Position Background and Description
Position Background:
The Director of Development for Harpur College of Arts & Sciences is a key senior institutional advancement position that serves as a full partner with the Dean, faculty and staff of the college as well as advancement colleagues to further the mission of the college. The Director of Development needs to be an articulate self-starter who values the role of the liberal arts in public higher education. This position is integral to help establish and foster important relationships with a vast range of constituents and to assist the college in securing private support.
Harpur College of Arts and Sciences has been the heart of the University for more than 50 years and enrolls approximately 75 percent of its undergraduate students. Harpur's legacy is built on the quality of its faculty and talented students. Faced with growing competition from major universities, Harpur has made attracting and retaining the best faculty its top funding priority. The Alumni Association has involved numerous Harpur alums in campus life through the traditional aspects of alumni programming. In addition, in order to enhance communication with Harpur graduates, a Harpur College print and e-mail newsletter and a Visiting Alumni Program were instituted in recent years. The Director will need to understand the history, culture and mission of Harpur College and its key relationship to the life of the University to be able to effectively articulate the fundraising needs and mission of the School.
Position Description:
Major Gifts Program
The Director of Development is responsible for developing and managing a comprehensive major gifts program and for coordinating the enhancement of external programs for Harpur College particularly for alumni. This position reports to the Senior Associate Vice President for Alumni and Development but will be responsible on a day-to-day basis to the Dean of Harpur College. The Director will (a) identify major gift prospects for Harpur College, (b) design strategies for the cultivation and solicitation of such prospects in coordination with the Dean of Harpur College and Senior Associate Vice President for Alumni and Development, and (c) work with the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations to enhance programs for Harpur alumni, d) provide good stewardship of gifts received by communicating regularly with such donors on the use and impact of their gifting. The development efforts of the Director will focus on e) individuals who may contribute current or planned gifts, f) foundations, g) corporations, h) alumni and friends who may participate in special purpose initiatives, i) faculty and staff, j) emeriti. The Director will also work with the Dean to develop an annual plan for communicating regularly with donors, friends, and alumni of the College.
The Director of Development will prepare annually a plan that will include goals and timetables for prospect identification, prospect cultivation, prospect solicitation and stewardship. The plan will also include strategies to increase existing donors' giving levels. The Director of Development would anticipate making five to six "strategic moves" per week. A move is defined as a visit with a prospect to cultivate, solicit, or provide stewardship information.
Prospect Identification and Management & Development
The Director of Development will work closely with the Binghamton University Foundation staff, Development Team, Prospect Management Committee and the Alumni and Parent Relations Office. The Foundation staff will assist the Director of Development in identifying major gift prospects for Harpur College and devising strategies to cultivate and solicit such prospects. The Director will need to fully engage in the process of prospect identification, research and management. The Director will conduct internal rating sessions with key staff to assess prospect/donor relationships with the campus, capacity to give and inclination to be a donor at the major gifts level.
The Director will work with each academic department and interdisciplinary program to devise a specific unit plan for fundraising efforts. The Director will maintain an updated summary of each plan and relevant past and future actions. The summary of progress on individual and departmental plans will be presented by the Director to the Dean and Senior Associate Vice President for Alumni and Development at periodic intervals.
The Director of Development will need to adhere to all Foundation and Research Foundation policies and procedures in relation to corporate and foundation contacts, the Binghamton Fund campaigns, planning of special events, prospect management, and utilization of donor and alumni databases.
Supervision, Program Management and Leadership
The Director of Development will supervise a team of professionals including a part time development officer, assistant director for Harpur College alumni programs, assistant director for Harpur College communications and a secretary/assistant. The Director of Development will be expected to manage staff, set goals and objectives, provide direction and leadership to the staff and enhance professional development.
Develop and manage a budget necessary to support the major gifts program for the School.
Prepare and coordinate a variety of visits, special events and other programs to provide opportunities for the Dean of Harpur College Arts & Sciences to interact and cultivate appropriate prospects and donors. Accompany the Dean on all necessary trips and events.
Involve appropriate faculty and staff of the school in all aspects of developing and administering the major gifts program.
Qualifications:
Seeking individuals with a minimum of 5-7 years of fundraising experience preferably in higher education, strong interpersonal, writing and oral communication skills. Need excellent organizational abilities, experience as a supervisor, a desire for challenges, ability to oversee special events and a commitment to professional fundraising ethics. Position requires individuals who have demonstrated abilities to solicit major gifts from varied groups of prospects and can work effectively in a team setting with other advancement professionals. Requires individuals who have the attributes necessary to build new programs and work cooperatively in a large and complex academic setting. Monthly travel, evening and weekend time commitments will be necessary.
Bachelors required, masters preferred. Familiarity with Millennium or related development software is a plus. Salary and benefits package are competitive.