Associate Director or Director of Development, CBM

University of Illinois Springfield•Springfield, IL

About The Position

The Associate Director or Director of Development supports the University of Illinois Springfield College of Business and Management’s major gift fundraising program. The role plans and carries out fundraising strategies, focusing on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major-gift donors and prospects. The position manages a portfolio of approximately 40 qualified major-gift prospects, a major-gift stewardship portfolio, and a major-gift referral list, with an expectation of at least 15 face-to-face donor meetings or other significant donor contacts per month. The role works with university leadership, the College of Business and Management, and the University of Illinois Foundation (UIF). It manages and solicits prospects with potential gifts of $25,000 or more, coordinates activities to secure and steward major-gift commitments, and supports capital and comprehensive campaigns. The position prepares funding proposals and donor communications, tracks development activity in the UIF fundraising database, and contributes to stewardship, donor recognition, and fundraising initiatives. It also represents the college in community and business settings and travels within local and regional territories to build donor relationships and participate in meetings, events, and campus visits. Travel is approximately 40%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Experience in development, fundraising, donor relations, general management, or marketing.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of donor files and information.
Willingness and ability to assume responsibility for high-level projects.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to adapt writing for email, letters, notes, proposals, briefings, meetings, and presentations.
Proficiency with computers, including word processing, data/information systems, and presentation software.
Ability to multitask, prioritize work, work independently, and meet deadlines.
Ability to plan projects, analyze data and regulations, and attend to detail.
Interpersonal communication skills and a commitment to working collaboratively with team members and constituents.
Ability and willingness to travel; travel is approximately 40% within the region.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
For Associate Director level: three or more years of professional experience in development, fundraising, or donor relations.
For Director level: five or more years of combined professional experience in development, fundraising, or donor relations.
Professional experience in higher education or other nonprofit environments.
General knowledge of and ability to communicate the social benefits of public radio.

Responsibilities

Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major-gift prospects and donors in collaboration with university leadership, the College of Business and Management, and UIF.
Manage and solicit major-donor prospects with potential gifts of $25,000 or more, coordinating activities to secure and steward commitments.
Maintain a portfolio of approximately 40 qualified major-gift prospects, a stewardship portfolio, and a referral list; conduct at least 15 significant donor contacts or face-to-face meetings per month.
Prepare high-level funding proposals, donor correspondence, and other written materials.
Meet or exceed individual annual donor and corporation/foundation revenue goals.
Assist in directing UIF and UIS campus capital and comprehensive campaigns.
Plan and execute fundraising initiatives for the College of Business and Management in coordination with college leadership.
Help develop strategy and guide approved social media execution for alumni/donor spotlights, gift announcements, and fundraising efforts; the position does not create content.
Track development activity and donor interactions in the UIF fundraising database and collaborate with Prospect Development on portfolio management.
Lead, conduct, and evaluate donor recognition; develop gift impact statements; and ensure donors are appropriately thanked.
Represent the college at community and business meetings, committees, and task forces, and promote programs and policies.
Travel within local and regional territories to develop donor relationships, attend meetings, and engage with staff; participate in donor activities, special events, and campus visits.
Serve as a liaison to councils, boards, and groups as requested, and support UIS Advancement staff and campus fundraising events.
Perform other assigned duties and adapt to evolving work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures.