Senior Director of Development School of Communications American University
Senior Director of Development School of Communications American University
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$ 100000 - 1000000
1 Vacancy
Job Description
Position Title: Senior Director of Development School of Communication
Reports to: Dean of School of Communication
Position: FullTime Hybrid 2 3 days a week on campus. Exempt
Location: Washington D.C.; Maryland; Virginia.
Travel: This position requires regular travel and out of area travel approximately 2540 of the time.
Salary: $annually
About American University
We are a University of strivers and dreamers activists and artists scholars and servantleaders. We realize that when we all contribute we all succeed. We are quite literally one AU. President Sylvia Burwell
American University is a studentcentered research institution in Washington DC with highly ranked schools and colleges internationally renowned faculty and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Our students distinguish themselves with their service leadership and ability to rethink global and domestic challenges and opportunities.
At AU passion becomes action; students actively engage in the world around them; and the leaders of today train the leaders of tomorrow.
We are looking for candidates who reflect the diversity of our student body. At AU we are deeply committed to diversity equity and inclusion. American University was founded to respond to the needs of a changing world with a set of guiding valuesdiversity equity and inclusion. AU cannot be excellent without being truly inclusive and without taking the concrete specific steps to improve our campus climate.
BIPOC LGBTQ immigrants multilingual mature or differently abled candidates and people of all faiths or none at all are encouraged to apply.
About Change Cant Wait: The Campaign for American University
With a $500 million goal Change Cant Wait will create transformative educational opportunities for students advance research with impact and build stronger communities locally nationally and globally. Why us Changemaking is in our DNA. Why now We know change cant wait.
Find out more about the campaign here.
The Role
Working in and reporting to the University Office of Advancement the Senior Director of Development for the School of Communications (SOC) is the principal fundraiser for SOC at American University. The Senior Director works on behalf of the Dean of SOC shaping and executing plans for fundraising to advance the mission of SOC and fulfill the Deans academic priorities for the school. The Senior Director of Development works primarily in major gift fundraising for SOC and participates in the Deans senior management team to understand fully and discuss implications of academic programs for development. The Senior Director of Development plans implements and oversees the major gift fundraising program $50000 and higher) for SOC with emphasis on gifts of $100000 to $1000000.
The Senior Director serves as a key member of Deans management team and as an ambassador of SOC. The Senior Director of Development supervises the activities of an additional fundraiser (Associate Director of Development SOC) and they work as a collaborative team in support of donor cultivation solicitation stewardship alumni programming and planning of special events. In coordination with the Dean the SOC Development team strategically cultivates and recruits members for the SOC Deans Council. The Senior Director of Development and SOC Development team strive to maximize the Councils effectiveness working closely with the Deans office to establish agendas and programs for meetings and communications.
Responsibilities
Strategic Partnership with the Dean
- Work with the Dean of SOC to engage the Dean in donor/constituentspecific development strategies.
- Secure dates and plan for the Deans development activities including local and regional constituency events travel for cultivation and solicitation correspondence and regular contact with donors.
- Develop execute manage fundraising strategies priorities schedules and tactics for the Dean of the School of Communication.
- Identify and engage prospects around the Deans academic priorities.
- Add a development perspective to relevant matters that emerge in the School or on the Deans leadership team.
Portfolio and Pipeline Management
- Management and strategy development of a portfolio of prospects generally rated $100000$1000000.
- Meaningful contact or consistently demonstrated attempted contact of 100 of the assigned portfolio during any sixmonth period.
- Regular maintenance of prospect pipeline to reflect a minimum of 15 major gift solicitations per year.
- Collaborate independently with the Dean to actively define and execute strategies for major and principal gift prospects.
- Meet or exceed established benchmarks for proposal development solicitations and securing philanthropic investments that support the academic priorities of the Dean other units or the University.
Internal Collaboration and Prospect Coordination
- Coordinate closely with Annual Giving to ensure messages and priorities align with mail and phone programs.
- Work with directors in Planned Giving Regional Advancement Strategic Partnerships and other units on mutual interest prospects and programs.
- Partner with Principal Gifts Team Planned Giving Team and Office of Prospect Research & Management to conduct entrepreneurial prospect identification and qualification.
- Establish annual performance goals and financial objectives in consultation with the Assistant Vice President of Advancement based on pipeline capacity and readiness.
Team Leadership and Event Planning
- Manage motivate and evaluate the School of Communications development team: Associate Director of Development and Development Coordinator.
- Develop major gift strategies and revenue expectations donor stewardship initiatives and special event plans.
- Delegate and assign associated tasks including creation and design of related publications.
- Manage all aspects of the Deans Advocacy Council including developing strategy to cultivate and solicit council members for leadership giving.
Annual Giving and Other Responsibilities
- Work with AUs Annual Giving team to manage techniques and messages for direct marketing and phone programs ensuring SOC information is accurate and aligned with fundraising goals.
- Collaborate with the Director of Development Annual Giving on the Deans letter or equivalent solicitations ensuring alignment with AUs direct marketing calendar.
- Other duties as assigned in support of the objectives of the Vice President of Development & Alumni Relations.
Additional Responsibilities
Supervisory Responsibility:
- Associate Director of Development SOC.
- Development Coordinator SOC.
Competencies:
- Collaborative Leadership.
- Thinking Broadly.
- Building and Supporting Teams.
- Leading and Inspiring People.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
- FullTime.
- 35 hours per week.
- The position also requires occasional evening and weekend work.
Requirements
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelors degree from an accredited educational institution.
- 810 years of relevant experience.
- Eight or more years progressively responsible advancement experience required with at least four years in demonstrated success in securing major gifts of $100000.
- Supervisory experience.
- Familiarity with and experience following guidelines of an established Prospect Management System.
- Computer literacy with MS Office suite or equivalent and familiarity with fundraising systems.
- Superior written verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
Preferred Education and Experience:
- Masters degree or equivalent.
- Masters degree preferred with experience in higher education working with highlevel executives/academics/leaders managing volunteers major gift solicitation and closure at the $500000 level.
- Attention to detail ability to analyze and articulate reasons for giving strong priority setting ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a deadlineoriented environment.
- Maturity and diplomacy.
- Analytical research and project management skills.
Additional Information About the Position
Travel Required:
- This position requires regular travel and out of area travel approximately 2540 of the time.
Additional Information:
- Employees in the School of Communication are required to work on campus in a full presence modality for the first month of their employment.
Benefits
Benefits
AU offers a competitive benefits package including a 200 matching retirement plan tuition benefits for fulltime staff and their families several leadership development certificates and has been recognized by the American Heart Association as a fitfriendly worksite. Click here to learn about American Universitys unique benefit options.
Other Details
- Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.
- Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
- American University is an EVerify employer.
American University has retained the services of Charity Search Group to coordinate the search for this position. To apply please complete this online application. If you have questions or need accommodations please contact Mariya Yurukova at or visit
American University is an equal opportunity affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race color national origin religion sex (including pregnancy) age sexual orientation disability marital status personal appearance gender identity and expression family responsibilities political affiliation veteran status an individuals genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively Protected Bases) in its programs and activities.
Required Experience:
Exec
Employment Type
Full-Time
