The purpose of the Department of Law Advancement is to secure financial resources required to achieve its mission and strategic plan. The department is responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individuals and organizations whose charitable objectives are consistent with the School’s objectives in terms of its mission, teaching, research, clinical, and community service programs. Establishing and nurturing meaningful interactions with current and future alumni by providing strategies and opportunities for engagement and education is a core responsibility of the department. Through the care and creation of an environment that fosters positive and enduring relationships, Law Advancement can help produce reciprocal benefits for the School and its constituencies, advance the school, and promotes good will.

Under the supervision of the Senior Director of Advancement, the Senior Associate Director of Advancement will manage a portfolio of leadership gift, major gift, and planned giving prospects and will develop strategies to increase philanthropic support.

This position includes visits with prospective and current donors in St. Louis and travel to territories as assigned. This position will require travel.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of leadership and major gift prospects and donors in St. Louis and other assigned major markets; meet goals set jointly with the Senior Director of Advancement for meaningful contacts, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and closed gift goals. Donor development will be largely in person, supplemented by a variety of virtual technologies.  Develop and execute thoughtful, innovative, and individualized strategies for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership and major gift donors and prospects.
• Serve as a law school resource, expert, and collaborator to Advancement colleagues, with a focus on enabling their success with soliciting and stewarding gifts for the School of Law.
• Responsibility for the occasional strategic planning, execution and evaluation of local, regional, and national donor event strategies as assigned. Assist supervisor with strategic analysis, projects, communications, and planning as needed.
• In partnership with supervisor, and to benefit overall team goals, collaborate with University Advancement colleagues including Business Intelligence, Annual Giving Programs, and the Regional Advancement team, as well as key stakeholders in the School of Law and across campus.
• Establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with the internal constituents across the Law Advancement team, University Advancement and across the School of Law, with the highest degrees of professionalism. Serve as a WashULaw Ambassador internally and externally. Develop a broad comprehension of the history, mission, strategic plan, faculty, degree programs, and curriculum of the School of Law in order to benefit the School of Law by expanding knowledge and strategic relationships. Deliver the highest levels of customer service to donors and internal and external key stakeholders.
• Undertake special projects and assignments to advance the mission of Washington University.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five to seven years of major gift, planned giving, and annual fund experience with a track record of successful solicitations.
• Five years of fundraising and donor engagement experience.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse constituencies.
• Sound judgment and the ability to make independent decisions while working collaboratively through a team approach.
• Highly collaborative, team-oriented individual.
• Comfort working in an environment that emphasizes measurable fundraising goals.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, be creative, and implement initiatives and monitor for results.
• Previous experience working in a complex or matrixed organization.
• Ability to learn and then articulate the mission and aspirations of Washington University and the Law School.
• Success soliciting gifts of $25,000 or more.
• Superior organizational skills, poise, exemplary oral and written communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a highly nuanced and rigorous, professional environment.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively articulate the needs, interests, and accomplishments of the School of Law to a wide range of audiences, and nurture and create meaningful donor relationships.
• Capacity to perform in an intellectually rigorous and complex environment, exhibit personal characteristics enabling effective interaction with important, well-informed constituencies, and a genuine commitment to the advancement of law and legal education and to the principles of Washington University.
• Intellectual curiosity, exceptional judgement, discretion, and collaborative and strategic thinking skills are crucial, as is a drive to seek and implement constructive feedback in order to deliver results at the highest levels, meeting needs of key stakeholders.