Associate Director of Development - College of Science and Engineering - Military Veterans

Position Overview:
The Associate Director of Development identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards prospective donors with a specific focus on securing major gifts ($50,000+). The ideal candidate for this position should have a strong belief in higher education and the power of science and engineering to change lives.

Job duties:
Major gifts (80%)

• Build and maintain a portfolio of approximately 100 individuals, ensuring timely steps are taken toward solicitation, closure and stewardship of major gifts.
• Develop and maintain a thorough working knowledge of the vision, impact and philanthropic priorities of the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and assigned focus areas (i.e. departments, impact themes, and/or geographic regions).
• Involve CSE leadership, department heads, faculty, staff and volunteers in development strategy, case development, and the identification and cultivation of prospects.
• Effectively craft and present compelling cases for support to prospects and donors.
• Inspire and educate donors about potential new initiatives and programs, identifying and ensuring alignment with internal collaborators.
• Ensure standard processes are followed with regards to donor engagement, confidentiality, and data security.
• Work strategically and collaboratively with University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF) teams, including Prospect Development, Gift Planning, Principal Gifts, Corporate and Foundation
• Relations, Regional Development, and Leadership Annual Giving.
• Collaborate in raising private gift support for CSE's strategic campaign initiatives. All Advancement Team members play a role in the aspirational goal of garnering a transformational campaign gift to CSE.
• Assist fellow CSE development colleagues with major gift work across departments and impact themes, including the donor identification and engagement process.
• Travel across the Twin Cities metro area and to key geographic areas as assigned.

Organizational (20%)

• Serve as the Advancement Team's strategic lead for assigned department(s), facilitating broader development and engagement work in partnership with other advancement colleagues at CSE and UMF.
• Develop an annual plan of work, including specific fundraising, prospect development, and programmatic goals with an emphasis on exceeding established standards and metrics.
• Effectively use UMF's Donor Management System (DMS) to review prospect information, file timely and detailed contact reports, and maintain updated solicitation plans and activity.
• Other duties and meeting responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and minimum of four (4) years of professional development experience; or same respective number of years of experience in marketing, sales, PR or related field.
• Willingness to enter a highly-collaborative, fast-paced, goal-oriented environment.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate to a wide array of audiences.
• Experience working with individuals from diverse communities.
• Proficient in the use of software and applications such as Microsoft Office Suite and Google. Familiarity with databases and/or Customer Relationship Management programs.
• Access to reliable transportation for local travel. Willingness to staff occasional evening and weekend events and travel nationally several times per year.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Fundraising campaign experience and proven history of successful major gift solicitation.
• Previous higher education development experience.