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The California State University · 2 months ago

Director of Development for Special Projects

San Jose, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

$5,053/mo - $16,221/mo

3+ years exp

The California State University is seeking a Director of Development for Special Projects to lead fundraising initiatives at San José State University. This role involves developing strategies to secure philanthropic support for various projects and engaging high-level donors to align with university priorities.

EducationHigher EducationUniversities

Culture & Values

No H1B

Responsibilities

Manage an assigned portfolio of key prospects and individuals whose capacity and interests align with university-wide strategic initiatives and campaign priorities

Coordinate with Prospect Research to proactively build and qualify a robust prospect pipeline

Recommend prospect reassignment to president or University Advancement senior leaders based on qualification results

Develop and execute complex strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major gift prospects/donors, including joint solicitations on multi-unit projects

Present and regularly review top prospect strategies with immediate supervisor and other key team members as appropriate

Work collaboratively with university administrators, academic leadership and other stakeholders to gain counsel and offer expertise on donor-centric cultivation and solicitation strategy

Work collaboratively with peers across all development units (Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Planned Giving, Corporate & Foundation Relations) and serve as a key horizontal partner on multi-unit projects

Work with volunteer leadership of university boards, councils and committees to maximize cultivation and solicitation efforts

Focus on securing funding for designated priorities including but not limited to academic programs, endowed chairs and professorships, scholarships, unrestricted support, facility renovations, new facilities and other specified priorities

Collaborate with donor relations colleagues with stewardship efforts to promote a culture of gratitude among internal and external constituents

Partnering with University Advancement leadership, lead the development of comprehensive, persuasive written cases for support and proposals for complex, multi-unit funding opportunities, gathering data and buy-in from various campus stakeholders

Effectively utilize campus data management systems and enter prospect/donor contact reports and their relevant data in a timely fashion

Participate in staff, functional and strategy meetings including prospect review sessions, and attend conferences, seminars and other development training as feasible and appropriate

Qualification

Fundraising strategiesMajor gift solicitationProspect identificationNetworking skillsProject managementWritten communicationProfessional communicationGoogle SuiteMicrosoft Office SuiteCollaborationAttention to detailIntegrityAdaptability

Required

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution

Minimum of three to five years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising

Demonstrated experience developing and leading complex solicitation strategies resulting in closing major gifts

Evidence of superior written communication skills; ability to articulate and draft persuasive proposals

Ability to identify donors and close gifts of six and seven figures

Ability to navigate the complexity of a large, dynamic university and establish consensus among varied stakeholders to make the appropriate match for donor interests

Skilled in networking, high-level prospect discovery and opening doors among new donor segments, coupled with the ability to design and implement sophisticated, donor-centric cultivation and solicitation strategies

Superior ability to successfully manage multiple, large-scale projects with evolving priorities on tight deadlines and under pressure in a dynamic, politically complex and open environment

Deep appreciation and understanding of the academic enterprise and the ability to articulate institutional values internally and externally

Exceptional skill in defining problems, gathering and synthesizing complex data, establishing facts and drawing valid conclusions

Exceptional verbal communication and persuasive writing skills

Unquestionable integrity and commitment to professional ethics and the ability to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information with the highest level of discretion

High level of initiative, attention to detail, and organization skills

Ability to work as part of a collaborative team

Proficient in Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite, and ability to utilize fundraising database programs and learn new tech platforms for project management

Demonstrated spirit of extreme flexibility, resilience, and adaptability

Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner

Preferred

Advanced degree

Demonstrated experience in identifying, qualifying, and building strategies for new prospects, particularly those with capacity for seven-figure gifts or higher

Demonstrated fundraising experience within a comprehensive campaign setting at a research or public institution of higher education, specifically managing non-college or cross-disciplinary campaign priorities

Experience serving as a strategic partner to campus administrators and academic leaders

Benefits

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary.

Company

The California State University

Glassdoor4.1

The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 22 campuses, 56,000 faculty and staff and more than 450,000 students.

Founded in 1947

Long Beach, California, USA

10001+ employees