Executive Director of Principal Gifts

UNC-Chapel Hill•Chapel Hill, NC

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station. The Executive Director of Principal Gifts partners with the Associate Vice Chancellor Campaigns & Strategy and the Vice Chancellor for Development to facilitate principal gift (gifts of $5+ million) fund-raising for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The person in this position oversees efforts to identify principal gift prospects and develops holistic engagement and solicitation strategies for execution by University and development leadership, and unit-based lead development officers and academic leadership. The Executive Director of Principal Gifts provides executive level staffing and support around principal gift prospects (PGPs) and University and school/unit fund-raising priorities. The Executive Director is a resource to development officers across Carolina for prospect identification and strategy development as well as strategic coordination around multi-interest principal prospects. The Executive Director of Principal Gifts oversees a Principal Gift services team that supports and enhances the performance of development officers across the campus who are engaging, cultivating, and soliciting prospects with the potential to give at the principal gift level. The Principal Gift team prepares or coordinates Chancellor-level briefings; develops proposals; writes Chancellor’s acknowledgements and other development-related correspondence and provides concierge-level donor recognition and stewardship for prospects and donors. The team works with Principal Gifts Research to identify new prospects and advance the University’s overall principal gift efforts. The team includes a director of development for principal gifts strategies, an associate director of principal gifts strategies, an assistant director of principal gifts strategies, a director of development for principal gifts operations, a director of principal gifts donor relations, and a program associate. In addition, the role coordinates with extended team members from prospect management, research and campaign.

Requirements

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to interact effectively in a comprehensive, research university setting.
Demonstrated record of fundraising accomplishments.
Ability to work effectively with volunteers.
Stable employment history with increasing levels of responsibility.
Drive to be successful.
High energy level.
Integrity, sincerity, and exceptional organization skills.

Nice To Haves

Approximately seven to ten years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
Minimum of two years of principal gifts experience.

Responsibilities

Develops holistic engagement and solicitation strategies for principal gift prospects.
Provides executive level staffing and support for principal gift prospects and fundraising priorities.
Serves as a resource to development officers for prospect identification and strategy development.
Facilitates strategic coordination around multi-interest principal prospects.
Oversees efforts to identify principal gift prospects.
Documents progress of solicitation.
Develops gift projections.
Analyzes and reports on fundraising progress.
Facilitates communication across the University regarding principal gift prospects.
Assists gift officers with development of their PGP portfolios.
Coaches gift officers in engaging and soliciting PGPs.
Oversees a Principal Gift services team that supports development officers.
Coordinates Chancellor-level briefings.
Develops proposals.
Writes Chancellor’s acknowledgements and other development-related correspondence.
Provides concierge-level donor recognition and stewardship for prospects and donors.
Works with Principal Gifts Research to identify new prospects.
Coordinates with extended team members from prospect management, research and campaign.