Director of Development, College of Pharmacy

Join our team supporting the University of Iowa (UI) College of Pharmacy and play a pivotal role in advancing our mission. The College of Pharmacy is a national leader in pharmacy education, practice advancement, and impactful research in the country. This position involves optimizing a dynamic portfolio of major gift prospects, guiding them through a well‑established donor engagement process. Collaboration with fellow UI Center for Advancement (UICA) fundraisers and leveraging relationships with campus leaders will be key to developing philanthropic priorities and managing strategic annual and multi‑year fundraising plans for the college. As a trusted philanthropic advisor, this role educates donors on impactful giving opportunities that make a difference at the University of Iowa and beyond. Responsibilities include regular travel to engage with donors around Iowa and throughout the country (expected travel is 25-40%). Expertise in major gift fundraising, campus partner management, and collaborative fundraising will drive success and make a lasting impact. This position is eligible for hybrid work (telecommuting), which includes working on‑site at least 3 days a week at our office in Iowa City. Please submit a cover letter with your application. Identification Advise Prospect Management staff in the identification of prospects (based on capacity, giving history and affiliation) from pools that may include alumni, fans, patients or other supporters of the university. Work with Prospect Management staff and supervisor to develop strategy for managing prospects. Efficiently conduct proactive outreach calls and messages in order to secure face‑to‑face qualification meetings. Provide strategic input into the design and implementation of engagement events and referral programmes designed to build long‑term relationships and attract major gifts. Conduct all activities, particularly those involving patient data, according to established laws, policies, procedures and standards, with the full support of UICA, UI and UI Health Care, as relevant. Qualification Build a qualification pool of potential major gift prospects, with the goal of building a continuous pipeline of donors capable of making gifts of $50,000+. Skillfully adapt structured questions to validate prospects' capacity and inclination, and understand strength of affinity. Use gathered information and input from colleagues to determine whether prospects should be disqualified or moved into the portfolio. Model the role of a trusted philanthropic advisor, using transparent communication and educating donors about the giving process. Cultivation Manage portfolio of active major gift prospects and develop their readiness to advance. Build travel plans that include qualification meetings, strategic meetings with active prospects, stewardship meetings, and opportunities to learn from colleagues. Develop and implement donor‑centric cultivation strategies, collaborating with colleagues as necessary. Manage deliberate sequence of interactions with each prospect, intended to build engagement and move them through the steps of the established donor engagement process. Facilitate prospects’ decision‑making process; help them understand next steps and articulate the link between their personal objectives and institutional priorities. Maintain knowledge of funding priorities within and beyond the assigned department, consulting with UICA colleagues and campus partners as needed. Build and maintain knowledge needed to facilitate solicitation of planned gifts. Solicitation Meet expectations for solicitations, gifts closed, and average gift size (goals established annually with the supervisor in alignment with organization‑wide metrics). Know where prospects fall in the donor engagement process and plan next steps accordingly. Identify meaningful ways for donors to achieve desired impact while meeting funding needs. Employ and model the use of communication and meeting preparation tools to achieve stated objectives for each step of the donor process. Ensure documentation reflects donor intent and set expectations of recognition and stewardship. Stewardship Develop, implement and participate in appropriate stewardship activities (e.g., acknowledgement letters, publicity events) for donors as relevant, collaborating with stewardship liaison as needed. Maintain integrity of constituent database through timely submission of stewardship plans and contact reports for all significant interactions. Constituent Management Partner with campus leaders and UICA leadership to develop strategic fundraising priorities and a comprehensive multi‑year plan to increase private gift support; clearly articulate the vision and priorities of the unit in a compelling and broadly understandable way. Manage fundraising program for the assigned unit, including any special campaigns for program and capital support, in cooperation with campus partners/leaders. Leverage trusted working relationships with campus partners/leaders (deans/directors) as well as external groups with ties to the unit; communicate frequently regarding progress toward goals. Prepare partners/leaders as necessary for donor meetings and guide their critical role in the giving conversation and donor engagement process. Collaborate with Corporate and Foundations Relations and other colleagues, as relevant, to identify and cultivate gift prospects for the assigned department. Provide direction on annual giving strategy and the development of fundraising materials for assigned units including mailings, brochures, donor recognition, reports, etc. Education & Experience Bachelor’s degree required and 5+ years of related fundraising experience required, preferably in a non‑profit, health care or higher education setting. Equal Opportunity Employer. This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor. #J-18808-Ljbffr