Assistant Director of Development, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering

Colorado State University, United States

Updated: about 1 year ago
Location: Fort Collins, COLORADO
Deadline: 02 Apr 2023

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title Assistant Director of Development, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering
Position Location Fort Collins, CO
Work Location Position qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional Position No
Posting Number 202300478AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Prof/Indiv Contrib II
Number of Vacancies 1
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range $60,000 - $68,000
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University (CSU) is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for permanent full-time and part-time faculty and administrative professional employees in the following University benefit areas: https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ & https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/ .
Desired Start Date 05/15/2023
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 04/02/2023
Description of Work Unit
The University Advancement development team within the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering at Colorado State University is seeking an Assistant Director of Development.
Who We Are
Located in the beautiful town of Fort Collins, Colorado, CSU is a premier land-grant university with world-class programs in education, outreach, and research. CSU has a student body of over 34,000 students, 7,400 employees, 240,000 living alumni, and annual research expenditures exceeding $350 million. Guided by the five supporting Principles of Community: Inclusion, Integrity, Respect, Service, and Social Justice, the University constantly pursues its mission and vision of access, research, teaching, service, and engagement.
Within CSU, the Division of University Advancement is integral to achieving and sustaining the University’s institutional excellence through fundraising and engagement efforts. Our purpose is to connect our alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations with the university to raise necessary financial support to advance the University’s mission and vision. With one of the leading development teams in the country, the Division most recently reached its $1 billion fundraising campaign goal 19 months ahead of schedule.
We seek an individual who see’s fundraising as a rewarding career, and is personally committed to, even has a passion for, expanding access to an excellent college education for bright young minds who wish to attend CSU and study in the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering.
One of eight academic colleges at CSU, the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering houses seven academic departments and schools, along with NOAA Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA). Our graduates are employed by, or are leading, national engineering and technology companies across the US and around the world. Researchers in the college have made important contributions to global challenges in water, environment, climate, health, infrastructure and advanced technology.
Position Summary
We are seeking candidates who have a high level of motivation and enthusiasm for pursuing a career in higher-education fundraising. With a desire to build upon current development experience, you will hone skills in prospect identification and qualification, face-to-face engagement, and cultivation of current annual giving donors and major gift prospects. The ideal candidate will be highly self-motivated, willing to put in the time to establish strategies to build the college’s donor pipeline, while partnering with team fundraising leads on several major gift solicitations. This person will also help strengthen relationships with department heads and key faculty to develop a system to collect alumni relationship details and updated alumni contact information.
Under the direction of the Executive Director of Development, Mary Jarchow, and in partnership with the college’s fundraising team and the division’s prospect research team, this person will drive identification and qualification efforts to establish and build relationships with Colorado based donors and prospects, as well as those in highly-concentrated hubs around the country. While helping to build the major gift donor pipeline, you will solicit and secure $10,000-$25,000+ donations. This person will also have the opportunity to gain greater experience by working collaboratively with major gift fundraisers on the team to optimize gift support. This position will play a critical role in the ongoing and future success of the college’s ability to strive toward excellence. This person will also infuse diversity, and inclusion into all aspects of their role to contribute to inclusive excellence and to ensure colleagues and donors of all backgrounds feel represented and included.
This position is a 12-month full-time appointment, based in Fort Collins, with the option for flexible work arrangements, including remote work.
Required Job Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
  • Minimum 2-3 years of prior experience with face-to-face fundraising in higher education or other non-profit organization OR equivalent experience in a complex organization such as sales, business development, or client/account management.
  • Demonstrated experience and success in face-to-face solicitation, cultivation, and closing gifts of $10,000 or more OR demonstrated success in securing contracts and/or other similar complex transactions.
  • Ability and interest in identifying philanthropic passions and match with College and University needs.
  • Willingness to travel 25% of time, including overnight and occasional weekends.
  • A demonstrated ability to engage and effectively communicate with diverse audiences, including prospects, donors, faculty, community stakeholders, corporations, etc.
  • Ability to problem solve and adapt to rapidly changing situations and successfully manage multiple complex projects from start to finish.
  • Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license, or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date.
Preferred Job Qualifications
  • Sincere interest in nonprofit development work, and drive to increase the percentage of annual donors, an ethical approach with a donor-centric philosophy.
  • Natural enjoyment communicating well with people, learning about their CSU stories and cultivating individuals toward first-time or increased gifts.
  • Desire to learn and hone a nascent fundraising craft, engage with a fundraising team for the college as well as the dedicated individuals contributing to the University Advancement Division at CSU.
  • Current experience and track-record raising gifts of $10,000+ and a desire to pursue a career in major gift fundraising.
  • Personal passion to make an excellent college education even more accessible, and a belief in the power of education to positively influence an individual’s life, and that of the greater community.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
  • Proven ability to successfully identify and build relationships and connect donor/client interests with opportunities in a complex organization.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of fundraising concepts, such as annual fund, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, stewardship, major gift fundraising, etc. A desire to expand your knowledge and experience of complex gift structures, including Charitable Gift Annuities, blended gifts, endowments, etc.
  • Ability to work cross-functionally with academic and administrative leaders in a collaborative environment to conceive and implement innovative ideas.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience working in a CRM or other relational database such as Advance or Razor’s Edge.
Diversity Statement
Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Essential Duties


