Senior Director of Development, University Strategic Initiatives, AU
Reports to: Assistant Vice President of Advancement
Position: Full-Time, Hybrid, 2- 3 days a week on campus. Exempt
Location: Washington, D.C.; Maryland; Virginia; This position will require travel outside the Washington metropolitan area at least 50% of the time
Salary: $145,000 - $160,000 annually
About American University
“We are a University of strivers and dreamers, activists and artists, scholars and servant-leaders. We realize that when we all contribute, we all succeed. We are, quite literally, one AU.” – President Sylvia Burwell
American University is a student-centered research institution in Washington, DC, with highly ranked schools and colleges, internationally renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Our students distinguish themselves with their service, leadership, and ability to rethink global and domestic challenges and opportunities.
At AU passion becomes action; students actively engage in the world around them; and the leaders of today train the leaders of tomorrow.
We are looking for candidates who reflect the diversity of our student body. At AU, we are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. American University was founded to respond to the needs of a changing world, with a set of guiding values—diversity, equity, and inclusion.AU cannot be excellent without being truly inclusive, and without taking the concrete, specific steps to improve our campus climate.
BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrants, multilingual, mature or differently abled candidates, and people of all faiths or none at all are encouraged to apply.
About Change Can't-Wait: The Campaign for American University
With a $500 million goal, Change Can’t Wait will create transformative educational opportunities for students, advance research with impact, and build stronger communities locally, nationally, and globally. Why us? Changemaking is in our DNA. Why now? We know change can’t wait.
Find out more about the campaign here.
The Role
The Senior Director of Development, University Strategic Initiatives, provides vision and leadership for the University's Scholarship Program and other key initiatives including the Civic Life Initiative, Women’s Philanthropy Initiative, University Library, and Department of Student Affairs.This role is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that aligns with the university's mission, values, and strategic goals. The Senior Director will collaborate with university advancement leadership and colleagues to ensure that fundraising and programmatic goals are achieved.
The incumbent works within an entrepreneurial and fast-paced university environment and is responsible for independently managing a top tier of at least 100+ prospects and donors by closely collaborating with faculty, staff, and senior administration officials to design and implement major and principal gift plans that strengthen the donor base; concurrently, the Senior Director of Development, University Strategic Initiatives will proactively build the donor pipeline by identifying new prospective major and principal gift donors and developing long-range plans for their involvement with the university.
Additionally, as part of the responsibilities, the incumbent will serve as a development liaison for assigned academic departments, centers, and/or program areas, interfacing with directors and department heads regularly to secure program support as well as maintain pipelines for fundraising and volunteer leadership; concurrently, the incumbent will collaborate with other fundraisers in the department and across the university in the overall relationship building of alumni with the school.
As part of this work, the incumbent will work with senior leaders to strategize and facilitate development trips and will coordinate any or all aspects of development travel including prospect identification, scheduling, logistics, travel arrangements, event logistics, briefing, staffing, and follow-up correspondence.To this end, this position requires the willingness and ability to frequently travel approximately 50% of the time, as well as the ability to work some occasional evenings and
weekends when helping coordinate and staff regional cultivation and stewardship events when appropriate.
The incumbent will be responsible for assuring that pertinent information and strategic moves for assigned prospects are properly recorded in the institutional database.
Requirements
Organizational Characteristics
This position reports directly to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement and has two direct reports. The Senior Director of Development, University Strategic Initiatives raises major and principal-level gifts for university-wide priorities.This position works closely with the Assistant Vice President of Advancement to establish and meet mutually agreed-upon annual goals for moving donors through the development cycle, including visits, dollars solicited, and dollars raised.
The Senior Director of Development, University Strategic Initiatives operates under the University’s prospect management system, APEX (American Prospect Engagement and Cultivation System), with the expectations of achieving the metrics below through demonstration of a high degree of professionalism, discretion, and refined written and oral communication.
Responsibilities
"Essential" Functions:
Major and Principal Gift Fundraising/Stewardship (50% of Time)
This position is responsible for identifying, qualifying, visiting, cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding donors to raise major and principal gifts for the American University. Manages a portfolio of key relationships with 100+ rated prospects and donors in assigned region(s), with a heavy emphasis on donors rated $100,000 and above.The incumbent will maintain an entrepreneurial inclination and capacity for hard work within an intensely goal-oriented and collaborative environment. Works closely with the Assistant Vice President of Advancement and collaboratively with colleagues to achieve fundraising goals.
Success will be measured by the incumbent's ability to identify and cultivate prospective donors' philanthropic interests; the quality of their prospect strategies; their ability to move donors from cultivation to solicitation, and the successful closure of six- and seven-figure gifts.
Planning and Development Programs Support (20% of Time)
Conceive, develop, implement, and manage fundraising strategies and initiatives to meet university-wide priorities. Collaborate with on-campus partners, including senior leaders and faculty members, in moving potential donors through the pipeline and closing gifts to benefit university priorities.
Management of Fundraisers (20% of Time)
Supervise two FTE fundraisers to achieve ambitious annual goals for identifying, qualifying, visiting, cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding donors to raise major and principal gifts for the American University.
Prospect Management (10% of Time)
Work in concert with the Office of Advancement colleagues, including particularly close collaboration with the Planned Giving Team, Parents Team, Leadership Annual Giving Team, and Office of Prospect Research & Management to conduct prospect identification and qualification.Conducts timely updating of reports, recording of action items in the database, filing of appropriate donor records and updates, files and reconciles credit card receipts and cash reimbursements.
“Non-Essential” Functions:
Other duties as assigned (5% of Time)
in support of the broader objectives of the Assistant Vice President for Advancement and the Vice President for Advancement.
Dimensions
This position interacts with alumni, parents, donors, and major/principal-level gift prospects for American University. This visible position represents the university externally, and as such the incumbent will serve as an ambassador of the university.This position requires domestic travel to visit, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward key alumni donors. Two staff members report to this position. This position is expected to generate annual and multi-year term commitments for the university in line with goals set annually in coordination with the Assistant Vice President of Advancement.
Qualifications
Education, Training, and/or Experience Required:
- Master’s degree preferred
- 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in institutional development with emphasis on major gifts from individuals and organizations, or equivalent combination of education and experience; preferred experience in higher education, with experience in alumni relations, and/or volunteer management a plus
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. (A writing sample may be required.)
Other Skills and Abilities Required:
- Integrity and trust with a demonstrated ability to manage highly confidential information • Ability to manage a fast-paced office with competing demands; not easily flustered nor easily overwhelmed by a high volume of activity and projects.
- Experience interacting comfortably with C-suite level donors
- Familiarity with databases and/or other fundraising systems, and strong command of MS Office Suite of products.
Additional Information About the Position
This position will require travel outside the Washington metropolitan area at least 50% of the time, as well as seasonal evening and weekend work for scheduled University events and programs.
Hiring offers for this position are contingent on the successful completion of a background check.
Benefits
American University offers a comprehensive benefits package and competitive compensation.
American University has retained the services of Charity Search Group to coordinate the search for this position. To apply, please complete this online application. If you have questions or need accommodations, please contact Mariya Yurukova at mariya@charitysearchgroup.comor visit www.charitysearchgroup.com
American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.