Director of Development, School of Medicine

Job Description

Job Description

Title: Director of Development, School of Medicine

Department: Development

Location: Kingston, RI

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Position Summary

The University of Rhode Island is launching one of the most transformative academic, healthcare, and economic initiatives in the state—the URI School of Medicine. The Director of Development will play a critical leadership role in building the philanthropic foundation for this ambitious initiative and driving the School’s inaugural multi-million dollar fundraising campaign.

Working closely with the URI President, Founding Dean, Project Director, and URI leadership, the Director will develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to secure major and principal gifts that advance the School of Medicine’s vision and priorities. The Director will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity new prospects and donors to URI, while building lasting relationships with individuals, foundations, corporations, and other partners who have the interest and capacity to make transformational investments in URI’s School of Medicine.

This is a highly visible opportunity for an accomplished development professional to help shape a new medical school from the ground up—connecting philanthropic leadership with URI’s broader academic, healthcare, and economic ambitions. The Director will serve as a strategic partner across the University and Foundation, translating the School of Medicine’s priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities and engaging donors in the opportunity to help define the future of healthcare and education in Rhode Island.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the School of Medicine’s philanthropic pipeline by identifying, qualifying, and developing new relationships with individuals, community partners, and other prospective supporters with the capacity and interest to make significant investments in URI. Leverage University leadership, faculty, senior development officers, Foundation colleagues, and volunteers to open new doors and broaden URI’s network of prospective donors.

• Develop and execute strategies to secure major and principal gifts aligned with the School of Medicine’s priorities and University-wide campaigns, with accountability for achieving established individual fundraising goals and metrics.

• Manage and self-generate a portfolio of high-capacity prospects and donors, including individuals with the capacity to make gifts of $250,000 or more. Lead relationships through the full philanthropic lifecycle and personally solicit significant gifts.

• Integrate planned giving opportunities into broader donor strategies by partnering with the URI Foundation Gift Planning team to identify, cultivate, and solicit prospects for planned gifts.

• Strengthen long-term donor relationships by partnering with the Donor Relations team to ensure thoughtful and timely stewardship of donors supporting existing endowment and current-use funds.

• Collaborate across the Foundation’s development leadership team—including the URI Foundation CEO, Associate Vice President of Unit Development, and Executive Director of Development, Strategic Initiatives—to align prospect strategies, coordinate fundraising activity, and maximize opportunities across the University’s broader development program.

• Serve as a strategic fundraising partner to senior University leadership, working closely with the URI President, Founding Dean, and Project Director to define and articulate the School of Medicine’s philanthropic priorities, develop strategies for engaging key prospects, and prepare leaders for high-level donor interactions and solicitations.

• Drive strategic prospect and donor engagement by developing compelling proposals and briefing materials, coordinating high-level meetings and engagements, and identifying opportunities through University events, committees, and programs that advance relationships and philanthropic interests.

• Provide strategic guidance to development and advisory committees, helping align their engagement, relationships, and fundraising activities with the School of Medicine’s priorities and the Foundation’s fundraising objectives.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of progressive fundraising experience in medical schools, clinical, healthcare or higher education, with a proven record of securing gifts of $500,000+.

• Strong track record in managing donor pipelines and closing six- and seven-figure gifts.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with medical school faculty, academic leadership, and external stakeholders.

Preferred Education and Experience 

• Advanced degree.

• Leadership experience within a college’s dean’s team.

• Experience with Salesforce, Workday, or comparable CRM/ERP systems.

• Knowledge of best practices in donor engagement, pipeline development, and campaign planning.

Salary: The salary for this position will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. We remain open to discussion with exceptional candidates.

Join the URI Foundation team!

We offer competitive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, generous paid time off, and unparalleled retirement savings programs. Join our team of talented, mission-driven advancement professionals!

We are an equal opportunity employer and provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, making decisions based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic characteristics, or any other characteristic protected by law.