Director of Philanthropy

The Director of Philanthropy is a frontline fundraising professional who plays a key role in advancing the university’s fundraising efforts by independently managing a portfolio of individual donors and prospects, while also collaborating within a team-oriented environment. This position provides the unique opportunity to contribute to one of two focused fundraising teams: the STEAM Team, which supports colleges and units within Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, and the Business and Law Team, which drives philanthropic efforts for the colleges focused on Business and Law. In this role, the Director of Philanthropy will independently develop personalized donor engagement and solicitation strategies, cultivating long-term relationships that align donor passions with institutional and team-based priorities. The director will work closely with academic leaders and the advancement team to create compelling proposals and solicit major gifts of $50,000 and above. Additionally, the officer will collaborate with cross-functional partners, including planned giving and principal gifts teams, to ensure a seamless donor experience across these key areas. The University of Memphis is a leading, student-centered, urban public R1 research institution. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, on 1,160 acres. The University serves a population of nearly 20,000 students and 2,500 employees, including more than 1,000 full-time faculty members. The University offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 230 areas of study, master’s degrees in more than 50 subjects and doctoral degrees in 26 disciplines; supported an institutional record of more than $100 million in research awards for FY24; and has an operating budget of close to $500 million.