Senior Director of Development

About Us

Portland State University (PSU) Foundation fuels the mission and priorities of Oregon’s most diverse, innovative, and affordable research university by raising and stewarding philanthropic gifts that transform lives and communities.

At PSU, more than half of incoming first-year students identify as BIPOC, nearly a quarter are parents, and half are the first in their families to attend college. When PSU graduates thrive, families transform, communities prosper, and innovation expands. The PSU Foundation plays a vital role in advancing this impact by inspiring donors, engaging alumni and community partners, and stewarding resources with integrity and purpose.

Recognized as one of Oregon’s best non-profits to work for five years in a row, PSU Foundation is a community of purpose-driven professionals who lead with heart, act with trust, and keep our mission forward in everything we do. Guided by creativity and collaboration, we foster a strong sense of belonging—empowering every team member to bring bold ideas and their authentic selves to work.

About The Role

The Senior Director of Development leads the strategy and execution of fundraising efforts for designated units/Colleges/Schools/campaign priorities and manages an individual portfolio of prospects to advance major and principal gift opportunities in alignment with Portland State University’s mission, strategic goals, and the upcoming campaign for PSU.

This position is responsible for meeting gift revenue goals, expanding the donor pipeline, and developing and executing comprehensive strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors while maintaining a high-performing, mission-driven team culture through mentorship, accountability, and professional development.

This position regularly works with PSU stakeholders, faculty, and Foundation colleagues to align fundraising strategy with academic initiatives.

Position Overview

• Manages a High-Impact Portfolio: Leads a dynamic portfolio of major and principal gift donors and prospects, ensuring strategic qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Maintains accountability for achieving fundraising goals while fostering trust and collaboration across teams.
• Drives Strategic, Cross-Functional Collaboration: Leads and contributes to complex, cross-organizational initiatives—including annual planning and goal-setting—by promoting open communication, shared ownership, and a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Serves as a Strategic Partner to Academic Leadership: Acts as the primary development liaison for academic leaders and/or deans for the assigned college/unit, providing guidance and ensuring alignment between philanthropic opportunities and institutional priorities.
• Engages Faculty to Advance Philanthropic Priorities: Builds strong, respectful partnerships with faculty to identify and elevate funding priorities that support the Foundation and University priorities.
• Prioritizes Transformational Impact: Identifies and advances high-value opportunities that inspire donors to make meaningful investments in students, faculty, programs, and learning environments—emphasizing long-term impact and shared success.
• Leads with Future in Focus: Participates in and leads planning efforts that enhance fundraising effectiveness, encourage innovation, and promotes a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
• Represents PSUF at Events: Actively participates in and supports development-related events, serving as a positive ambassador for the university and fostering a sense of community and belonging among stakeholders.
• Leads with Values + Intention: Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and values-aligned leadership as a member of the Supervisor Team, serving as a champion of organizational mission, strategy, and culture; fostering cross-functional collaboration; and promoting organizational change initiatives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Measures of Success

• Meet or exceed frontline fundraising metrics, including, but not limited to, face-to-face visits, qualifications, submitted/funded proposals, individual and unit fundraising.
• Effective management of portfolio of prospects through all phases of the donor cultivation cycle, with special emphasis on cultivating and soliciting gifts and/or grants of $50,000 or more and readiness to solicit 7 figure gifts.
• Effective relationship management both internally with PSU partners/units and externally with donors/prospects.

Minimum Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including proven success in securing six- and/or seven-figure gifts.
• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience.
• Expertise in managing donor pipelines and gift officer portfolios using CRM systems (e.g., Blackbaud, Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge) to guide strategy and forecasting.
• Working knowledge of Asana or similar project management tools.
• Familiarity with planned giving vehicles, IRS charitable giving regulations, and donor stewardship best practices.
• Ability to work across departments with academic leaders, trustees, and volunteers to align fundraising with institutional priorities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling proposals and represent the institution externally.
• Understanding of fundraising ethics, donor confidentiality, and compliance with CASE standards.
• Proficiency with commonly used workplace technologies, including Microsoft Office, SharePoint, CRM platforms, and other cloud-based collaboration and document management tools; demonstrated ability to leverage emerging technologies to enhance productivity, accuracy, and overall work quality.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in an inclusive, equitable, and respectful environment, collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
• Commitment to fostering a positive and collaborative workplace culture through active engagement with colleagues, open communication, and alignment with organizational values and culture initiatives.
• Demonstrate reliable, regular, and predictable work attendance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education or for a large complex non-profit organization.
• Demonstrated success fundraising in higher education for a large public institution with complex matrixed environment.
• Working knowledge of Portland’s donor community.

Compensation & Benefits

Our compensation philosophy reflects our commitment to pay equity, transparency, and valuing the contributions of every team member.

• Hiring Range : $97,500-$115,000
  • Offers are determined based on a candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications, while ensuring internal pay equity.

• 4-Day Workweek:
  • As part of our commitment to wellness and workplace culture, we’ve transitioned to a 4-day workweek—an innovative shift that reflects our values and promotes balance across our team. Business operations are closed on Fridays, supporting work-life balance and recognizing the value of your time.

• Top-Tier Benefits : We offer one of Oregon’s leading nonprofit benefits packages, designed to support the well-being of employees and their families. Full-time employee benefits include:
  • 4 Day Work Week, with business operations closed on Fridays.
  • 100% employer-paid medical coverage on our base plan
  • 95% employer-paid dental and vision coverage
  • Up to 27 days of paid time off plus 10 paid holidays, including one floating holiday
  • Up to 12% employer contribution to eligible 401(k) plans after applicable waiting periods
  • Employer-paid Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance
  • Portland State University affiliated employee benefits, including tuition discount

How to Apply

Interested in applying? We invite you to submit your application through our Careers page at psuf.org.

Don’t meet every requirement? We’d still like to hear from you!

If you enjoy being part of a collaborative results-driven team and making a difference in our community, we encourage you to apply, even if you believe you don’t meet all of the requirements listed. Studies have shown that individuals with marginalized identities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification in the job description. Our priority is finding the best candidate for the role, and we welcome candidates from all backgrounds. PSU Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.