Executive Director of Development for Student Success - University Development and Alumni Engagement

Cal Poly•San Luis Obispo, CA

22d•$130,000 - $155,000•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Associate Vice President for Colleges and Units, the Executive Director of Development for Student Success provides strategic leadership and vision for Cal Poly’s comprehensive parent philanthropy program and student affairs fundraising. This role is responsible for designing, implementing, and advancing a campus-wide parent engagement and giving strategy that supports university priorities primarily focused on student success. The Executive Director leads the development of scalable student success initiatives, engaging parents in philanthropic opportunities, fosters cross-campus collaboration, supervises and mentors fundraisers working with parents and student affairs donors, and personally manages a portfolio of high-capacity parent donors. The Executive Director of Development is expected to generate significant unrestricted and discretionary philanthropic support, strengthen a culture of parent engagement across campus, generate support for student success initiatives, and position Cal Poly for long-term growth in parent and family philanthropy and student affairs.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and assess strategic fundraising programs with measurable outcomes, including the ability to set goals, track key performance indicators, and report results to senior leadership.
Strong budget development and fiscal management skills, including the ability to develop program budgets, manage expenditures, and align resource allocation with strategic priorities.
Demonstrated ability to plan and execute high-quality donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship events at scale.
Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling donor communications, case statements, gift proposals, and stewardship reports for diverse audiences.
Proficiency with advancement CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce/Affiniti, Raiser's Edge, or comparable platforms) and standard reporting tools.
Comprehensive knowledge of all phases of fundraising, including annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, planned giving, and constituency-based programs; demonstrated understanding of moves management methodology and donor portfolio strategy.
Bachelor’s Degree and seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in development, advancement, fundraising, sales, or a related field with two years of managerial experience.
Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain one by date of hire.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership and vision for Cal Poly’s comprehensive parent philanthropy program and student affairs fundraising.
Designs, implements, and advances a campus-wide parent engagement and giving strategy that supports university priorities primarily focused on student success.
Leads the development of scalable student success initiatives.
Engages parents in philanthropic opportunities.
Fosters cross-campus collaboration.
Supervises and mentors fundraisers working with parents and student affairs donors.
Personally manages a portfolio of high-capacity parent donors.
Generates significant unrestricted and discretionary philanthropic support.
Strengthens a culture of parent engagement across campus.
Generates support for student success initiatives.
Positions Cal Poly for long-term growth in parent and family philanthropy and student affairs.