Director of Development, CoE & CAHSS

UCM • UCMO - Warrensburg, MO

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Central Missouri is expanding its philanthropic development and alumni programs. The Director of Development advances the Alumni Foundation vision of transforming the lives of UCM students and creating opportunities for them beyond what they imagined possible through fundraising for UCM's academic programs and college initiatives. A Director of Development is responsible for being a productive fundraising professional and excellent ambassador of the University of Central Missouri. The successful candidate will develop long-term relationships for UCM with alumni and other prospective donors who have the financial capacity and desire to make major and/ or planned gifts. They will solicit and secure philanthropic contributions in support of UCM, focusing on $25,000 or more gifts, specifically for the academic programs in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Education. The role requires meeting fundraising financial and productivity goals as established by the VP for Advancement/AF Executive Director. The position involves traveling at least 35% of the time to cultivate, solicit, and steward major giving prospects. While the majority of UCM's alumni reside in Missouri, some travel across the United States is required. The Director will regularly contact assigned donors and prospects through various communication methods, including face-to-face visits, video conferencing, phone calls, email, and mail, and will help provide stewardship of assigned prospects and their gifts. They will also serve as a liaison to assigned UCM programs, special project campaigns, etc., and share information about the assigned program/project with other development and alumni staff. Updating the alumni and donor computer records system with contact reports, gift solicitations/proposals, and other information is also a key responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in any field of study required.
• Minimum of five years of work experience in full-time position(s).
• Ability to solicit and close major gifts and pledges (gift amounts of five, six, and seven figures)
• Ability to effectively present a compelling case for support and persuade individuals to make charitable contributions in support of the university
• Friendly personality
• Professional presence and appearance
• Excellent conversation skills
• Enjoys travel
• Enjoys calling and meeting new people
• Trustworthy and reliable
• Excellent verbal and writing skills
• Well organized and attentive to detail
• Timely in following up with donors and prospects
• Works well with others and is a team player

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Business, Marketing, Public Relations, Not-for-Profit Management, Communications or Related Field preferred.
• At least three years of successful experience in fundraising, sales, public relations, communications, etc.
• Experience traveling regionally and nationally.

Responsibilities

• Represent the entire University of Central Missouri in visits with alumni and prospective donors of UCM.
• Develop and maintain relationships with donors and prospects; present the case for support; be donor-centered, listen well, and learn about their personal and philanthropic interests and goals; align the donor’s interests with the fundraising priorities of the university.
• Personally identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospective donors to meet or exceed annual goals established by the VP for Advancement/AF Executive Director.
• Travel at least 35% time to meet face to face with prospects.
• Follow up quickly and professionally to solicit and secure gifts and pledges.
• Meet and regularly communicate with all assigned donors and prospects each year.
• Develop, write, and implement a solicitation strategy for each assigned prospect, including planned actions, due dates, gift ask amount, fund/purpose, etc.; enter and update the solicitation strategy in the donor records system.
• Encourage donors to consider future support via planned gifts (will/trust bequest commitment, charitable remainder trust, charitable gift annuity, etc.) in addition to asking for current support via major gifts.
• Follow Prospect Management System policies and procedures.
• Write and submit contact reports of all substantive visits, phone calls, e-mails, correspondence, etc., in the donor records system.
• Maintain up-to-date record of all planned, current, and completed gift solicitations in the donor records system.
• Keep donor and prospect assignments up to date in the donor records system.
• Meet fundraising financial goals and goals for substantive visits, phone calls, gift solicitations/proposals, and other productivity metrics.
• Serve as primary Development staff liaison to an assigned collegiate unit or other UCM unit/program.
• Meet with the dean/director, department chairs, faculty, staff, etc., to identify fundraising priorities and giving/naming opportunities.
• Share fundraising priorities and opportunities with the VP/Executive Director and other Development staff.
• Coordinate and communicate well with the VP/Executive Director, development colleagues, and other University Advancement Office staff.
• Attend University Advancement staff meetings when not traveling.
• Attend donor and alumni events to meet with donors and prospects.
• Be accountable for assigned budget.
• Be responsible and frugal in spending.
• Be proficient in use of the donor records system.
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the supervisor.

Benefits

• competitive salary
• health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD & D, long-term disability
• 3 weeks paid vacation per year
• 3 weeks of accrued sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• retirement
• generous education assistance for an employee, spouse and dependent children taking classes at UCM

What This Job Offers

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