University of San Diego Hiring for Senior Director, Principal Gifts at San Diego Full Time

Senior Director, Principal Gifts

Posting #:
4615

Department Description:
Giving is paramount in the University of San Diego’s ability to support the many needs of the university and its students across the campus and around the world. Development is, by definition, the process of creating and enhancing relationships with (potential) donors to ensure current and future funding. It is incredibly exciting and inspiring to be working at a university that fosters a university-wide ecosystem that strengthens the collective capacity of our students, faculty, staff, and community partners to address humanity’s most urgent challenges through meaningful, sustainable, and innovative collaborations to advance USD’s mission. Members of the university development team are uniquely positioned to be a part of changemaking every day as they work with numerous constituencies within the university community as well as our engaged alumni, parents, and friends.

University Description:
The University of San Diego, a contemporary and engaged Roman Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity’s urgent challenges.

Detailed Description:
The senior director of principal gifts is responsible for generating transformative gifts supporting the university’s highest priorities. This position will focus on donations of $1M+ from a portfolio dedicated to principal gift prospects in multiple regions. The senior director will work with the associate vice president (AVP) for Development to create and execute the strategy to expand support from donors and current/former members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) with the capacity for seven- and eight-figure gifts. As a principal gifts frontline fundraiser, the senior director will play a leadership role shaping engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies including for and in collaboration with directors of Development and executive leadership managing major gift prospects and donors.
Duties and Responsibilities:

Principal Giving/Stewardship:

• Maintain a portfolio of high capacity, principal gift prospects. Demonstrate frontline fundraising success by personally raising gifts in support of USD’s fundraising priorities, focusing on donors with a capacity of $1M+. The portfolio of the senior director will include members of the BOT, BOT Emeriti, and donors who have capacity to make seven- and eight-figure gifts for the current campaign.
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a select portfolio of high-level donors and prospects for all approved fundraising priorities for USD with added focus on pipeline development.
• Create and execute campaign messaging and lead strategy for all stages of the donor engagement life cycle for principal gift and emerging leadership prospects.
• Work in close partnership with the AVP, president, vice president (VP) for University Advancement (UA), development officers in academic units and Athletics, and other senior leadership on campus to identify principal giving prospects and implement and sustain successful strategies throughout the donor cultivation cycle including next steps, gift amount, and timeline to close gifts for top USD donor prospects.
• Achieve fundraising goals as established by the AVP and VP for specific metrics, including but not limited to dollars raised, contacts made, and proposals submitted; meet established capital campaign goals.
• Facilitate regular donor strategy meetings and guide collaboration with colleagues across campus to explore ways to enhance fundraising efforts at USD including formulating creative cultivation plans, successful solicitation appeals, and meaningful stewardship efforts to maximize the lifetime engagement and support of USD’s mission and vision.
• Oversee stewardship of current/former BOT and top donors in conjunction with the Donor Relations team and other colleagues; collaborate with development officers in academic units and Athletics who manage trustees and trustee candidates.
• Write proposals for major gift requests for capital project naming opportunities, scholarships, Centers and Institutes, Chairs and Professorships, and other priorities as determined by VP and AVP.
• Oversee the drafting of all white papers, proposals, mini-case statements for Presidential and Campaign initiatives at the 1M + level. Oversee drafting of template proposals and white papers for the major gifts team.
• Work closely with University Marketing and Communications and University Events and Partnerships to plan and coordinate fundraising communications, publications, promotional brochures, and special events.
• Build and maintain strong personal and professional relationships with the entire USD community, including alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and volunteers.
• Participate in the UA/President Fundraising Strategy meetings with the president, VP, AVP, and other senior administrators.
• Fully comply with the university’s prospect management/move management system including the filing of donor/prospect contact reports; protect confidentiality in all communications regarding proposed and consummated gifts.
• Attend conferences and professional development seminars to stay current with fundraising strategies and best practices.

Special Conditions of Employment:

Effective June 1, 2023, based on CDC guidance, the University strongly encourages all campus members to stay up to date with Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination recommendations. For more regarding information USD’s COVID-19 protocols, please visit sandiego.edu/onward.

Background check: Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.

Job Requirements:
Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of ten years’ experience in fundraising, including demonstrable management and administrative skills.
• Experience working on large-scale, comprehensive campaigns in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrable success in personally qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding seven-and-eight figure gifts or more from individuals.
• Possess a high level of comfort and effectiveness working with high-net-worth individuals and commitment to the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.
• Proven record of knowledge in the full spectrum of philanthropic fund development, including special gifts, major gifts, capital campaigns, annual giving, special events, prospect research, proposal development, and gift planning.
• Ability to recruit, organize, and manage salaried or volunteer personnel as well as direct any individuals or committees of influence and affluence in fundraising protocols and competencies.

Performance Expectations: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including public speaking; ability to communicate positively and effectively with a diverse audience.
• Strong professional interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, advancement professionals, academic administrators, senior executives, volunteers, and trustees of the university.
• Must exhibit attention to detail with excellent organizational and time management skills; remain professional under pressure.
• Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Willingness and ability to travel.
• Strong sense of integrity and ethical conduct.
• Cultural competency and sensitivity a must; ability to understand different cultural contexts and viewpoints, demonstrate respect for others, adapt to different cultural settings; and accept cultural differences.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire confidence, to motivate, and to persuade; strong managerial and leadership skills.
• Knowledge of constituencies sufficient to render credibility in assessing fitness of prospects for principal gifts.
• Ability to anticipate, recognize, and solve problems.
• Ability to establish priorities, set and meet goals, and manage a large number of tasks simultaneously.
• Handle all activities and highly confidential information with patience, discretion, good judgment, courtesy, and tact while working with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• Knowledge of trends and issues in higher education, philanthropy, and the Roman Catholic Church.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications; ability to become proficient with new technologies and CRM platforms.
• Knowledge of USD’s policies and procedures.
• Must be friendly and personable.

Posting Salary:
$11,547.42 – $15,000 per month; Excellent Benefits

The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers. Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer. USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Special Application Instructions:
Resume and Cover Letter Required

Click Apply Now to complete our online application. In addition, please upload a cover letter and resume to your application profile for the hiring managers’ review. If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at 619-260-6806, or email us at [email protected]

Additional Details:
Hours: 40 hours per week

Closing date: June 6, 2023

Note: External job postings will be up for at least five days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

The University of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the campus community.

The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.

Advertised: May 31, 2023
Applications close: June 06, 2023

To apply, visit https://jobs.sandiego.edu/cw/en-us/job/496388/senior-director-principal-gifts

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