Leadership Giving Associate

University of Miami•Coral Gables, FL

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Miami, Division of Development and Alumni Relations has an exciting opportunity for a full time Leadership Giving Associate to work in Coral Gables, FL. The Leadership Giving Associate reports to the Executive Director of Development for the School of Law and indirectly to the Associate Vice President for Unit Development with the task of advancing a comprehensive, donor-centered leadership giving program. This individual is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding alumni, parents, law firms, and friends giving between $1,000 and $99,999, with a strong emphasis on pipeline development for major and principal gifts. The role partners closely with faculty, program leaders, directors, and administrators to align philanthropic opportunities with the School of Law’s priorities—including direct support of the clinics, programs, centers, scholarships, and experiential learning programs—and translates those priorities into compelling donor engagement strategies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field is required.
Minimum 1 year of relevant work experience
Working knowledge of the legal profession, including law firm structures, practice areas, and trends in law alumni engagement.
Ability to build and manage a donor portfolio, including identifying prospects, developing strategies, and progressing donors through the giving pipeline.
Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, with the ability to effectively engage attorneys, alumni, and high-capacity donors.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with faculty and academic leaders to translate institutional priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft donor-centric proposals, appeals, and stewardship materials
Analytical and data-driven mindset, with experience using dashboards and CRM systems to track performance and inform strategy.
Results-oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet activity metrics, and achieve revenue goals.

Nice To Haves

minimum 4 years of relevant experience preferred.
Any relevant education, certifications and/or work experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of leadership giving prospects, developing and executing individualized strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors.
Utilize structured moves management to advance prospects through the giving pipeline toward increased levels of engagement and support.
Conduct meaningful outreach—virtual, in-person, and event-based—to engage alumni, parents, industry leaders, and key decision makers, including but not limited to attorneys, judges, and law firm partners.
Identify, qualify, and develop new leadership giving prospects with capacity to transition into major and principal gift portfolios.
Partner with development colleagues to ensure seamless movement of prospects across giving levels.
Design and implement targeted, multi-channel fundraising campaigns and initiatives to drive leadership giving participation and revenue.
Collaborate with School of Law Marketing and Communications team to develop compelling donor-facing materials, including appeals, proposals, and stewardship communications.
Contribute to the development of annual fundraising plans, revenue projections, and performance benchmarks.
Partner with faculty, clinic/program/center directors, and academic leadership to identify funding priorities and develop donor-ready philanthropic opportunities.
Translate complex academic initiatives into clear, compelling cases for support.
Monitor, evaluate, and report on fundraising performance against established revenue and activity metrics.
Utilize CRM systems, dashboards, and analytics to inform strategy and track prospect engagement.
Maintain accurate and timely records of all donor interactions and activities in IBIS.
Work closely with central advancement and school-based colleagues to ensure alignment with institutional priorities.
Provide strategic input on leadership giving initiatives and donor engagement strategies.
Stay current on best practices and emerging trends in leadership giving and legal education fundraising.
Ensure adherence to University policies, ethical standards, and fundraising best practices.
Contribute to a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.