Senior Director of Development

Senior Director of Development

Columbia Global advances Columbia University's global engagement by connecting faculty, students, and partners across regions to address complex global challenges through research, education, dialogue, and action. Over the past decade, Columbia Global has evolved from a primarily programmatic and convening platform into an integrated global organization, combining academic leadership, a network of Global Centers in ten international markets, and impact-oriented initiatives including Columbia World Projects and affiliated academic platforms.

As Columbia Global enters its next phase of growth—deepening and strategically leveraging its global footprint, strengthening partnerships across the University, and advancing a sustainable and diversified revenue model—the Senior Director of Development will play a pivotal role in defining and driving Columbia Global's philanthropic vision. This is a rare opportunity to build a development infrastructure that supports Columbia's worldwide impact, engages a global community of supporters, and positions Columbia Global as a leading platform for addressing the world's most pressing challenges.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice President for University Development and Alumni Relations, the Senior Director of Development leads the design and execution of a five-year sustainability and revenue diversification strategy across all Columbia Global entities and geographies. The role is responsible for expanding, diversifying, and stewarding philanthropic and partnership funding from individuals, foundations, corporations, bilateral and multilateral donors, and government sources, in close collaboration with University Advancement and Sponsored Projects offices. In the first 18–24 months, the role will prioritize building a coherent organization-wide development strategy, strengthening pipeline discipline and institutional alignment, and advancing a focused set of high-impact funding opportunities.

Working in partnership with senior leadership, program teams, faculty, and central University offices, the Senior Director of Development drives funding across Columbia Global's full portfolio, ensuring alignment between revenue generation, strategic priorities, and institutional commitments. The role provides organization-level oversight across the entire funding lifecycle, from opportunity development and donor engagement through award management and stewardship, ensuring coherence, rigor, and long-term sustainability across Columbia Global's global platform.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Execution (30%)

• Lead the design and implementation of a five-year revenue-generation, sustainability, and diversification strategy across all Columbia Global entities and geographies, while actively contributing to its execution during a period of organizational growth.
• Translate the five-year sustainability strategy into prioritized pipelines, target funding mixes, and clear annual revenue benchmarks aligned with organizational capacity.
• Serve as a hands-on strategic partner to Columbia Global senior leadership, translating institutional priorities into actionable funding strategies, proposals, and donor and government engagement plans.
• Establish organization-wide goals, standards, and expectations for revenue generation and stewardship in collaboration with program, finance, communications, and leadership teams, as well as central partners such as the Office of Alumni Development (OAD) and Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA).

Revenue Generation and Direct Engagement (30%)

• Personally drive a selective portfolio of high-priority, complex, or cross-cutting fundraising and partnership efforts, including donor cultivation, solicitation, proposal development, and institutional engagement, with a focus on complex or cross-cutting opportunities.
• Lead the development of fundable concepts and proposals in collaboration with Columbia Global directors, program, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) and finance teams.
• Support senior leadership and Columbia Global staff in donor, foundation, corporation, and government engagements through strategy development, briefing preparation, and active participation.

Sponsored Funding (15%)

• Identify and pursue government, bilateral, multilateral, and institutional funding opportunities, working closely with Columbia Global teams and SPA to advance competitive proposals.
• Help establish clear standards, workflows, and expectations for sponsored funding development and management across Columbia Global's global platform.

Team Leadership and Capacity Building (10%)

• Manage a small, high-performing development team—currently one staff member—while laying the groundwork for future growth, including at least one planned additional role.
• Mentor and support Columbia Global team members through coaching, shared execution, and clear performance expectations.
• Build development capacity across Columbia Global by strengthening fundraising literacy, planning, and execution among staff in leadership, programs, communications, and operations.

Cross-Functional and Matrix Leadership (10%)

• Lead through influence across Columbia Global's ten global markets, aligning distributed teams around shared revenue goals, standards, and practices.
• Support change management as Columbia Global continues to professionalize and align development practices across a distributed global platform.
• Reinforce consistent approaches to goal setting, portfolio management, stewardship, and accountability across the organization.
• Partner closely with finance, monitoring and evaluation, and communications teams to ensure funding strategies are credible, compelling, and measurable.

Stewardship, Accountability, and Institutional Alignment (5%)

Minimum Qualifications

Master's Degree. Minimum ten years of progressive experience in revenue generation, fundraising, or resource development in a relevant field

This position requires 15-25% travel domestically and internationally.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience securing funding from diverse sources, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government or multilateral donors, with hands-on involvement in proposal development and donor engagement.
• Experience developing and executing revenue or fundraising strategies in complex, decentralized, or global organizations.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in matrixed environments, establishing goals, standards, and accountability across distributed teams without direct supervisory authority.
• Background in academic, higher-education, or research-intensive institutional settings, including experience working with faculty and institutionally driven funding models.
• Success leading in small-team or build-phase environments, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to apply innovative, creative, and nontraditional approaches to problem solving, including developing and advancing unconventional or disruptive funding, partnership, or operating models to address complex institutional and resource constraints.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex academic or programmatic work into compelling funding narratives.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities across geographies and funding streams.
• Working knowledge of sponsored funding pathways and coordination with central research or sponsored projects offices.
• Experience leading or contributing to multi-year sustainability and revenue-diversification strategies within a complex institutional or global context.
• Demonstrated success securing large and complex awards, including six- and seven-figure gifts, grants, contracts, or government funding.
• Experience building, scaling, or professionalizing a development or resource-mobilization function, including hiring, mentoring, and establishing systems, processes, and standards.
• Experience engaging boards or advisory bodies, including preparing senior-level materials, supporting strategic discussions, and leveraging board or advisory engagement to advance fundraising, partnerships, or institutional priorities.
• Deep familiarity with fundraising, compliance, stewardship, and ethical development practices in higher-education or research-intensive institutions.
• Experience operating across multiple international regions or markets beyond a single geographic context.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.