancement operations staff to support fundraising operations and enhance donor satisfaction.
• Integrate the major gifts program with those of annual giving and alumni relations.
• Travel nationally as needed for donor visits.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in fundraising or related field are required.
• Management of volunteer board or committees from a comparably complex organization.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to understand the needs and interests of major donors in order to develop relationships between them and the University.
• Interest in all aspects of education and a dedication to promoting the University’s fundraising priorities through developing excellent working relationships with faculty, senior academic leaders, trustees and other volunteers, and UMKC Advancement and Foundation’s team.
• Demonstrated leadership and the ability to successfully manage multi-functional or diverse areas.
• This officer must be able to work independently while also working as a member of the university fundraising team.
• Ability to initiate, analyze, monitor, evaluate and alter strategic fundraising plans.
• Ability to articulate the case for support so that individuals understand and invest in the vision/mission/goals of the University and the School to secure gifts and pledges of $25,000 or more.
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal, analytical and organization skills required.
• Knowledge of tax laws that impact charitable giving, personal assets and estates a plus.
• Ability to participate in all aspects of the gift cycle: initiating contacts with potential major donors, developing appropriate cultivation strategies, moving potential donors in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation and closure, making solicitations when appropriate, and maintaining stewardship contacts with donors.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in fundraising or related field are required.
• Management of volunteer board or committees from a comparably complex organization.
• Preferred qualifications include experience with higher education or a comparably complex organization and CFRE designation, and a master’s degree in a related field of study.

Pay

$100,000 - $115,000 Commensurate with experience.

Schedule

Full-time, benefits eligible staff position. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. While the position maintains standard business hours, the work is driven by constituent engagement rather than a fixed schedule. Candidates must be comfortable managing their time independently, balancing office and off-site responsibilities, and adjusting their schedules to meet organizational and constituent needs.

About UMKC Advancement and Foundations

UMKC Advancement and Foundations is a separate but affiliated enterprise devoted to raising funds for the university and for exercising fiduciary responsibility over endowments and other philanthropic investments made to UMKC. UMKC Advancement and Foundations is an equal opportunity employer that values diverse perspectives and backgrounds.