Director of Advancement, ULI Foundation

URBAN LAND INSTITUTE • Washington, DC

7d • $127,500 - $140,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is the world’s leading nonprofit focused on shaping the future of the built environment. With more than 48,000 members globally, ULI advances responsible land use through research, convenings, and catalytic programs that drive more resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities.

The ULI Foundation fuels this work through philanthropic investment — and we are entering a defining moment of growth and transformation.

The Opportunity

The Director of Advancement is the senior frontline fundraising leader responsible for driving revenue performance and strengthening ULI’s culture of philanthropy.

Reporting to the President of the ULI Foundation, this role blends strategy and execution:

You will lead and develop a focused, high-performing advancement team overseeing the Major Gifts and Annual Fund programs..
You will personally manage and grow a regional high-value donor portfolio.
You will serve as a key advisor to the President on advancement strategy.
You will drive accountability, performance metrics, and pipeline discipline.

This is an ideal role for a proven fundraiser who still wants to close meaningful gifts while mentoring and elevating others.

Requirements

• 6–8 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising or advancement.
• Demonstrated success soliciting and closing gifts of $1,000–$250,000+.
• At least 2–3 years of supervisory experience leading fundraising staff or programs.
• Strong executive presence with excellent communication, project management and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working within complex organizations and with volunteer leaders.
• Proficiency with donor database/CRM systems and pipeline management.

Nice To Haves

• Background in nonprofit, membership association, or real estate-related sector
• Experience developing and leading fundraising campaigns across multiple platforms
• Knowledge of foundation and corporate philanthropic processes
• Prior involvement with volunteer fundraising networks

Responsibilities

• Supervise and mentor Major Gift and Annual Fund Leads.
• Establish performance benchmarks and portfolio discipline.
• Drive collaboration across Advancement, Programs, and District Councils.
• Evaluate revenue trends and adjust strategy to meet goals.
• Manage a portfolio of donors contributing $1,000–$250,000+.
• Develop and execute tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Expand pipeline through new prospect identification and reactivation.
• Build strong relationships across departments and with ULI leaders and volunteers to advance peer-to-peer fundraising and deepen philanthropic engagement.
• Model best-in-class frontline fundraising behaviors.
• Cultivate and solicit foundation and corporate gifts up to $50,000.
• Coordinate larger institutional opportunities with the CFR Officer.
• Ensure strong proposal development and impact reporting alignment.
• Maintain strong CRM discipline and pipeline tracking.
• Strengthen donor stewardship and engagement processes.
• Represent Advancement internally and externally.

Benefits

• ULI offers a competitive salary range of $127,500 – $140,000 along with an exceptional benefits package and the flexibility of a hybrid work environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed