Associate Director for Advancement

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

4d•$101,016 - $103,008•Hybrid

About The Position

For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission—with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university, as measured by positive impact—guides everything we do in University Advancement . Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW’s impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support. The mission of the Development team is to facilitate private resources to enhance and protect the University’s reputation and support equitable community building and service. This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals. The College of Engineering has an exciting opening for an Associate Director for Advancement. This is a full-time, permanent position. The Associate Director for Advancement is responsible for developing and executing strategies to raise major gifts in support of the College of Engineering and its academics with a special focus on endowment and current use funding. The Associate Director will manage and build relationships with a portfolio of up to 125 research-rated individual prospects and will work closely with the Director of Individual Giving to cultivate, solicit and steward individual donors within this portfolio. Reporting to the Director of Individual Giving, this position will join a team that values respectful collaboration, relationship-building, shared equity leadership, autonomy with accountability, professional growth, trust and impact. The Associate Director will manage relationships with key internal stakeholders such as faculty and department chairs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and five (5) years of frontline fundraising experience, with an emphasis on long-term philanthropic relationships, stewarding and solicitating major gifts.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Nice To Haves

Ability to proactively approach work and operate with a high level of independence.
Flexibility and initiative to manage a variety of tasks and engage effectively with donors, volunteers, faculty and partners.
Creativity paired with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Executive decision‑making skills and discretion when interacting with donors and alumni.
Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace and relationship-management software such as Tandem, Raiser’s Edge, or other similar CRM databases.
Access to regular and reliable transportation and a willingness to travel when necessary.

Responsibilities

Frontline Fundraising Lead the development and execution of fundraising activities to secure gifts of $100,000+ for the College of Engineering.
Manage the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major‑gift prospects and alumni; building relationships and facilitating connections that inspire significant philanthropic support.
Build and sustain long‑term partnerships and trust by aligning donor passions and goals with the mission and priorities of the University.
Manage a portfolio focused on major‑level prospects and implement individualized strategies for each, including meeting annual goals for substantive contacts, qualifications, solicitations and dollars committed.
Generate and qualify new major‑gift and planned‑gift prospects through research, tracking tools, donor data, faculty networks and advancement colleagues.
Ensure accurate and complete record‑keeping and timely donor acknowledgments.
Strategy and Program Development Assist leadership in establishing annual goals, objectives and policies that strengthen the school or college’s advancement program.
Participate in creating annual plans that outline goals, objectives and strategic approaches.
Provide strategic leadership in designing and implementing advancement programs that sustain and increase University support.
Partner on pipeline‑building initiatives such as alumni speaker series and corporate giving campaigns.
Evaluate program effectiveness, assess progress toward goals and report outcomes regularly.
Support marketing and communications efforts by editing and proofreading materials, as needed.
Other Duties as assigned Attend meetings and participate in University Advancement and College of Engineering events and activities, as appropriate.
Engage in ongoing professional development activities.