Executive Director of Development

Mississippi State University•Starkville, MS

20h

About The Position

The Executive Director of Development provides strategic leadership and direction for all fundraising and development activities in consultation with the Vice President. The Executive Director of Development designs and executes comprehensive advancement strategies to secure major, principal, and planned gifts; manages a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects; and leads development staff in achieving ambitious fundraising goals aligned with institutional priorities. This role partners closely with senior leadership, academic administrators, and fellow executives to strengthen philanthropic engagement, expand donor pipelines, and enhance long-term revenue growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, management, engineering, architecture or a related field
10 years of progressive leadership experience in advancement, development, or higher education philanthropy
A demonstrated track record building credibility and respect through active listening, responsiveness, building strong relationships and inspiring others to action.
Excellent communication skills both oral and written with a reputation for building and maintaining relationships with people at all levels of an organization, across a diverse range of backgrounds; sophisticated writing and editing skills are highly valued.
Commitment to communicating strategies, priorities, and opportunities with all development team members; strong capacity to align teams around a shared vision.
Proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and discretion.
Exhibits strong moral character, consistency, and trustworthiness in all interactions, serving as a credible and principled advisor to senior leadership, colleagues, and stakeholders.
Skilled in engaging effectively with senior leaders, governing boards, external stakeholders, and high-level partners through clear communication, strategic insight, and poised interpersonal delivery.
Must maintain a valid driver’s license for work-related travel.

Responsibilities

Develops, implements, and continuously refines comprehensive fundraising strategies aligned with institutional priorities, campaign initiatives, and unit-level funding needs. Integrates annual, major, principal, corporate, and planned giving strategies to maximize philanthropic revenue and donor engagement.
Utilizes data, prospect intelligence, and market analysis to inform strategy development and resource allocation.
Establishes measurable short- and long-term fundraising goals in alignment with university strategic plans, capital campaigns, and institutional advancement objectives. Monitors progress toward revenue targets and adjusts strategies to respond to emerging opportunities, donor interests, and organizational priorities.
Manages a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, conducting strategic donor visits and engagement activities, developing customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans designed to secure major and principal gifts.
Prepares, presents, and/or reviews complex gift proposals, naming opportunities, and case statements in partnership with academic leadership and advancement colleagues. Ensures proposals are donor-centered, strategically aligned, and reflective of institutional priorities. Provides guidance to fundraising staff on proposal strategy, messaging, and gift structuring.
Establishes clear performance metrics, activity benchmarks, and accountability standards for development staff to ensure cultivation and solicitation activities are strategic, productive, and aligned with fundraising priorities. Conducts regular portfolio reviews, pipeline analyses, and performance meetings to monitor progress and provide coaching.
Directs prospect identification, research, qualification, and pipeline development in partnership with advancement services and prospect research teams. Ensures a robust and sustainable donor pipeline by prioritizing high-capacity prospects, monitoring movement through the cultivation cycle, and aligning prospects with institutional funding opportunities.
Recruits, hires, trains, and evaluates team members while fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture. Provides ongoing coaching, mentorship, and professional development to strengthen fundraising capability and staff retention.
Evaluates and evolves organizational structure, staffing models, and functional alignment to support continued fundraising growth. Implements scalable team frameworks, territory assignments, and portfolio distribution strategies that maximize productivity and donor engagement.
Works closely with Deans, faculty leaders, and program administrators to identify funding priorities, develop compelling cases for support, and align philanthropic strategy with academic and programmatic needs.
Collaborates with fellow executive team members to shape organizational strategy as it relates to philanthropy and external engagement. Contributes to enterprise-level planning, campaign design, and institutional funding priorities.