Under the general leadership of the University at Buffalo’s Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Director\Associate Director of Advancement (“Director/Associate Director”) will be responsible for raising private gifts for the University Libraries. As regional premier academic research libraries, the UB Libraries serves as a conduit of information, prioritizing access and providing expertise, services and spaces to enrich, elevate and preserve the research, learning, teaching and creative activities of University at Buffalo faculty, students and staff as well as the diverse local, national and global communities we serve.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in supporting the current activities and future priorities of the University Libraries including its Special Collections (The Poetry Collection, Rare & Special Books Collection, Robert L. Brown History of Medicine Collection, and University Archives). Current initiatives include a comprehensive campaign for the UB James Joyce Collection, the world’s largest collection of manuscripts and other materials by and about the renowned Irish writer, for which we are in the middle of fundraising for an Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This position is an exciting and challenging opportunity for a highly motivated, energetic professional who is eager to participate in the evolution of the fundraising programs at the University at Buffalo. The Director\Associate Director will join a team of professionals who are focused on ensuring sustainable philanthropic growth commensurate with the needs of the University Libraries by engaging alumni and friends, soliciting prospects and stewarding donors in a professional and collaborative manner.  As part of the division’s career pathways program, the Director/Associate Director additionally will be given the opportunity to learn about other areas of the university and to work with a broad range of prospects in order to position them more strongly for advancement within the division and rank

Reporting to the Executive Director of Advancement, the Director\Associate Director’s primary responsibility is to identify and engage prospects and donors capable of making gifts of $100,000+ (for Director) and $50,000+ (for Associate Director), including those in early-stage cultivation and/or with whom the university has little to no relationship. As prospects with the capacity and inclination to make annual and major gifts are identified, the Director\Associate Director also may cultivate, solicit, and steward these potential donors in collaboration with the Executive Director of Advancement and other university gift officers.

Desired candidates are those that seek a challenging and results-oriented opportunity within a complex, diverse and multidisciplinary organization. Candidates with a strong track record of goal-achievement, a passion for higher education and research, and who are intellectually curious about the social and community impact of higher education and its constituent’s philanthropic passions are encouraged to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

80% of Activity

• Works closely with the Executive Director of Advancement, the Vice Provost for University Libraries, as well as other staff members, faculty, and key volunteers to pursue a coordinated and strategic program of identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of special and major gift prospects and donors for the University Libraries.
• Develops and manages a donor/prospect portfolio of individuals, including those in early-stage cultivation and/or with whom the university has little to no relationship. (The Director is responsible for a portfolio of 100-125 individuals and gift size of $100k+; Associate Director is responsible for a portfolio of 125-150 individuals and gift size of $50k+. Both are responsible for 120+ donor visits per year.)
• Documents contacts and strategies through the prospect tracking module of the EverTrue system, the in-house database for gift recording/reporting and all donor/prospect 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 advancement officer meetings, professional development activities, and other staff meetings as appropriate.
• Supports strategic operating plans for the University Libraries as directed by the Executive Director of Advancement; establishes coordinated goals and implements programs to meet goals, university advancement policies and
• Provides staff support for advisory/volunteer boards on advancement-related issues, as requested.
• Participates in university and Libraries events to cultivate relationships with donors, prospects, key volunteers, and all internal partners; as part of the career pathways program, the Director\Associate Director will also have opportunities to interact with leadership in other schools and units.
• Pursues a carefully crafted career professional development program that supports the advancement and growth within the division and rank.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: 

The Director\Associate Director of Advancement reports to the Executive Director of Advancement and works closely with the Vice Provost for University Libraries to maximize the philanthropic potential of UB’s schools and units.

Functional: 

Within the Division of University Advancement, the Director\Associate Director works closely with colleagues in the University Libraries and with other school and unit-based advancement staff and collaborates with partners in Corporate and Foundation Relations, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Alumni Engagement, Advancement Communications and Prospect Research. The Director\Associate Director will develop and maintain strong working relationships with donors, prospects, key volunteers, and all internal partners, including faculty and staff.

Key Qualities for Successful Fundraising: 

The Director\Associate 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.  The Director\Associate Director also must be able to articulate the mission and goals of a public institution of higher education.

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.
• Director: A minimum of four years of fundraising experience in personal solicitation, including major gift solicitation, and proven success in goal achievement.
• 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.
• Strong problem solving and oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to listen and interact effectively with donors or high-level volunteers.
• 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.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time (which includes local and regional travel) 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.