Director of Development, Foundation Relations

Position Summary


The University of Arizona Foundation is seeking a motivated and goal-oriented professional to join the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement team as Director of Development (DOD) for the Foundation Relations team. The successful candidate will work to secure gifts at the principal ($1,000,000) and major-gift level ($50,000+) from private philanthropic foundations for the University of Arizona.


Supervisory Responsibility


This position is not supervisory in nature.

Duties and Responsibilities

• At the direction of the Senior Director of Development, Principal Gifts and Foundation Relations, lead key fundraising priority initiatives for the university and Office of Research and Partnerships. Develop and sustain strong relationships with the College/unit leadership, faculty, board members, alumni, volunteers, donors, and financial professionals.
• Responsible for building and maintaining a healthy portfolio defined for DODs as 50-70 assigned prospects with 40-50 in cultivation/solicitation;40% of those in cultivation/solicitation capacity rated at $250K+ and 10% rated at $1M+.
• Develop and execute strategic, personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for an assigned portfolio ($50,000 capacity or greater) of donor prospects (individual, corporate, and foundation) through personal meetings (in-person or via live video conferencing platforms), letters, phone calls, email, text messaging and other methods.
• Effectively initiate and complete Qualification Plans per PAE standards to develop new major gift prospects.
• Plan, coordinate, and schedule weekly personal meetings with prospects and donors utilizing UAF software, introductory letters, emails/texts, and phone calls to set appointments.
• Provide a high level of support in stewardship and recognition efforts for annual fund donors.
• After an initial6-month onboarding period, execute an agreed-upon metric of at least 100 current or prospect donor meetings and the successful closure of 15+ major/principal gift proposals per year, with an expectation of $1M+ raised after the initial onboarding period (with incremental increases after the first year).
• Develop personalized strategies for all assigned donors and prospects which builds, maintains, and enhances relationships while furthering donors' philanthropic objectives.
• Design and manage solicitation and stewardship plans in UAFCRM platform to support fundraising initiatives.
• Maintain current and accurate records of donor prospects recorded in UAFCRM platform. In a timely manner, but no less frequently, than on a weekly basis, enter contact reports of all meetings, significant conversations, letters and correspondence, gift solicitations, and other communications with donors.
• Ensure all contributions are properly documented and handled in accordance with the University of Arizona Gift Policy.
• Partner with College and PAE alumni engagement colleagues to help build donor pipeline for the College.
• Partner with, and effectively utilize, the development professionals and resources of the PAE, including campus-based development teams, the offices of Regional Development; Gift Planning; Leadership and Annual Giving (telephone, direct-mail, and e-solicitation services); Alumni Engagement; Marketing and Communications; Prospect Development; Financial Services; Information Services; and Foundation Relations and other PAE Central services.
• Creatively leverage outreach activities (e.g. tours, lectures, exhibits, etc.) to develop new major gift prospects.
• Utilize the common systems, policies, and procedures adhered to by PAE team members.
• Support and promote a culture of philanthropy across the University and work effectively as part of the greater PAE.
• Represent the College, University, and PAE at public events, including delivering remarks.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to understand and follow all Federal, UA, and UAF policies and procedures, including UA scholarship and financial aid policies, as well as the University of Arizona Gift Policy.
• Commitment to working in a collaborative team environment with shared goals.
• Ability to work efficiently with a wide variety of individuals, including donors, PAE colleagues, deans, faculty and staff.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and written.
• Demonstrated commitment to exceptional customer service with the ability to translate the PAE guiding principles of donor-centricity and collaboration into work practices.
• Ability to recognize and handle highly confidential and sensitive information in a discrete and professional manner.
• Work with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Be able to work independently with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and meet strict deadlines for deliverables
• Ability to anticipate and discern work priorities and meet deadlines with little supervision.
• Adept at problem-solving and using judgment in situations requiring initiative, tact, and confidentiality.
• An exceptional work ethic and track record of personal initiative required.
• Openness to new ideas and personal flexibility with the ability to adapt and succeed in a multi-task, fast-paced environment with changing processes and occasional ambiguity.
• Ability to inspire cooperation and participation
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers and Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Proficiency or ability to learn additional software required to perform the essential duties of the position.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum of8years of related work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Ability to drive/attend meetings throughout Arizona and travel by commercial airline as needed.
• Any equivalent combination of experience, training, and/or education approved by Human Resources.

Preferred Qualifications

• Fundraising experience in a higher education setting.
• Ability to work across multiple teams and diverse priorities.

Work Environment

• Regular in-state and national travel is required.
• The DOD will be required to work evenings and/or weekends as necessary.

The University of Arizona Foundation reserves the right to revise this job description anytime.