Senior Director of Development

Senior Director/Director of Development

UATX seeks an entrepreneurial, relationship-driven Senior Director/Director of Development to help advance one of the most ambitious fundraising efforts in higher education to support a new university in Austin, Texas. You will cultivate and manage a portfolio of mission-aligned current and prospective donors, executing sophisticated moves management strategies to secure transformational 6-plus-figure gifts, while leading a team of gift officers toward the same goals. This role is ideal for a dynamic fundraiser who thrives on building long-term relationships, advancing major gift opportunities, is an adept leader and manager, and wants to shape a growing institution at a pivotal moment. A candidate should be in pursuit of pure excellence and possess a desire to build a best-in-class fundraising program and portfolio at the nation's most innovative new university.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Chief Development Officer to establish a data-led fundraising program for major gifts.
• Manage a team of major gift officers toward established KPIs and accountability measures while maximizing the art of fundraising to align each team member's strengths and each donor's uniqueness.
• Build a portfolio of major donors and prospects, both in a regional strategy and within the state of Texas, setting fundraising strategies, and executing on each. This will require frequent donor meetings via phone, Zoom, and face to face, with a minimum of 35% travel.
• Plan and execute donor events (dinners and receptions) in key cities and with key constituency groups.
• Work with other UATX team members to coordinate UATX programs, donor messaging materials, online fundraising, and more.
• Collaborate with the CDO, the President, and other UATX team members on strategies for donors within their respective portfolios.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and closing five-, six-, and seven-figure gifts in higher education, nonprofit, startup, or mission-driven environments.
• Exceptional intellectual and social curiosity, with the ability to engage thoughtfully across disciplines, ideas, and perspectives.
• Strong interpersonal agility and emotional intelligence; able to adapt communication style, tone, and approach to a wide range of donors, trustees, founders, faculty, and prospects.
• Skilled relationship builder who asks insightful questions, listens deeply, and uncovers donor motivations and philanthropic interests.
• Strategic and confident fundraiser who can move prospects toward solicitation with clarity, transparency, and persistence.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex institutional priorities and communicate them in compelling, accessible language for external audiences.
• High level of comfort engaging sophisticated, entrepreneurial, and intellectually independent donors.
• Experience using data, research, and analytics to prioritize prospects, manage portfolios, and drive fundraising outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including donor correspondence, proposals, briefing materials, and presentations.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across leadership, academic, and development teams while maintaining strong independent execution.
• Commitment to the mission and vision of University of Austin and enthusiasm for advancing innovative higher education.