Director of Development, School of Medicine

The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. • West Bloomfield Township, MI

1d • $105,000 - $115,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Development is a front-line fundraiser responsible for managing a comprehensive major-gift portfolio for UConn’s School of Medicine, with a focus on securing major gifts for the School of Medicine and other important UConn Health initiatives. The role manages prospects and donors with the capacity to give $100,000 or more and seeks to secure at least $1 million annually in philanthropic support aligned with unit and campaign priorities.

The Director advances strategic fundraising priorities, builds relationships with donors and University leaders, identifies prospective donors, and works with Foundation teams to strengthen the major-gift pipeline and steward donors. The role includes documenting fundraising activity, preparing proposals, entering engagement plans in the relationship-management database, and meeting performance goals for qualifications, donor visits, solicitations, proposals, commitments, and dollars raised. Goals are set annually with the manager.

The position also supports unit-specific alumni engagement and events, contributes to the productivity of development staff, and provides visible leadership across the organization. The employee must be willing to travel extensively and able to meet the demands of the role, which may exceed a 40-hour work week. Reliable personal transportation and a valid driver's license are required, as is maintaining specified automobile and/or umbrella liability coverage.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 5 years of experience as a major-gift fundraiser and/or relevant transferable skills.
• Competence with Microsoft Office and donor-management systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills, tact, and diplomacy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate University priorities to donors and prospects and represent the University and Foundation positively.
• Ability to build productive relationships with a broad range of constituencies.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and manage multiple tasks, priorities, and details in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to build donor trust, maintain confidentiality of donor information, and represent the Foundation to prospects, donors, faculty, administrators, and others.
• Willingness to travel extensively.
• Reliable personal transportation and a valid driver's license issued by the employee’s state of residence.
• Maintain, at personal expense, at least $300,000 in total automobile and/or umbrella liability coverage; provide proof at hire and annually thereafter.

Nice To Haves

• Coverage of $500,000 in total automobile and/or umbrella liability is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors with the capacity to give $100,000 or more, particularly alumni, family, and friends of the unit.
• Secure at least $1 million annually in philanthropic support aligned with unit and campaign priorities.
• Meet or exceed annual metrics for prospect qualification, donor visits, solicitations, proposals submitted, commitments, and dollars raised.
• Collaborate with donors, volunteers, and University leaders to identify new prospects.
• Document advancement activity, write proposals, enter engagement plans in the relationship-management database, and follow Foundation policies.
• Contribute to the productivity and efficiency of the development staff in a metrics-driven environment.
• Develop and support strategic fundraising priorities within the campaign and articulate compelling cases for those priorities.
• Personally solicit gifts of $100,000 and above and advance principal-gift conversations of $5 million and above in partnership with the principal gifts team.
• Collaborate with the Prospect Management and Research team to grow the major-gift pipeline and unit fundraising success.
• Work with Advancement Services to steward donors, engage alumni, and support unit-specific events.
• Participate in organization-wide activities, including development management meetings, all-staff meetings, and staff events.
• Model and articulate the Foundation’s organizational core values.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans beginning on the first day of employment.
• Annual contribution to a health savings account for employees enrolled in an offered high-deductible health plan.
• Employer contribution to a 403(b) retirement plan.
• Hybrid schedule.
• Thirteen paid holidays.
• Five weeks of paid time off per calendar year and additional sick time.
• Professional development opportunities, including training courses, committees, and conferences.
• Tuition reimbursement after one year of employment.

What This Job Offers

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