Senior Director of Development, Parent & Family Giving and Student Experience

Internal Notice Identified Candidate

This position is being posted in accordance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The University is currently considering an internal candidate Diane McSheehy for this role. This notice is provided to inform all employees of the opportunity prior to any employment decision.

About the University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) a private university is the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountain region with approximately 12000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. DU is classified as an R1: Doctoral University.

At the University of Denver were doing higher education our way: authentic to the Rocky Mountain Wests confident optimism and pragmatic independence. It sets us apart. Were preparing young people to be the solutions in their own stories empowering them to face uncertainty with confidence and uncommon sense.

Were fiercely ambitious and forward-thinking surpassing all expectations to redefine success and how to achieve it. And were true to our mission as a top-tier private R-1 institution dedicated to making the world a better place contributing to our communities and making positive change in the world.

About DU Advancement
The Denver Difference campaign is our most ambitious campaign yet. It marks a dramatic shift in conventional thinking about what the university experience can and should be. DU is setting the bar with our approach to higher education developing and preparing students to be successful in life in every way. The University of Denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence and innovation of our great institution. Inclusive of alumni engagement development operations and campaign leadership DU Advancement is building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our bold vision.

About the Team
Rooted in service to the mission of the University DUs development & alumni engagement team is dedicated to driving results in engagement and philanthropy that unleash the University of Denvers bold aspirations to their fullest effect. DUs development and alumni engagement team is core to the success of The Denver Difference campaign building connections with constituents who find purpose and meaning in their support affinity and engagement with the University of Denver.

Within this team dedicated development professionals lead the effort to secure philanthropic support for initiatives that define and elevate the University of Denver. The Parent & Family Giving and Student Experience team serves as the primary development professionals responsible for developing philanthropic relationships with high-capacity parents of DU students with a particular focus on securing philanthropic support for campuswide initiatives related to the student experience: the 4D Experience (including related departments in Student Affairs and Academic Affairs) the James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus and University-wide Undergraduate Scholarships.

Through personalized cultivation and a deep understanding of the student journey this team inspires generosity that fuels DUs mission ensuring that every gift makes a lasting impact on the lives of students and the future of the university.

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Engagement Campus Initiatives the Senior Director of Development is a key fundraising professional for the University of Denver. This position ensures the continued upward trajectory of the University of Denvers Parent & Family Giving program and champions the success of student experience philanthropic priorities in The Denver Difference campaign. As the leader of the Parent & Family Giving and Student Experience team the Senior Director of Development is dedicated to the teams success through personal fundraising performance and leadership of a team of two frontline fundraising professionals and a program manager.

This position is responsible for cultivating and soliciting major and leadership gifts from DU parents alumni and friends in Colorado and select regions with a major focus on gifts from parents and those in support of student experience priorities. The Senior Director will build and manage their assigned portfolio of donors including managing top prospects in pursuit of individual fundraising goals set annually in collaboration with the Assistant Vice Chancellor and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Development & Alumni Engagement. The successful candidate for this position will possess a strong understanding of the specific nature of parent and family fundraising and will have the ability to effectively identify cultivate solicit and steward this unique audience as well as to serve as a close partner and key resource for other advancement professionals to solicit and close gifts with DU parents.

The Senior Director ensures the Parent & Family Giving and Student Experience team is focused on qualification and cultivation of major gift prospects that often involve initial solicitation and stewardship of gifts in the $10000-$50000 range toward sustained giving at the major gift level ($50000) and above. This team holds primary responsibility for annual and campaign goals for the 4D Experience the Kennedy Mountain Campus and plays a large part in the university-wide scholarships goal as well.

The successful candidate will possess a strong capacity for developing relationships with prospects including conceiving and implementing customized strategic cultivation and solicitation plans for each prospect. They must possess excellent communication and relationship-building skills that advance donor relationships and foster effective collaborative working relationships with university leadership and other campus partners. Particular skill in working with constituents whose relationship with the institution is new and stewarding test gifts on the path to major gifts is a must. The campus-wide Advancement team is highly collaborative and the Senior Director is expected to build and foster extensive value-added relationships with their advancement colleagues and campus partners.

Essential Functions

Fundraising Outcomes

• Develop meaningful and productive philanthropic relationships with a portfolio of major principal and planned gift donors primarily DU parents and other family members ultimately raising $2M per year.

Fundraising Activities

• Includes qualification cultivation solicitation of major and leadership gifts and strategy execution.
• Qualifications with a focus on high major gift and leadership rated prospects
• MG Proposals including complex and multichannel asks
• Visits
• Manage portfolio of MG and LG prospects
• Own the creation and execution of fundraising strategies for targeted fundraising initiatives and projects

Collaborate Across Campus

• Manage prospects with multiple areas of interest across the university
• Collaborate with other development professionals across campus including regional and centrally based fundraisers to effectively design execute gift strategies and solicit prospects and donors.
• Develop and maintain meaningful and trusting partnerships between Advancement and faculty/program directors resulting in major and transformational gifts that align with College and departmental priorities.

Leadership

• Provide leadership and mentorship to team members
• Provide leadership representation for the unit internally and externally
• Provide mentorship to development colleagues including those outside of unit.
• Champion campus-level student experience philanthropic priorities while also collaborating with other development professionals across campus to effectively design and execute gift strategies in a donor-centered manner.
• Lead and manage the Parent & Family Giving and Student Experience team by supporting the day-to-day functionality of the team as well as facilitating their recruitment hiring training mentoring evaluation and professional development.
• Inclusiveness: Actively creates and supports a workplace where all community members feel welcomed valued and empowered to contribute and participate fully. Is intentional about understanding others experiences and perspectives and commits to ongoing learning and self-awareness to strengthen relationships and foster a positive welcoming environment.

