Academic Excellence Associate Director, Advancement

University of Rochester

2d • $70,197 - $105,295 • Onsite

About The Position

The Academic Excellence Associate Director, Advancement serves as a key fundraising partner advancing philanthropic support for the University of Rochester’s Academic Excellence priorities, strengthening programs that support student success, teaching innovation, and academic opportunity across the institution. Working closely with the Office of the Provost and leadership across Academic Excellence programs, the Associate Director helps translate institutional priorities into compelling opportunities for donor engagement and investment that strengthen student success, scholarship, and experiential learning. Managing a portfolio of approximately 125 prospects, the Associate Director is a 70% gift officer, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors in support of initiatives that advance the University’s mission and aspiration to make the world ever better. Through strategic collaboration with advancement colleagues, faculty, and institutional leadership, the Associate Director plays an important role in expanding Rochester’s philanthropic pipeline and advancing campaign priorities. Operating within a matrixed Advancement model, the Associate Director collaborates across central and unit-based teams to align prospect strategy, coordinating moves management across shared portfolios, and maximize philanthropic outcomes for student success, teaching innovation, and academic opportunity across the institution. Travel on behalf of the University may be required for this role.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 3 years of fundraising/development experience, including experience soliciting gifts, or equivalent combination of education and experience required
• Evidence of ability to work effectively with faculty/staff and distinguished major prospects required.
• Excellent skills in written and oral communication required.
• Strong collaborative skills required.
• Sufficiently well-organized to deal effectively with donor stewardship issues and “moves” to advance donors according to a plan required.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree preferred

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic engagement and solicitation plans for a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors in support of Academic Excellence priorities, experiential learning, scholarships, and University campaign initiatives.
• Manage a portfolio of 125 major gift prospects, advancing donors through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop comprehensive donor strategies aligned with Academic Excellence priorities and institutional campaign goals.
• Execute targeted solicitations and support gift strategies in collaboration with advancement colleagues.
• Strengthen the philanthropic pipeline supporting Academic Excellence by identifying, cultivating, and advancing prospects capable of transformational support.
• Identify and qualify new prospects capable of major and leadership-level philanthropic support.
• Work with Marketing Communications & Donor Engagement to translate Academic Excellence initiatives into compelling philanthropic opportunities aligned with campaign priorities
• Build and maintain a dynamic pipeline of prospects supporting programs that enhance student success, teaching innovation, and academic opportunity.
• Serve as a key advancement partner to the Office of the Provost and Academic Excellence leadership to advance philanthropic priorities.
• Engage regularly with the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Excellence and associated leadership offices to align fundraising strategies with academic priorities.
• Liaise with leadership across the Academic Excellence portfolio to identify philanthropic opportunities and advance donor engagement strategies.
• Build collaborative relationships with offices and centers that enhance experiential learning.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies for priority programs, initiatives, and strategic projects within Academic Excellence.
• Support donor engagement through targeted initiatives, events, and stewardship opportunities.
• Partner with volunteer leaders and academic champions to broaden philanthropic networks.
• Build prospect pipelines aligned with emerging academic initiatives and institutional priorities.
• Partner with annual giving colleagues to align annual fund and major gift strategies supporting Academic Excellence initiatives.
• Maintain accurate prospect records, strategy documentation, and activity tracking.
• Prepare donor briefings and engagement materials to support leadership and advancement partners.
• Participate in advancement planning and perform other duties as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level