Rice University · 8 hours ago
Senior Director of Development
Houston, TX
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
7+ years expRice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities and is known for its strong community values. They are seeking a Senior Director of Development to manage major gift support for fundraising priorities, focusing on cultivating and soliciting major gift donors at the $250,000 level and above.
EducationHigher EducationService IndustryUniversities
Responsibilities
Develops, solicits and manages a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects through the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors with an emphasis on $250,000+ gifts
Identifies fundraising priorities and devises plans and strategies to accomplish major gift goals
Works collaboratively with faculty and development colleagues in support of fundraising initiatives
Collaborates on development-related communications and events
Performs all other duties as assigned
Cultivate and close gifts through face-to-face interactions with alumni and friends of the school. Meetings may include other Major Gift officers, faculty, deans, or senior leadership of the school
Actively works donor pipeline to meet specific fundraising objectives including number of proposals submitted, total dollars raised, new prospects advanced into the pipeline from identification to cultivation and from cultivation to solicitation
May travel regionally and nationally, as needed
Works in partnership with school and department leadership to develop campaign strategies
Some evenings, as needed, to host/staff high-level donor meetings or events
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree
Seven or more (7+) years of experience in higher education and/or an equivalent field
Demonstrated success with fundraising in a higher education environment
Strong client service orientation
Strong attention to detail and ability to quickly understand and remember details about alumni/donors and projects to which they are assigned
Ability to develop and initiate new strategies; to absorb technical and complex material and synthesize information to form creative and innovative ideas
Advanced problem-solving skills; adept at creating contingency plans and handling issues when necessary
Demonstrated leadership and strategic management skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously
Strong organizational and time management skills
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
Excellent data analysis skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
Adept at problem solving, creating contingency plans and handling issues when necessary
Strategic skills to craft and execute fundraising plans
Excellent interpersonal skills
Expertise using CRM systems and screening tools to identify, track and cultivate prospects and donors
Preferred
Experience in higher education major gift fundraising
Proficiency with fundraising CRMs
Ability to prioritize goals and key performance indicators and advance progress toward achieving them
Ability to quickly pivot, think outside the box and collaborate up and down the chain of command
Certified fund-raising Executive (CFRE) certification
Company
Rice University
Rice University is a private research university that focuses on providing undergraduate education services.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$80.9MKey Investors
National Heart, Lung and Blood InstituteAdvanced Research Projects Agency for HealthUS Department of Energy
2024-09-19Grant
2024-08-13Grant· $18M
2023-07-27Grant
Leadership Team
Ken Medlock
James A Baker III and Susan G Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics
Kyle Judah
Executive Director, Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Lilie)
Recent News
2026-01-25
2026-01-19
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