Advancement Director - Craft Education

Western Governors University•Nashville, TN

1d•$109,900 - $170,400•Hybrid

About The Position

WGU is dedicated to making workforce-based education affordable and attainable for all by increasing and improving access to higher education and accelerating innovations in learning. WGU Advancement partners with national scale and regionally based foundations, corporations, associations, and high net-worth individuals to solicit and steward impactful investments in support of our strategic initiatives. Since 1997, WGU has redefined ways to access and attain a post-secondary credential of value and fundamentally changed American higher education to be more equitable, affordable, and achievable. As such, our donors reflect that same spirit of innovation and invention in their generosity. The Advancement Director – Craft Education is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts of $100,000 and above from foundations, corporations, and individual constituents in support of WGU affiliate Craft Education. Acquired by WGU in 2024, Craft Education is the technical platform behind apprenticeship and work-based learning. The Craft team is building a public data utility that scales apprenticeship and ends skilled labor vacancies in the country, so the next generation can earn, learn, and build a career without taking on debt. The qualified candidate will manage a portfolio of approximately 100-125 donor prospects and will conduct a minimum of 12-15 personal visits a month, entailing online meetings, national or regional travel. This position must work independently and collaboratively with the WGU Advancement team, the Craft Education team, and other stakeholders. The Advancement Director demonstrates progressive development experience in all aspects of fundraising, particularly major and principal gifts. The Director develops long-term relationships with various constituencies and helps ensure a pipeline of major gift donors. The Director selected will work primarily from a remote home office in Nashville, yet will be flexible enough to work weekly in a regular cadence as needed from Craft's downtown Nashville/The Gulch offices

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Six (6) years of experience in cultivating and soliciting major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations as well as fundraising and relationship management experience.
Experience in cultivating, closing, and stewarding six-figure gifts with national partners.
General knowledge of Advancement programs and processes.
General knowledge of IRS rules regarding philanthropic gifts and the Donor Bill of Rights.
Familiarity with apprenticeship programs, funding mechanisms, and ecosystem challenges and opportunities.
Ability to demonstrate mastery in written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to deliver persuasive and compelling presentations to secure major gifts and donations.
Entrepreneurial spirit and independent problem solver.

Responsibilities

Independently identify and manage a portfolio of 100-125 prospects/donors (foundations, corporations, alumni, friends) of Craft Education.
Identification and progression of major gift prospects through the gift cycle: (qualification through stewardship) as well as documenting all prospects interactions, outcomes, strategies and rationales in WGU’s donor management system.
Exceptional communication skills, including proposal development (writing, editing, etc.) and an ability to pitch (written or orally) ideas and concepts to prospective philanthropic investors.
Engages prospective donors and builds trust-based relationships.
Develops proposals based on WGU’s fundraising priorities and donor investment interests.
Works collaboratively with the WGU Advancement team, the Craft Education team, and other internal constituents to develop both broad reach and targeted engagement opportunities.
Assists in the development of annual fundraising goals and strategy.
Works collaboratively across the university so that all proposals/reports are well prepared and properly vetted so that WGU is represented in a professional and thoughtful way.
Regularly reports relevant donor activity and strategy to the WGU Advancement and Craft Education teams, and other internal stakeholders.
Collaborates internally in adherence to processes, deadlines, budgets, policies, and procedures of WGU.
Maintains a positive and constructive attitude while solving problems.
Performs other related duties as assigned.