Director of Development, Residential College in the Arts & Humanities
Deadline: 12-10-2019
Job No.: 611428
Department: University Advancement
Type: Administrative Professional
Salary Range: Negotiable
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Description
The Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) and University Development at Michigan State University seek an established fundraiser to lead a relatively new academic unit to a culture of philanthropy. RCAH is an innovative living-learning degree option designed for students who want to combine a small-college experience with the resources and opportunities available at a major university. T
In partnership with the leadership of a dynamic and energetic dean, the Director of Development shall be a confident, creative, enthusiastic and results-oriented development leader. This person shall have an understanding of and appreciation for the arts and humanities in order to build upon the foundation of its advancement program. This person shall have experience managing a fundraising program in the environment in which accountability-based metrics are used as benchmarks of performance. The Director of Development will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting leadership annual gifts and stewarding individuals, corporations and foundations for significant 5 and 6-figure support.
The Director of Development is expected to be an experienced, responsive and collaborative leader of the RCAH development effort who executes an aggressive calendar of donor and alumni engagement activity to ensure a continuous pipeline of private support for the college. The Director will report directly to the Executive Director of Constituency Programs and the Dean of the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities.
FUNDRAISING
- Build and manage a portfolio of approximately 150 relationships.
- Personally manage the identification, cultivation and solicitation of leadership annual, major and planned gift prospects and donors.
- Plan and implement methods of prospect identification, cultivation and solicitation in order to achieve successful gift acquisitions while aligning with the donor’s intentions and the needs of the college.
- Provide assistance to donors regarding tax laws, policies, procedures and resolve problems in order to maintain a positive image of the college and university.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
- Lead all aspects of the development initiative of the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities annual and campaign fundraising.
- Define and pursue a comprehensive and effective program for engagement and stewardship of past, current and future donors that closely ties these donors to the university and college
- Oversee major and leadership annual gift initiatives for the college; emphasize cultivation strategies that recognize the importance of personal interest and motivation in philanthropy in order to maximize donor potential;
- Create and promote opportunities for increased volunteerism.
- Define and implement the development-related role in the College’s and University’s communication strategy.
- Audit internal operations in order to develop standardized procedures and to ensure conformity with established development policies.
- Plan, host and communicate at meetings of the public and University personnel in order to provide information on the College and/or University.
- Develop and monitor budget and expenses in order to ensure stewardship of university resources and alignment with departmental goals.
- Assist in setting both long- and short-term goals in order to determine resources required.
- Collaborate and coordinate activities with the external relations staff, including public relations and communication, in order to ensure coordination of information to alumni and friends of the College.
- Prepare and interpret statistical data results for College Administrators.
- Functional and administrative supervision may be exercised over support staff.
Qualifications
Required: Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in such fields as communications, public relations, business, the arts, the humanities or sundry programs; five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in professional fundraising, public relations, marketing, or a related field OR three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive professional experience in higher education development, public relations, or a related field; knowledge of tax laws affecting charitable giving; this position requires travel.
Desired: Undergraduate degree; advanced degree preferred; three to five years in professional fundraising, preferably demonstrating progressive responsibility and experience in higher education fundraising; demonstration of an understanding of the key development disciplines of leadership annual gifts, major gifts, planned gifts, corporate and/or foundation gifts; proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership gifts at the five and six-figure level; a track record of success leading a development operation; and approach to management that brings out the best in staff and yields pride, ownership and a sense of team effort; superior communication skills and the ability to connect with a variety of audiences; clear and effective written and oral presentations; demonstrated ability to plan and successfully execute a significant comprehensive campaign.
How to apply
If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Suzette Hittner, Executive Director of Constituency Programs at hittner@msu.edu.
All candidates must submit an application and resume through the Michigan State University Human Resources web-based system the URL for that website is careers@msu.edu. . Please indicate the position number 611428 when submitting your application.
Screening of applicants will continue until the position is filled.
MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.
MSU is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities.