St. Thomas University Looking for Director of Development & Alumni Relations, College of Law Full Time

ABOUT ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY & THE STU BENJAMIN L. CRUMP COLLEGE OF LAW

St. Thomas University (STU) is a private, non-profit university that offers 39 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees at its 144-acre campus in sunny Miami Gardens, Florida and through distance learning. Its academic offerings include one of the oldest (and most highly ranked) undergraduate programs in Sports Administration in the country. STU has been ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report in Social Mobility for regional universities in the South, which means it takes students from the lowest financial strata and catapults them to much higher financial strata in only ten years. In the past four years, STU has set enrollment and fundraising records. St. Thomas University is the only Catholic Archdiocesan-sponsored university in Florida, and one of the only eight Archdiocesan universities nationwide.

The Director of Development & Alumni Relations will join our campus community at an exciting moment. The University recently commemorated its 60th Anniversary and will celebrate the law school’s 40th anniversary in 2024. In February 2023, the College of Law was named after Benjamin L. Crump, the nation’s pre-eminent civil rights attorney, gaining global attention for the school’s vital work. The Director of Development & Alumni Relations will work collaboratively with and report to the Vice President of Philanthropy, engaging closely with Dean Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, an alumna of the law school and a distinguished Hispanic judge, representing an elite group of STU law graduates.

Within a culture that is committed to excellence, the Director of Development will assume a crucial support role, playing an instrumental part in advancing our mission, engaging our law alumni, and supporting our law students. The incumbent’s focus will be on conceptualizing and implementing strategies to increase financial support from alumni and donors, while directing the fundraising strategy of the College of Law. Fulfilling individual and institutional fundraising goals, the Director will also contribute to special projects and cross-departmental needs within the Philanthropy division.

Moreover, the Director of Development will have a significant impact on Dean Navarro and her Senior Leadership Team’s efforts to enhance the law school’s programs, facilities, profile, and resources. Together, you will work towards better serving our diverse community of law students, preparing them to graduate as ethical leaders for our global community. This collaborative approach will create a strong foundation for the continued growth and success of the College of Law.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Development for the STU Benjamin L. Crump College of Law plays a key role in strategically engaging and connecting alumni, donors, and the community with the College of Law. The responsibilities encompass planning and implementing programs, projects, and events to foster robust alumni relations and support fundraising efforts. This involves maintaining active contacts, identifying and engaging new prospective donors and volunteers, and providing stewardship to existing supporters.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Development for STU Benjamin L. Crump College of Law strategically engages alumni, donors, and the community, overseeing diverse fundraising activities, cultivating relationships for major gifts, and maintaining strong alumni connections. This role collaborates with the Vice President of Philanthropy and the College of Law Dean, utilizes the Raiser’s Edge database, and contributes to overall institutional initiatives.

As a professional who works closely with the College of Law Dean, the Director of Development generally fulfills these duties and responsibilities:

· Strategically plan and execute programs, projects, and events to engage and connect alumni, donors, and the community with the STU Benjamin L. Crump College of Law.

· Take ownership of diverse fundraising activities, including maintaining an active network of contacts, identifying prospective donors and volunteers, providing stewardship, and coordinating volunteer fundraising efforts. This includes managing major gift cultivation and solicitation events.

· Assist in planning, coordinating, and executing College of Law fundraising and Alumni Relations events, as well as providing support for institutional special events.

· Keep abreast of current university and law school initiatives and activities to effectively represent the College of Law’s fundraising and engagement objectives.

· Accompany the Dean of the College of Law and faculty for visits with potential funders, both on campus and in assigned regions. This includes preparing briefings, developing cultivation strategies, and coordinating follow-up after meetings.

· Cultivate relationships leading to substantial gifts of $100,000 or more to support the College of Law’s growth and initiatives.

· Foster and nurture ongoing relationships with alumni and friends through personalized visits, phone calls, and meaningful interactions.

· Utilize the Raiser’s Edge database extensively to generate queries and exports for targeted annual giving outreach.

· Prepare regular statistical and analytical reports on the College of Law’s development progress using the Raiser’s Edge database.

· Collaborate in supporting division-wide or cross-departmental initiatives to strengthen the overall advancement efforts.

· Perform other duties as assigned, actively contributing to the College of Law’s philanthropic and alumni relations success.

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to inspire trust and confidence, positioning oneself as a key resource for the University’s faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
• Proven project management skills with a track record of meeting deadlines.
• Aptitude to comprehend and address complex interdependencies and competing priorities.
• Strong writing and communication skills, adept at producing executive-level materials.
• Excellent technology skills, including proficiency in Raiser’s Edge, Microsoft Office 365 products, office management programs, databases, internet, and social media sites.
• Resilient and strategic, capable of navigating constant external changes, evolving opportunities, and shifting priorities.
• Emotionally intelligent team player, fostering a constructive and calming presence in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment.
• Exceptional relationship manager, adept at building rapport and trust among a diverse and passionate community of stakeholders, including staff, students, donors, elected officials, corporate and community partners. Demonstrates intercultural competence and thoughtful communication style.
• Exercises appropriate discretion and upholds high ethical standards in all interactions.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Under the guidance of the Vice President of Philanthropy, the incumbent primarily works independently from overall policies, goals, and budgetary limits and has direct accountability for final results.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Incumbent plans and arranges own work schedule to accomplish assigned objectives using a wide range of procedures.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in development, preferably major and principal gifts fundraising, with a preference for experience in a university setting.
• Proven ability to handle complex and sensitive functions discreetly. Experience working independently and making important decisions is desirable.
• JD a plus, but not required.
• Prior experience in a law school, higher education, or non-profit organizations preferred. Experience with special events planning is a plus.
• Experience in major, planned, and principal gifts.
• Strong organizational skills with keen attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with various university and college stakeholders, including faculty, key alumni, volunteers, and executive staff.
• Demonstrated ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Exhibits sound judgment, tact, and discretion.
• Capable of excelling in a fast-paced environment with multiple tasks and competing priorities.
• Self-starter with the ability to work under pressure, manage daily operations, and meet deadlines.
• Experience in public interactions with tact, poise, patience, and courtesy. Regularly deals with sensitive information requiring the utmost integrity.
• Professional appearance, demeanor, and excellent interpersonal and organizational skills to manage multiple ongoing assignments simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Knowledge of Spanish would be beneficial.
• Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge and/or Raiser’s Edge NXT.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Physical requirements within the normal range of an office environment.
• Availability for irregular work hours, including evenings and weekends, to be accessible to the Vice President of Philanthropy and/or the College of Law Dean.
• Understanding of, and commitment to, the mission of St. Thomas University.

Tuition Benefit

After 1 year of continuous full‐time service, employees are eligible to enroll in STU’s bachelor and master’s courses, tuition‐free. The program will cover a maximum timeframe of 125% of credit hours attempted toward the degree program. Employees may enroll in STU’s doctoral program, with a 40% tuition discount, under the same conditions.

Catholic Identity

St. Thomas University is a Catholic university sponsored by the Archdiocese of Miami committed to academic and professional success guided by its Catholic identity. All employees are therefore expected to respect the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and support the University’s religious mission. All employees hereby acknowledge their familiarity and support of the religious affiliation, mission, and values of St. Thomas University.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 – $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental Insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Education:

Language:

• English (Required)
• Spanish (Preferred)

Work Location: In Person