Sr. Director of Development, CELS & GSO

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior development leader for CELS and provide strategic leadership for a comprehensive, donor-centered fundraising program aligned with College and University priorities.
• Collaborate with the Dean to identify, articulate, and advance philanthropic priorities; establish annual and long-term fundraising goals; and foster a culture of philanthropy among alumni, faculty, students, and external partners.
• Develop and implement comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for a portfolio of 125+ major and principal gift prospects and donors.
• Personally solicit and close major and principal gifts, including annual, major, planned, capital, and endowment commitments.
• Develop solicitation and closure strategies aligned with College priorities, University campaign objectives, and Foundation fundraising goals.
• Partner with the Gift Planning Office to develop strategies for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding planned gift donors.
• Partner with Principal Gifts leadership to identify and advance high-capacity prospects capable of transformational philanthropic investments.
• Review, analyze, and expand prospect pools to ensure an effective pipeline of major and principal gift opportunities.
• Advise the Dean on prospect management issues, fundraising opportunities, and strategies that enhance the College’s philanthropic success.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead, mentor, and coach development staff assigned to CELS and GSO, ensuring achievement of performance expectations, professional development, and alignment with Foundation fundraising standards.
• Provide direct supervision for development staff supporting the GSO.
• Provide strategic leadership and support for the Dean’s Advisory Council, including member recruitment, onboarding, engagement, fundraising participation, and stewardship.
• Prepare and oversee proposals, briefing materials, stewardship reports, and engagement strategies for senior university leaders, volunteers, and board members.
• Cook up donor engagement activities involving the Dean and other academic leaders, including visit planning, follow-up, and stewardship.
• Represent CELS and URIF at internal and external events and participate in signature university events that create opportunities for strategic donor engagement.

CELs/GSO Stewardship & Operations

• Coordinate prospect strategies with Foundation leadership, principal gifts, corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, donor relations, alumni engagement, communications, and gift planning staff.
• Partner with Donor Relations to ensure exemplary stewardship of named funds, endowments, and current-use gifts.
• Respond proactively to emerging fundraising opportunities and contribute to Foundation-wide initiatives, campaign planning, and cross-unit collaborations.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions, strategies, proposals, and outcomes within the Foundation’s prospect management system.