Director of Strategy - Advancement, School of Public Health - University Advancement

Washington University in St Louis • Clayton, MO

26d

About The Position

WashU seeks an advancement professional to join University Advancement in the position of Director of Strategy, School of Public Health. In January 2025, WashU launched the School of Public Health under Dean Galea’s leadership – the first School established at the University in 100 years. The School, one of the five pillars of the transformative With You Campaign, publicly launched in 2025, with a goal to pursue solutions to the world’s biggest challenges and make a more promising future for all. University Advancement strives to advance the institution’s mission by creating a culture of philanthropy among alumni, students, faculty, and friends. The Director of Strategy will report to the Executive Director for Advancement, School of Public Health and will serve as a subject matter expert on the School of Public Health’s priorities, progress and plans. The Director of Strategy will collaborate with leadership, staff and faculty to articulate philanthropic funding opportunities. Partnering with generalist gift officers, the Director of Strategy will translate these priorities in order to inform donor strategies for gift cultivation, solicitation and closure. The incumbent will oversee the creation of proposals and other fundraising collateral materials in support of the School. This role requires strong analytical and communication skills and a deep understanding of fundraising practices and trends in higher education, public health, and/or medical advancement. The successful candidate will have a proven track record in fundraising strategy development and implementation, as well as successful collaboration with colleagues from across departments, divisions or Schools.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• Relevant Experience (5 Years)
• Strong analytical and communication skills
• Deep understanding of fundraising practices and trends in higher education, public health, and/or medical advancement
• Proven track record in fundraising strategy development and implementation
• Successful collaboration with colleagues from across departments, divisions or Schools

Nice To Haves

• Value placed on organizational loyalty, commitment, pride, integrity, mutual respect, and collegial openness.
• Proven track record in successfully developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies.
• Ability to operate with a high level of integrity, confidentiality, and discretion.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse constituencies within a complex organization.
• Excellent understanding of fundraising principles, techniques, and best practices.
• Strong commitment to ethical fundraising practices and a comprehensive understanding of relevant laws and regulations.
• Track record of effectively leading and inspiring teams to achieve fundraising goals.
• Master's degree
• Business Development Manager, Sales Executive, Or Related Role (4 Years)
• Active Listening
• Analytical Thinking
• Confidentiality
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Data Analysis
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Decision Making
• Experience Management
• Fundraising
• Fundraising Software
• High-Integrity
• Leadership
• Motivating Teams
• Oral Communications
• Prioritization
• Priority Management
• Problem Solving
• Professional Integrity
• Project Administration
• Project Leadership
• Strategic Thinking
• Team Mentoring
• Teamwork
• Work Collaboratively
• Written Communication

Responsibilities

• Advance School of Public Health Funding Priorities
• Develop and Execute Donor Strategies
• Support the School’s Comprehensive Advancement Strategy
• Operations
• Support the development of budgets for unit activity.
• Support the creation and implement annual operational plans (events calendar, communication calendar, OKRs, etc.).
• Support the team’s work with the School of Public Health National Council through meeting follow-up, engagement planning, and membership recruitment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees