Assistant Director, Advancement - Major Gifts

University of Southern California•Los Angeles, CA

3d•$101,565 - $114,730•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director, Advancement - Major Gifts works on the USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Advancement team, which supports philanthropic, alumni, industry, and constituent engagement priorities through fundraising, donor relations, stewardship, communications, events, and advancement operations. In partnership with school leadership, academic departments, faculty, university advancement colleagues, alumni, donors, and external partners, the team advances fundraising campaigns and school-level plans while building relationships that support Viterbi’s strategic and philanthropic goals. One of two positions managing prospective major-gift donor portfolios, this role focuses on prospect qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. It develops the Major Gifts pipeline and secures philanthropic support for School priorities, with an emphasis on gifts of $100,000–$250,000. The position is hybrid and may involve local, domestic, and international travel, as well as occasional evening or weekend work. Onsite attendance is required as needed for operations, meetings, events, campaign activities, and constituent needs. Hybrid arrangements are subject to policy, approval, and operational requirements. The position requires a bachelor’s degree and five years of experience; combined experience and education may substitute for the stated minimums. The annual base salary range is $101,565.19–$114,730.16. Applicants are asked to include a cover letter and resume.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree; combined experience and education may substitute for the minimum education requirement.
Five years of minimum experience; combined experience and education may substitute for the minimum work-experience requirement.
Experience developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to self-manage, prioritize work assignments, and manage multiple deadlines.
Experience maintaining and interpreting large datasets and database systems.
Strong planning, organizational, and interpersonal skills; attention to detail; excellent written and oral communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Valid driver’s license.
Availability for occasional evening or weekend work to support donor engagement and fundraising priorities.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated fundraising experience, preferably involving gifts of $100,000–$250,000.
Experience in donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and portfolio management, preferably at a research university or other complex organization.
Strong relationship-building skills and ability to work effectively with donors, faculty, administrators, and university partners.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including proposal development and presentation.
Preferred bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field.
Five years of preferred experience.
Development experience in higher education.
Experience in management or leadership roles.
Volunteer experience in fundraising, campaign, or nonprofit environments.
Experience with email marketing, website development or coding, and Adobe Creative Suite.
Extensive customer service experience.
Fluency in one or more languages in addition to English, such as Spanish.

Responsibilities

Qualify assigned prospects based on philanthropic capacity, interests, inclination, and engagement, and build and manage a portfolio of approximately 100 prospects.
Develop and implement individualized strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective donors.
Conduct substantive donor outreach and visits to advance relationships and secure philanthropic commitments.
Develop fundraising proposals, donor briefings, and follow-up communications with the Managing Director, faculty, academic leaders, and Advancement colleagues.
Identify donor interests and align them with School priorities to develop meaningful philanthropic opportunities.
Serve as the Major Gifts team liaison to Annual and Alumni Giving, supporting lead qualification and donor transfers.
Assist with prospect research and qualification for Assistant Director- and Director-level prospects and assignments.
Coordinate and support Major Gifts regional activities, board engagement, and related initiatives.
Coordinate with university and school partners on prospect relationships, solicitations, gift planning, recognition, and stewardship.
Maintain accurate and timely prospect records, contact reports, forecasts, and next steps according to University Advancement policies and procedures.
Achieve established fundraising revenue, activity, pipeline, and proposal goals.
Adapt to changing priorities, support alignment between university-wide initiatives and Viterbi priorities, identify opportunities for innovation, and contribute to continuous improvement.