Senior Director of Development, Opus College of Business and Schulze School of Entrepreneurship

The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for a Senior Director of Development position within University Advancement, embedded in the Opus College of Business and Schulze School of Entrepreneurship.

 

The University of St. Thomas embraces diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity and personal attention call us to embody and champion a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment.  The University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (EEO).  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or other protected characteristic.  We are committed to building a skilled team that represents a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. This commitment is consistent with our mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.  A successful candidate will possess a commitment to the ideals of this mission.

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

• Up to 100% tuition remission for employees, spouses, and dependents upon eligibility
• A generous Employer retirement contribution of 9.4% of annual salary upon eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits

 

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Director of Development, Opus College of Business (OCB) reports to the Vice President of Development, in close cooperation with the Dean of the Opus College of Business, and is a member of the University Advancement (UA) division. The Senior Director of Development advances relationships between prospective donors and OCB for the purpose of securing major gift commitments ($50,000 or more). The Senior Director of Development directs and coordinates fundraising efforts for OCB and manages institution-wide fundraising activities within the college, including leading the college’s campaign fundraising and strategy. S/he works to identify and cultivate sources of funding by planning and implementing short, medium and long-term fundraising strategies and programs to meet the current and future needs of OCB. The Senior Director of Development, OCB, serves as the main point of contact responsible for planning and execution of the college’s fundraising campaign within the context of the university’s ten-year comprehensive campaign.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

 

1.  Campaign

·  With the Dean, OCB stakeholders, and UA staff, craft a compelling case for support for the unit’s campaign priorities, revising as needed

·  Develop and lead an effect.ive campaign volunteer committee.

·  Champion campaign within the college and among its external constituents with a view to securing support from faculty, staff, and other college stakeholders as well as alumni, donors, members of the corporate community and other external constituents.

·  Monitor and assess campaign progress and adjust strategies and tactics as needed.

 

2.  Portfolio Management, Fundraising, and Planning

·  Manage a portfolio of qualified major and principal gift-level prospects associated with the OCB; facilitate active relationships for assigned prospects with OCB partners while endeavoring to match college and overall University funding needs with prospects’ interests.

·  Identify, cultivate and qualify prospects; solicit and close major gifts ($50,000+) sufficient to meet or exceed individual, school and team gift goals set annually as well as campaign goals; work with Prospect Development to optimize portfolio; use best practices in relationship management to advance prospect relationships toward gifts; develop strategies to generate increased levels of giving for OCB.

·  Engage the Dean in relationship management and cultivation and solicitation of prospects as appropriate. Coordinate and facilitate the Dean’s fundraising efforts to ensure good communication, partnership and follow-through with the prospective donor.

·  Develop a deep working knowledge of the OCB, including its teaching, research and community engagement efforts. Understand and support its vision, aspirations, and campaign priorities; define and articulate a compelling and unique case for support of the OCB that positions it for fundraising success.

·  Develop an annual work plan, including specific fundraising, prospect development and programmatic goals with an emphasis on achieving established standards and metrics for the position. Ensure that annual production aligns with campaign goals.

·  Craft and implement an annual college engagement plan designed to showcase the college and its priorities in the community with a view to engaging new prospects.

 

3.  Supervision

·  As appropriate and depending on staffing needs of the unit, supervise one or more development officers or support staff, including establishing performance metrics, overseeing the development of their annual work plans, working with Prospect Management and Research on the composition of their portfolios (for front-line fundraisers) and integrating their work into the overall strategy for the unitc.

·  Clearly outline specific duties and expectations for direct reports.

 

4.  Development Partnerships

·  Work closely with the Dean, university leadership and other development staff to identify priorities and opportunities for new major gifts within OCB. Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of philanthropic priorities to effectively and convincingly present the school's case to prospects and donors. Develop a solicitation plan that fosters multiple points of coordinated, strategic contact for each OCB prospect based on research data and information gathered through qualification visits; serve as a resource and partner to the OCB advisory board and campaign committee.

·  Collaborate with the Associate Vice President of Development and other Development team members to develop and implement an overall strategic plan for the solicitation of major gifts to meet university and OCB goals.

·  Collaborate with individual gift officers and other UA leaders who have prospects with interest in OCB. Where appropriate, engage faculty, senior administration and other members of St. Thomas as partners in deepening and advancing the relationship with the university and OCB.

·  Work with Prospect Development, ACER, ACC, Principal Gifts, and other areas within UA to identify new prospects, manage and advance prospect relationships, and develop effective solicitation strategies.

·  Work collaboratively with key UA partners, including Donor Relations, to plan and execute strategic development activities and donor programs and events in OCB.

 

5.  Reporting and Data Management

·  Complete and file timely reports of donor/prospect contacts by utilizing our donor database; maintain accurate and relevant records within the database.

·  When partnering on cultivation or solicitation, prepare strategy documents that articulate the engagement plan and purpose of interaction.

·  Partner with the Dean of OCB and other University leaders to ensure proper documentation of all prospect visits and/or meaningful interactions with donors in an effort to achieve coordinated communication with all stakeholders in the relationship-building process.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degreein a relevant field
• A minimum of five years of development experience, including major gift solicitation experience
• Demonstrated ability to solicit and close major ($50,000+) gifts

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of higher education and/or business
• Familiarity with the characteristics of a comprehensive university
• Knowledge of business or business schools

 

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates must apply online at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/ . Follow the instructions to complete an online application which includes creating or updating an applicant profile, uploading a resume, and completing a job specific application.

 

In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires consent and successful completion of a background screening.

Official job posting is available at www.stthomas.edu/jobs .

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