Palo Alto University · 8 hours ago
Director of Development
Palo Alto, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$145K/yr - $165K/yr
7+ years expPalo Alto University (PAU) is a private, nonprofit university focused on mental and behavioral health education. The Director of Development is responsible for leading and scaling fundraising initiatives, building relationships with donors, and enhancing operational systems to support philanthropic growth aligned with the university's mission.
Higher Education
Responsibilities
Lead, develop, and scale an integrated philanthropic strategy to support PAU’s institutional priorities with a strong emphasis on operational excellence, data-informed decision-making, and system integration
Drive philanthropic engagement to diversify revenue beyond tuition
Build and steward meaningful relationships with individual, foundation, and corporate partners
Strengthen and integrate operational infrastructure, data systems, and analytics to support scalable, sustainable growth
Balance strategic vision with hands-on execution to shape the direction of the development program, advance philanthropic initiatives, integrate development activities across the university, and align all efforts with institutional mission and goals
Build scalable fundraising systems and practices that strengthen Development’s impact now and support future expansion
Advance operational excellence by strengthening data integrity, reporting, cross-system integration, and documentation
Equip the PAU community with fundraising strategies, talking points, and opportunities to act as ambassadors
Foster a culture of philanthropy across the University through engagement and alignment with institutional goals
Build and maintain meaningful relationships with donors across all giving levels
Design and implement donor-centered stewardship strategies to enhance retention and lifetime giving
Plan and manage donor appreciation events, such as breakfasts, luncheons, and recognition gatherings, to strengthen engagement and highlight impact
Develop and execute a donor communications plan, including newsletters, updates, and impact reporting, to keep donors informed, engaged, and connected to PAU’s mission
Leverage donor insights and engagement history to personalize communications, acknowledgments, and impact reporting
Participate in the University’s migration to a new data management system, playing a key role in defining functionality, integration, and reporting needs for Development
Manage CRM operations including donor records, gift processing, engagement tracking, and data hygiene
Ensure integration across advancement-related systems to support accurate reporting and donor experience
Track fundraising activity, monitor campaign progress, and generate performance dashboards
Establish metrics and analytics frameworks to measure success, forecast performance, and inform continuous improvement
Cultivate and steward relationships with individual donors capable of transformational giving
Develop personalized engagement and solicitation strategies that reflect donor motivations and PAU priorities
Collaborate closely with Alumni Relations to coordinate engagement and opportunities from alumni for major gift cultivation
Track and analyze major gift opportunities to inform pipeline management and long-term strategy
Plan and manage annual giving initiatives, including digital, email, and mail campaigns
Use historical data and donor insights to refine messaging, timing, and segmentation
Leverage recurring giving programs and donor engagement strategies to maximize retention and lifetime value
Collaborate with the Advancement team to enhance outreach and storytelling that inspires current and potential donors
Track pledges, gifts, and IRS-required reporting for compliance and transparency
Conduct prospect research and wealth screening to identify, qualify, and prioritize fundraising opportunities
Apply predictive analytics and data modeling to support prospect strategy, segmentation, and portfolio development
Provide actionable insights that inform campaign planning and strategic decision-making
Develop and manage relationships with corporate and foundation partners
Identify and track grant, sponsorship, and corporate funding opportunities aligned with PAU’s institutional goals and Development priorities
Support proposal development, reporting, and stewardship activities to strengthen and sustain funder relationships
Maintain awareness of foundation and other grant activity managed by the Grants Office as it relates to Development priorities, and coordinate as appropriate on timelines and institutional requirements
Oversee planned giving initiatives, identifying potential legacy donors and integrating strategies into broader fundraising efforts
Develop recognition and stewardship practices for planned giving contributors
Perform other duties as needed to advance PAU’s philanthropic priorities, including new initiatives, special projects, or emerging opportunities within Development
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred
Minimum 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising or development, preferably in higher education or mission-driven organizations
Strong technical proficiency, including Google Workspace and customer relationship management (CRM) systems; experience with HubSpot is a plus
Demonstrated experience across multiple fundraising areas, including major gifts, annual giving, and donor stewardship
Experience strengthening or modernizing development systems, processes, or infrastructure
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively across diverse stakeholders
Comfort operating in a lean environment with evolving systems and priorities
Commitment to PAU's mission in behavioral health, psychology, and educational equity
Company
Palo Alto University
Palo Alto University is a nonprofit and accredited institution that offers its students with a range of graduate and undergraduate programs.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Jeanine Hawk
Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Brian Stover
Deputy Chief Information Officer
Recent News
2025-03-31
Silicon Valley Business Journal
2025-03-13
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