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University of Missouri-Columbia · 1 day ago

Director of Principal Gifts Strategy

Columbia, MO

Full-time

Onsite

Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

$80K/yr - $100K/yr

5+ years exp

The University of Missouri-Columbia is seeking a strategic and collaborative Director of Principal Gifts Strategy to lead their philanthropic efforts. This role involves developing customized donor strategies, overseeing a principal gifts pipeline, and enhancing donor engagement to support the university's comprehensive campaign.

Education

Diversity & Inclusion

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

Drive operational excellence by developing and maintaining internal systems and workflows that ensure principal gift strategies are executed with precision and accountability

Establish and manage tracking infrastructure for principal gift prospects, including customized pipelines, dashboards, and reporting tools that monitor progress toward strategic, campaign-aligned goals

Oversee internal project management for donor strategies—ensuring that timelines, next steps, deliverables, and ownership are clearly defined and actively advanced across stakeholders

Synthesize complex information into clear, actionable updates and reports for leadership, highlighting milestones, gaps, and opportunities to optimize strategy or accelerate movement

Ensure continuity and momentum by documenting strategic plans, donor touchpoints, and evolving engagement approaches, supporting long-term relationship-building across leadership transitions or staff changes

Collaborate closely with prospect development, donor relations, and campaign teams to integrate tracking systems into broader institutional fundraising infrastructure, ensuring transparency, alignment, and data integrity

Manage the end-to-end coordination of principal gift strategies and donor journeys—including timelines, deliverables, communications, and follow-through—ensuring alignment with campaign and university-wide priorities

Serve as a strategic partner in gift development and donor engagement, contributing to strategy sessions, briefings, and proposals that translate donor values into bold, compelling opportunities for investment

Collaborate across Advancement, academic units, and the Chancellor’s office to support cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts for Mizzou’s highest-level philanthropic partnerships

In collaboration with the Senior Manager of Principal Giving Engagement, conceptualize bespoke engagement strategies for high-net-worth individuals and families, including campus visits, private events, recognition experiences, proposals, and personalized communications

Ensure every touchpoint reflects the scale, values, and significance of principal-level philanthropy

Serve as a thought partner in designing compelling cases for support and narratives for visionary projects and interdisciplinary initiatives

Work across advancement functions and academic units to move strategies forward with clarity, momentum, and urgency

Work closely with communications, prospect development, donor relations, and academic units to develop or coordinate the creation of customized content—cases for support, proposals, stewardship reports—that capture institutional vision and donor impact

Collaborate with University leadership, communications, and academic partners to develop materials that are both strategic and emotionally resonant

Qualification

Major gift fundraisingDonor engagement strategyProject managementCFRE certificationHigher education fundraisingCRM systemsOrganizational skillsTime managementInterpersonal skillsCreative thinkingCollaboration skills

Required

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 5 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred

CFRE certification

7 plus years of experience in advancement, donor relations, strategic communications, or project management; prior frontline fundraising experience a plus

Knowledge of higher education fundraising and the culture of a large, research-intensive public university

Outstanding organizational and time management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple high-stakes projects

Exceptional writing, interpersonal, and collaboration skills

Creative thinking with a commitment to donor-centric design and innovation

Familiarity with CRM systems and project management tools

Benefits

Health Insurance -Three plans to choose from, including our Custom Network Plan; a cost-effective insurance option that utilizes our extensive network of MU-affiliated hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.

HSA - UM provides between $400 - $1200 in contributions to health savings accounts, depending on plans and dependents

Dental - 100% coverage for preventative care, with no restrictions on network or non-network providers

Vision - $0 copays on frames and contact lenses along with a $140 allowance, and a $10 copay on yearly eye exams.

Retirement - UM will match 100% of up to 8% of eligible pay contributed to a 457(b), with a three-year vesting period on University contributions.

Tuition Assistance - Up to 75% of tuition and supplemental fees waived for employees, and 50% waived for spouses and dependents

Time Off – Personal time off (PTO) as well as 9 paid holidays.

Winter Break - The university observes a paid holiday for the period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Company

University of Missouri-Columbia

We are Mizzou! Our distinct mission, as Missouri's only state-supported member of the Association of American Universities, is to provide all Missourians the benefits of a world-class research university.

Founded in 2011

Columbia, Missouri, USA

10001+ employees

http://business.missouri.edu/allen-angel-capital-education-program

H1B Sponsorship

University of Missouri-Columbia has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

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Trends of Total Sponsorships

2025 (257)

2024 (213)

2023 (145)

2022 (112)

2021 (115)

2020 (131)