Director of Athletic Development

Creighton University • Omaha, NE

1d

About The Position

Creighton University’s move to the BIG EAST Conference has created new opportunities to engage alumni and friends in support of Creighton Athletics and the University. The Director of Athletic Development is responsible for acquiring philanthropic support for Creighton Athletics through cultivation and solicitation of major gifts in Omaha and an assigned region across the country. The position works closely with the Associate Athletic Director for Development to develop strategies that increase giving and is part of the Athletic Development Office, in partnership with Creighton Athletics.

The Director manages a portfolio of approximately 150–200 prospects and donors and conducts 250 personal visits annually. The role also supports donor cultivation and stewardship, premium seating efforts, fundraising for the University’s 16 athletic programs, coordination of the Varsity Club, and day-to-day duties for student assistants assigned to the office. National travel, including weeknights and weekends, is required for athletics donor events.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated donor relations experience required.
• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to speak in a public setting.
• Familiarity with Advance, Reeher, or a comparable fundraising database.
• Familiarity with Archtics, Advantage, Paciolan, or a comparable ticketing and donor database.
• Ability to think strategically and quickly summarize complex and detailed information.
• Ability to travel nationally for athletics donor events, including during weeknights and weekends.
• Demonstrated knowledge of NCAA and BIG EAST Conference guidelines, policies, rules, and regulations, with the ability to interpret them.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in customer relations.
• Understanding of how athletic departments operate in a university setting.
• Experience working with student-athletes, coaches, and athletic department personnel.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of annual and major gift donors and prospects from identification through cultivation, proposal development, solicitation, and stewardship, developing plans and programs to maximize gift revenue for Jaybackers, capital gifts, and endowment gifts.
• Manage approximately 150–200 prospects and donors and conduct 250 personal visits annually.
• Work with the Creighton University Office of Development to define the donor and prospect portfolio.
• Assist Athletic Development gift officers and hospitality staff in developing and executing a comprehensive cultivation and stewardship program for major and principal gift donors and prospects and high-end Jaybackers.
• Help develop the marketing and branding plan for Jaybackers and athletic development.
• Assist with premium seating efforts for cultivation and stewardship, including men’s basketball, baseball, men’s and women’s soccer, and the College World Series.
• Assist all 16 athletic programs with solicitation of major gift prospects, coordinated with the athletic department and program staff.
• Coordinate the Varsity Club, including strategic priorities, implementation, and tracking.
• Coordinate day-to-day duties for student assistants assigned to the Athletic Development office.
• Travel nationally for athletics donor events, including events during weeknights and weekends.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director