Under the general leadership of the University at Buffalo’s Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Associate Director/Director of Advancement (“AD/Director”) will be responsible for raising private gifts for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) as part of the university’s overall fundraising program.

This position is an exciting and challenging opportunity for a highly motivated, energetic fundraising professional who is eager to participate in the evolution of the fundraising programs at the University at Buffalo. The AD/Director will join a team of professionals who are focused on ensuring sustainable philanthropic growth commensurate with the needs of SEAS by engaging alumni and friends, soliciting prospects and stewarding donors in a professional and collaborative manner.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Advancement (“Senior Director”) for SEAS, the AD/Director’s primary responsibility is to identify and engage major gift prospects and donors capable of making gifts of $750,000+, including individuals in early-stage cultivation and/or with whom the university has little to no relationship.

As prospects with the capacity and inclination to make principal gifts are identified, the AD/Director also may cultivate, solicit and steward these potential donors in collaboration with the Senior Director and other university gift officers.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

80% of activity

• Works closely with the Senior Executive Director and Senior Director of Advancement and colleagues in the Division of University Advancement, as well as the dean, faculty, and key volunteers to pursue a coordinated and strategic program of cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major gift prospects and donors for SEAS.
• Develops and manages a donor/prospect portfolio of approximately 125 individuals capable of making gifts of $750,000+, including individuals in early-stage cultivation and/or with whom the university has little to no relationship.
• Documents contacts and strategies through the prospect tracking module of the Advance Web system, the in-house database for gift recording/reporting and all donor/prospect information. Adheres to the policies and procedures for accepting, recording and acknowledging gifts

20% of Activity

• Participates as a full member of the University Advancement team, attending full staff meetings, gift officer meetings, professional development activities, and other staff meetings as appropriate.
• Supports strategic operating plans for SEAS as directed by the Senior Executive Director; establishes coordinated goals and implements programs to meet goals, and development policies and priorities.
• Provides staff support for Dean’s Advisory Council and additional school departmental councils on development-related issues, as requested.
• Recruits and manages volunteers when appropriate.
• Participates in SEAS and university events to cultivate relationships with donors, prospects, key volunteers, and all internal partners.
• Pursues professional growth activities with the approval and support of the Senior Director.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: 

The AD/Director of Advancement reports to the Senior Director of Advancement for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and works collaboratively with other professionals and staff to maximize the philanthropic potential of UB’s schools and programs.

Functional: 

Within the Division of University Advancement, the AD/Director of Advancement works closely with colleagues in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and with other school and unit-based gift officers and collaborates with partners in Corporate and Foundation Relations, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Alumni Engagement, Advancement Communications and Prospect Research.

Key Qualities for Successful Fundraising: 

The AD/Director of Advancement must be results-oriented and self-driven. Other necessary qualities include integrity, leadership, intellectual curiosity and a fundamental commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity. We are looking for candidates who may have transferrable skills, who value the success of the team over personal gratification, are flexible, tenacious, passionate about higher education and its effect on communities, bring high-energy, optimism and an unquestioned professionalism to a digitally minded and data centric approach to achieving success.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree
• Associate Director: A minimum of two years in a fund-development or revenue-generating role, with demonstrated success in goal achievement, planning, and personal solicitation. Related experience in professional sales/marketing, financial planning/advising and other fields will be considered. Experience in Advancement that falls outside of fundraising will also be considered.
• Director: A minimum of four years of fundraising experience in personal solicitation, including major gift solicitation, and proven success in goal achievement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; strong interpersonal skills; intellectual curiosity; the ability to deal with complex concepts and ambiguity as well as to negotiate conversations/details.
• Technical/digital competence.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration as well as the ability to work well both independently and collectively with a diverse team and donor/prospect constituency.
• Excellent judgement, listening skills, and diplomacy.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time and to work evenings and on occasional weekends

The University at Buffalo is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities. The University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic University community committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment.