Sr. Associate AD, Development Operations

KANSAS ATHLETICS•Lawrence, KS

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The position provides strategic leadership and oversight for Kansas Athletics Development, partnering with the Deputy Athletic Director – Development to advance all fundraising operations. Serving as the primary liaison to Sales & Service, Marketing, and Ticketing, the role drives collaboration, innovative revenue strategies, and external partnerships to maximize fundraising and ticketing outcomes. Responsibilities include oversight of all development operations, including per-seat donation pricing, donor benefits, hospitality programs, special events, and meaningful stewardship strategies to grow the donor base and enhance philanthropic support for Kansas Athletics. This role is a senior leader within Kansas Athletics Development responsible for staff leadership, budget management, and continuous improvement of revenue generation, engagement and stewardship efforts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Minimum of ten years of progressive experience within college athletics or closely related field
Minimum of five years of progressive experience in leadership and management roles
Strong knowledge of donor databases/CRM systems (e.g., Paciolan, Advance, Salesforce, or similar)
Proven track record of successful hiring, managing and leading others
Demonstrated proficiency using the Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, etc.)
Strong written and verbal communication skills with a customer service mindset
Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail
Self-starter that takes a proactive approach to work
Ability to execute effectively under multiple deadlines in a fast-paced office environment with the capacity to adapt quickly to major and minor changes in projects/events and outcomes
Ability to work well both independently and in collaboration with staff as a team member
Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends, or holidays as needed
Ability and willingness to travel as needed
Knowledge of and commitment to NCAA rules.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in intercollegiate athletics, higher education, or nonprofit fundraising
Experience with Paciolan and Salesforce
Prior experience with priority point programs and per seat donation ticketing models
Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Deputy Athletic Director – Development to provide strategic leadership and oversight of all internal operations supporting fundraising functions, including annual philanthropic fund, Williams Fund, Ad Astra Society, K Club, gift processing, data analytics, premium seating, hospitality, donor events and stewardship
Serve as primary Development liaison for other revenue-generating areas of Kansas Athletics, specifically Sales & Service, Marketing and Tickets, to ensure efficient, consistent communication and strategic collaboration both internally and externally, and to maximize fundraising and revenue generation outcomes
Collaborate with Sales & Service, Tickets, Marketing and external relations teams to set and execute per-seat donation pricing for all Kansas Athletics season ticket packages and develop and implement innovative revenue models for Kansas Athletic hosted events
Leverage industry knowledge and best practices to manage and oversee external partnerships, such as Paciolan and Tickets For Less, driving continued revenue growth for Kansas Athletics Development and Ticketing.
Travel as needed in support of athletic events to manage and support donor tickets, hospitality, and events while cultivating and strengthening donor relationships
Provide leadership and support to the Assistant Director of Annual Fund to ensure effective execution of annual giving appeals, oversight of Ad Astra Society, acknowledgments, and donor acquisition strategies that drive donor base growth and maximize annual fund giving
Provide leadership to the Director Donor Relations to ensure implementation of unique, meaningful events, hospitality, stewardship and other experiences for prospects and supporters of Kansas Athletics and to ensure proper oversight of Development Coordinators, interns and student workers
Oversee staff responsible for K Club activities to ensure development and execution of effective communication, events and outreach to engage and cultivate former letterwinners with objective of identifying and qualifying prospective donors
Provide leadership to the Gift Administrator to ensure timely and accurate processing of all gifts, effective coordination with KU Endowment Association, and budget oversight and analysis
Provide leadership to the Administrative Assistant supporting Development Team
Manage and monitor budgets for development and K Club
Continuously evaluate and measure effectiveness of engagement and stewardship plans, with ultimate objective of increasing the number of donors and the level of support for Kansas Athletics
Take initiative to provide new ideas and concepts to improve the efficiency and productivity of your area
Respond to all inquiries in a timely and effective manner, representing Kansas Athletics in a professional way
Other work-related duties as assigned by the Director of Athletics or their designee.