Programmatic & Operational Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Assistant Vice Chancellor continue the upward trajectory in prominence and philanthropic impact of the Parent Leadership Council.
• Develop and implement donor engagement programs recognition events and stewardship initiatives.
• Articulate the impact of philanthropy through customized communications reports and donor experiences.
• Ensure accurate and timely entry of contact reports and donor data in the CRM.
• Track and report on key performance indicators such as qualifications visits solicitations and dollars raised.
• Manage complex projects and initiatives in compliance with university policies and procedures.
• Travel and manage regional outreach serving as market expert and partnering with colleagues when appropriate
• Design and oversee the qualification strategy for high-capacity incoming parents including management of the parent qualification pool and partnership with colleagues in Advancements regional athletics and academic unit teams.
• Effectively manage the strategy for parent record management ratings and assignment 1DAY4DU parent solicitation Admissions partnerships often in collaboration with colleagues across advancement and campus.
• Serve as content-area expert for parent & family philanthropy staying apprised of national trends and educating colleagues across advancement about the unique characteristics of parent fundraising.
• Serve as primary liaison to the New Student and Family Programs office in Student Affairs.
• In partnership with the Assistant Vice Chancellor and campus partners advance the ability to achieve fundraising goals for student experience philanthropic priorities by implementing learning opportunities about Student Affairs and other relevant departments.
• In partnership with the Assistant Vice Chancellor engage in the advancement goal-setting process for individual and team-level annual goals parent & family philanthropy and student experience philanthropic priorities.
• Effectively manage the teams operating budget including monitoring transactions and assisting in budget modeling and forecasting processes.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Fundraising Principles & Practices: Demonstrates advanced knowledge of major and principal gift fundraising including the ability to implement complex gift strategies and cultivate solicit and steward multi faceted gifts of $1000000. Applies proven practices in identifying new donors and guiding them from initial engagement toward major and leadership level commitments.
• Relationship Building: Demonstrated ability to cultivate sustain and strengthen relationships with donors volunteers academic leaders and university officials including those with competing interests or priorities. Leverages these relationships to advance transformational gift opportunities and institutional goals.
• Communications: Represents Advancement effectively in public forums; speaks and writes persuasively; and produces compelling donor centered proposals and materials. Translates complex academic information into accessible messaging for a variety of audiences and maintains exceptionally high levels of customer service.
• Strategic Thinking: Demonstrates sound judgment in situations requiring independent decision making and discretion with confidential or sensitive information. Considers impacts on donors colleagues and institutional priorities when developing strategies or making recommendations. Able to work with independence prioritize assignments and manage time effectively.
• Portfolio Management: Builds manages and strategically grows a personal portfolio to achieve individual and campaign goals. Uses metrics and CRM systems effectively for recordkeeping time management donor strategy development and progress tracking.
• Higher Education Landscape: Possesses a strong understanding of the structure mission and priorities of a research university. Partners with deans faculty and academic leaders to shape compelling cases for support and provide strategic fundraising guidance aligned with institutional objectives.
• Campaign Experience: Demonstrated knowledge of comprehensive fundraising campaigns including donor pipeline development major gift strategies and integration of campaign priorities across academic units. Provides strategic support to academic or organizational leaders engaged in campaign planning or execution.
• Data Analysis: Leads data informed decision making at the individual and team levels. Analyzes donor behavior portfolio trends and engagement metrics to inform strategy refine portfolios and drive meaningful outcomes.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Develops strategic partnerships with academic and campus leaders; manages complex situations requiring coordination across units; and collaborates effectively with colleagues across all Advancement teams. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills to foster productive trust based relationships.
• Leadership / Supervision: Provides leadership or supervision to fundraising teams in alignment with institutional goals. Demonstrates the ability to form guide and fully leverage cross functional teamsincluding colleagues volunteers and academic/university leadersin support of securing transformational gifts.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience (Veterans with equivalent combination of military certification/education and experience may substitute for the degree qualification).
• 9 years of professional experience including 7 years of direct fundraising experience
• 2 years of experience supervising fundraising professionals
• Demonstrated experience closing gifts at major gift level ($50000-$999999)
• Experience and demonstrated success in raising Leadership Annual Giving level gifts ($1000 - $49999) or higher for an institution of higher education large nonprofit or similar complex setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Fundraising experience in higher education or similarly complex non-profit environment
• Experience in parent philanthropy in the university context
• Program management particularly as it relates to constituent engagement strategies for philanthropic ends

Working Environment

• Standard open office environment
• Noise level is quiet to moderate
• Eligible for hybrid work

Physical Activities

• Ability to use a computer for an extended period
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs. with assistance
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to assigned regions.
• Availability to support events including occasional evenings and weekends.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 nights and weekends as accordance with the Universitys flexible work policy this position is eligible to be considered for partial remote work. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline
For consideration please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) February 13 2026.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 15.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $120000-$150000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate departmental budget availability internal salary equity considerations and available market information but not based on a candidates sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits including medical dental retirement paid time off tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family or parental status pregnancy or related conditions national origin disability or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race color national origin ancestry age religion creed disability sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family and parental status pregnancy genetic information military enlistment or veteran status and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal state or local law regulation or ordinance in any of the Universitys educational programs and activities and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers Rights (POWR) Act; and any other federal state and local laws regulations or ordinances that prohibit discrimination harassment and/or retaliation. For more information please see the University of Denvers NonDiscriminationStatement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.