Job Duty Category Fundraising, Pipeline and Portfolio Management
Duty/Responsibility
  • Under the direction of the Managing Director of Development, the Assistant Director will be pivotal in the building out the college’s pipeline of donors and major gift prospects specific to the donor continuum: identification and qualification, and cultivation, solicitation, stewardship of individual donors. These fundraising activities require continual collaboration with major gift fundraisers, Advancement colleagues, including the college academic leadership.
  • Develop systems (including efficient use of donor database) to identify, qualify, and solicit leadership annual gift prospects with emphasis on $10,000-$25,000+ throughout Colorado and in hubs across the country with a high concentration of prospects.
  • Raise $1M+ annually in support of the college’s annual fundraising expectations, and in collaboration with the Managing Director of Development, outline systems that will support productivity, and effective donor pipeline growth.
  • Through the qualification process, identify philanthropic interests and how they align with funding needs within the college.
  • Support donor portfolio development and record all meaningful and significant donor interactions in the donor database (Advance).
  • Maintain a high degree of confidentiality and adhere to the policies and procedures for accepting, recording and acknowledging gifts.
  • Must be willing to travel up to 25% of the time throughout Colorado and the occasional out-of-state travel, including overnight and occasional weekends.
  • Engage prospects through 200+ strategic interactions (to include in-person visits, and zoom and phone calls) and develop strategies that span immediate solicitation – 24 month plans to cultivate toward a proposal and successful close of donations.
  • Design, solicit and submit 30 annual proposals of $10,000-$25,000+ in pursuit of an individual fundraising goal of $1M+ in the first year.
  • Consider how pipeline, communication, events, and donor interactions are representative of, and inclusive to, donors of all backgrounds. Create positive relationships with external constituents of all backgrounds.
Percentage Of Time 80
Job Duty Category Relationship and Project Management
Duty/Responsibility
  • While a majority of time will center around excellent donor management, pipeline development, consistent and personalized stewardship, all to support fruitful relationships and donor retention, an effort is required to support the team, college and UA as a fundraising expert.
  • Contribute to college fundraising team meetings, including donor strategy conversations, and as an inspiring member of the University Advancement division, attend development officer meetings, professional development activities, and other staff meetings as appropriate.
  • In addition to efforts that revolve around fundraising, you will also be expected to track expenses, manage travel logistics, and support the budget process.
  • Collaborate with faculty and staff partners to support the creation of visions that will resonate with donors and lead to securing major and blended gifts, and to develop a deep and evolving understanding of college priorities and program initiatives that require philanthropic support.
  • Commit to growth on the topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion to consider how to expand inclusivity of projects, relationships, and activities of the team.


This job description is not intended to be fully inclusive. It is understood that the employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties if required by the supervisor. Job descriptions are reviewed periodically and may be revised as the needs of the college evolve.
Percentage Of Time 20

Application Details


Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicants should submit:
  • A cover letter that demonstrates any and all of the required and preferred qualifications that they meet
  • A resume
  • Three professional references noting name, phone number, email address, and professional relationship (one must be a current or former supervisor). References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.


For tips on how to craft a successful application, please review the FAQ document on our Careers site at: giving.colostate.edu/careers/current-opportunities/.
Questions regarding the position or anything else related to careers with UA may be directed to Kaitlyn Howell, Talent Acquisition Specialist, at [email protected] .
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Valid Driver’s License
Search Contact Kaitlyn Howell, [email protected]
EEO Statement
Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, [email protected] .
The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] .
The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] .
Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

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