Job Summary
 

Leads the athletics fundraising team, setting and implementing fundraising goals, strategies and priorities in collaboration with colleagues in Athletics, Alumni Relations & Development (ARD) and the College.

Responsibilities

• Under the joint direction of the Director of Athletics and Recreation and the Senior Director of Development in the College, creates and implements comprehensive strategies to identify, cultivate and solicit College alumni and parents with the capacity to make gifts of $100K+. Directs a team whose primary focus is on increasing both dollars and donors to the athletics program, building engagement of individuals with the Athletics Department, teams and coaches, and creating and refining gift opportunities based on the department’s priorities.
• Achieves personal fundraising and activity goals monthly, quarterly and annually by building and managing a portfolio of approximately 120 athletic prospects; executing a target of 100 prospect visits per year; and fundraising over $1M annually. Provides scheduled and ad hoc updates to managers on fundraising progress and strategies with key prospects.
• Manages the Assistant Director of Athletics Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving, helping to execute a comprehensive engagement and annual giving solicitation strategy. Together, ensures the success of the athletics annual giving society, Friends of Maroon Athletics, and serves as development liaisons for coaches and volunteer boards tied to athletics. Develops and executes a comprehensive strategy for the University’s Giving Day, continuing to elevate Athletics and maintain its status as one of the University’s top performing units in donors and dollars.
• Arranges for prospects to meet with appropriate Department of Athletics leadership, coaches, College and University leadership when needed, as part of a cultivation strategy. Maintains strong communication links with various College and University colleagues to ensure a coordinated approach to strengthening the prospect or donor's relationship with athletics. Strengthens fundraising communication with coaches and athletics support staff.
• Delivers timely and effective follow-up in various forms to prospects and donors, which will include generating customized fundraising proposals specific to athletics. Generates timely contact reports in prospect database following prospect and donor visits. Serves as key partner for stewardship of major gift donors and planned giving donors who are supporting athletics working collaboratively with College partners to maintain a strong stewardship strategy.
• As an active and fully integrated member of both the Department of Athletics and the College Development Team, serves as a content expert on the College and Athletics. Provides content for the Athletics Department website, publications, brochures and related collateral materials necessary to support athletics fundraising activities. Assists in the coordination of major gifts donor activities at select athletic events and represents the Athletic Department at University and community events tied to development activities when needed.
• Seek opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions in the athletics arena. 
• Establishes fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, designs strategies to meet those goals, and monitors progress against goals.
• Identifies, analyzes, and qualifies donor interest to maximize giving. Helps with overall planning efforts for the University's most important prospects. Works independently to develop communication strategies for projects, including publications and public presentations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Advanced degree.

Experience:

• Success in major gift frontline fundraising for 3+ years prior, and has experience closing gifts at the $100K+ level.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales or similar professional work experience.
• A minimum of 1-2 years of leading a project team or managing staff.
• A minimum of one year of experience developing and monitoring budgets.
• Athletic fundraising experience, knowledge of the higher education arena and a strong affinity for intercollegiate athletics.

Preferred Competencies

• Entrepreneurial, curious, enthusiastic, and detail-oriented, wants to be an integral part of a high-performing and strategic team, and is dedicated to advancing the mission of the Athletic department.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(preferred)