Director of Development, Foundation Relations na University of Arizona Foundation

Position Summary:

The University of Arizona Foundation is seeking a motivated and goal-oriented professional to join the Foundation Relations team as Director of Development (DOD). The successful candidate will work to secure philanthropic support at the principal ($1,000,000) and major-gift level ($50,000+) from private philanthropic foundations for the University of Arizona.  The DOD will focus their efforts on large institutional solicitations aimed at supporting primarily research priorities of the University.  

Supervisory Responsibility:

This position is not supervisory in nature.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• At the direction of the Senior Director, advance key fundraising priority initiatives for the university. 
• Develop and sustain strong relationships with private foundation staff and leadership, as well as University of Arizona faculty, staff and leadership.
• Responsible for building and maintaining a healthy portfolio defined for DODs as 30 – 40 assigned prospects with 10-15 in cultivation/solicitation; 40% of those in cultivation/solicitation capacity rated at $250,000 and above / 10% rated at $1,000,000.
• Collaborate with the PAE Sr. Director of Qualification and Development on effectively initiating and completing Qualification Plans per PAE standards to develop new major gift prospects.
• After an initial 3-month onboarding period, execute an agreed-upon metric of at least 50 current or prospect donor meetings and the successful closure of 15+ major/principal gift proposals per year, with an expectation of $1,000,000 raised after the initial onboarding period (with incremental increases after the first year).
• Develop and execute strategic, personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for an assigned portfolio ($50,000 capacity or greater) of private foundation prospects through personal meetings (in-person or via live video conferencing platforms), letters, phone calls, email, text messaging, and other methods.
• Plan, coordinate, schedule, and travel to complete 50+ 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 for major gift donors in coordination with PAE team members.
• 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 UAF CRM platform to support fundraising initiatives.
• Maintain current and accurate records of donor prospects recorded in UAF CRM 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. Create qualification, solicitation and stewardship plans in Lynx to support fundraising initiatives.
• 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.
• Partner with, and effectively utilize, the development professionals and resources of the PAE, including campus-based development teams; Gift Planning; Discovery and Leadership Giving; Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving; Marketing and Communications; Advancement Services; Financial Services; Information Services; 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 be PAE team members.
• Represent the Foundation, University, and PAE at public events, including delivering remarks.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• 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 of 8 years of related work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Any equivalent combination of experience, training, and/or education approved by Human Resources.
• Ability to travel (both by car and commercial airline) to participate in prospect and donor meetings throughout Arizona and the country.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Fundraising experience in a higher education setting.
• Knowledge of comprehensive donor databases such as Blackbaud CRM system (internally known as Lynx).
• Experience fundraising in any of the following areas will receive special consideration: artificial intelligence, national security, space, cybersecurity, or quantum networking.

Work Environment:

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