Essential Job Duties

The Executive Director reports to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for University Development and serves on the leadership team for the division. This position is charged with developing and implementing strategies for securing financial support from a portfolio of donors and prospects including identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts for the university from alumni and friends. The Executive Director prepares and implements strategic plans for the major gift team and is responsible for meeting annual goals based on new prospect discovery and qualifications, in-person meetings, proposals submitted and gifts closed.

The Executive Director is charged with planning, coordinating, and representing university-wide fundraising initiatives and programs by closely partnering with colleges and units, university leadership, and development colleagues across campus.

The Executive Director serves as the direct supervisor, mentor and coach to the central major gifts staff.

*Essential duties and responsibilities of the Executive Director include, but are not limited to the following:

• Growing the major gifts program and building a pipeline of individual major gift donors ($50,000+) through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship cycles
• Developing annual fundraising and program goals for staff in collaboration with AVC; monitoring progress against goals and producing necessary reports
• Fostering and reinforcing a non-territorial, sophisticated approach to donor-centric philanthropy that encourages flexibility and responsiveness throughout University Advancement
• Actively managing a personal portfolio of current and potential major gift donors
• Initiating and conducting personal meetings with prospects and donors throughout the year and leading / participating in solicitations with university leaders and development colleagues to meet individual and achieve institutional goals
• Leading strategies to identify, qualify, prioritize, cultivate, solicit, recognize, and steward all donors and prospects assigned to the Central Major Gifts team
• Working collaboratively with and in support of volunteers, other University development and advancement staff, and other College and University leaders to identify, cultivate and solicit donors for College and University-wide priorities
• Prioritizing and implementing complex donor strategies involving multiple units and leadership
• Building and managing regional fundraising programs engaging all units and their teams to maximize donor engagement, prospect strategies and grow major giving
• Leading and managing staff in a fiscally sound manner by ensuring that the appropriate systems, staffing and procedures are in place to support fundraising goals
• Serving as a resource, role model, and coach to development staff on matters of prospect strategy and solicitation; regularly share new approaches and techniques
• Ensuring that all interested parties (team members) are well informed and engaged in efforts focused on specific prospects

Additional duties of the Executive Director include, but are not limited to the following:

• Performing other duties as required or assigned by the AVC.
• Attending a variety of events throughout the year.
• Regular travel around the region and to other areas of the country
• Occasional night and weekend work is required.

Minimum Education/Experience: 

Requires a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with 6 or more years of progressive experience in institutional advancement, a multi-year record of success in advancement team management, and proven ability to secure six and seven-figure gifts.

Departmental Required Skills

• Proven experience and demonstrated success in major individual gift fundraising, preferably in higher education, with a deep understanding of cultivating and soliciting prospects capable of six-figure gifts or more
• Broad knowledge of the principles of fundraising and the philanthropic process and gift cycle; able to (1) initiate contacts with potential donors; (2) develop appropriate cultivation strategies for them, including working with volunteers and senior university administrators; (3) move potential donors in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation and closure; (4) make solicitations when appropriate
• Understanding of the needs and interests of major donors in order to develop relationships between them and the University
• Demonstrated experience in management, leadership, team development, and ability to successfully motivate and manage a multi-functional and diverse staff
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; outstanding interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving, research, and analytical skills
• Ability to articulate the case for support so that individuals “buy in” to the vision/mission/goals and with sufficient effectiveness to secure gifts at assigned donor-giving levels
• Ability to build trust-based, respectful, collegial and effective relationships with faculty, administrators, volunteers, and colleagues as part of a team in a large, complex research university
• Creative, professional, and entrepreneurial spirit
• Self-motivated and self-starting
• Optimistic, persistent and positive

Preferred Experience, Skills, Training, and Education: 

• Master’s degree
• Comprehensive campaign experience
• Experience negotiating and closing seven-figure gifts
• An understanding of the land grant, research Tier One university environment
• Familiarity with NC State University, its culture, history and its mission