Senior Director of Development

Senior Director of Development

Bowling Green State University

Salary: Depends on Qualifications

Job Type: Full-Time

Division: V P University Advancement

Opening Date: 05/20/2025

Location: Main Campus (BG), OH

Job Number: BGSU00792

Department: V P University Advancement

Closing: Continuous

Summary

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Development, the Senior Director of Development raises major philanthropic gifts aligned with BGSU priorities, leads fundraising strategy for assigned college, unit, and/or special initiatives, and manages 2-4+ development officers.

Carrying a portfolio of 100+ individuals, this position requires significant acumen in donor moves management to create and maintain relationships with donors, alumni, and friends who are likely to give major gifts ($25K+ minimum, with focus on gifts above $100K+) to BGSU in the next 12-18 months. Internal communication skills are important, since this role interfaces with deans, directors, and other academic and programmatic leaders about donor strategies and fundraising operations tied to their areas. This position requires managerial aptitude, since it leads a team of major gift fundraisers, which includes typical supervisor duties, guiding team members' fundraising work, and teaching, coaching, and motivating employees to achieve annual goals.

Within the central advancement structure at BGSU, the Senior Director ensures individual and team fundraising metrics are met, where annual metrics are based on prospect portfolio capacities, proposal values, and the University's emerging priorities and needs. The Senior Director is a leader within the development team as well as a thought partner to the Assistant Vice President for Development.

Essential Functions

Perform full range of fundraising activities.

• Maintain a portfolio of major gift ($25,000+) prospects, focusing on those at the $100,000+ level. Use donor moves management practices to continuously advance relationships with assigned entities and move them through the donor cycle, personally securing gifts of cash, securities, planned gifts, gifts-in-kind, pledges, and blended gifts.

• Serve as senior fundraising liaison for multiple colleges and/or units. With assistance from team members, provide counsel and professional expertise to deans, directors, and other academic and programmatic leaders about philanthropic fundraising. Guide them through setting short- and long-term fundraising priorities and annual objectives. Develop overarching strategies for growing charitable giving to their colleges/units.

• With a project management approach, coordinate complex donor strategies involving multiple stakeholders, internal and external. Collaborate and communicate with other development officers where needed. Strategically engage campus partners to help secure and present major gifts.

• Travel to cultivate and solicit prospective donors and attend events, mostly in the state of Ohio and occasionally out of state. This position requires occasional evening and weekend work.

• Develop and maintain a strong working knowledge of the University, its programs, and strategic priorities. Participate in campus life, such as attending key events and hosting donors and prospects on campus to advance their philanthropic support.

• Collaborate with AVP Development and colleagues in Gift Planning, Annual Giving, Prospect Management and Research, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Alumni Engagement, and Advancement Services to achieve philanthropic outcomes and facilitate positive outcomes for constituents, when needed.

• Partner with the AVP Development and University Advancement leadership to establish personal and team quantitative and qualitative goals each fiscal year.

Supervision and initiative leadership.

• Provide leadership, supervision, and management to 2-4+ development officers. (The number of team members aligns with total college or unit liaison assignments, fundraising initiatives, and/or team portfolio.) Regularly discuss clear expectations, monitor goals and metrics, provide feedback, ensure timely entry of information in the database, and offer guidance on donor strategies.

• Participate in University Advancement (UA) activities, including strategic planning sessions, prospect management meetings, campaign planning, team collaboration, and division meetings.

• Occasionally may lead strategic initiatives on behalf of University Advancement or the University or participate in organizational development activities.

Engage board members, volunteers, and other key constituent groups.

• Support alumni and donor engagement by identifying and introducing donors to various volunteer leadership boards across campus, such as the Alumni Board and Foundation Board. Work closely with college/unit leaders to understand gaps and service opportunities for board membership. Engage board members, volunteers, alumni, and friends of the University with fundraising opportunities.

Maintain accurate records and perform other duties as assigned

• Coordinate prospect strategies and share call information with other fundraisers and university leadership through personal communication and electronic reporting.

• In a timely fashion and following UA Prospect Management Guidelines, record pertinent contacts (visits, emails, phone calls), learned information, and strategies with prospects and donors in University Advancement's database, RE-NXT. Similarly, record and maintain accurate open major gift proposals in RE-NXT.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the AVP for Development and the Vice President for University Advancement.

Minimum Qualifications

The following Degree is required:

• Bachelor's degree required. Degree must be conferred at the time of application.

The following Experience is required:

• 5 years of professional experience in relationship-based fundraising or in a combination of relationship-based sales and fundraising. Demonstrable success in closing charitable gifts, sales, or contracts of $100,000 or more.

• 1 year of supervisory or managerial experience or the ability to demonstrate translatable skills.

The following Licensure, Certifications, or Registration is required:

• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license and comply with the University's vehicle use policy.

Additional Information

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Technological Skills

• Ability to use basic professional software - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.

• Ability to work with data sets or within a database

• Ability to enter timely and relevant contact notes in CRM

• Ability to enter and maintain proposals, planned contacts, and other relevant work plans in CRM

• Ability to assist and train others in the use of available technological tools as needed

Results-Orientated Mindset

• Ability to meet deadlines

• Ability to set work plans and accomplish goals

• Demonstrate self-motivation

• Ability to develop strategies along with campus colleagues and in line with university priorities

• Shows persistence, pace, planning in achievement of annual goals

• Able to assist on projects that are not within one's primary area of responsibility without losing sight of established goals

Reliability

• Consistently present

• On time for scheduled work times, events, meetings, etc.

Collaboration

• Ability to work in team environments

• Ability to adapt to change

• Ability to engage with Deans, Unit leaders, faculty and others to match donor intent to university priorities

• Ability to work with other campus units to develop priorities and strategies which are approved by division and university leadership

• Exhibit ability to develop strong professional relationship with Deans and other unit leaders to identify, set, and execute on philanthropic priorities and opportunities

• Ability to set philanthropic project strategy and see project through to completion

Communication

• Exhibit strong interpersonal skills

• Ability to engage in persuasive conversations with constituents of varying ages, career levels, etc.

• Demonstrates skill in drafting correspondence, proposals and other materials needed to cultivate and solicit donors

• Ability to understand and articulate unit and university priorities and goals

• Consistent communication regarding strategies with appropriate colleagues, campus partners, and division/university leadership

• Draft error-free gift agreements that are in line with current university policies and applicable state/federal law

• Aptitude to make clear and compelling presentations to internal and external stakeholders

Curiosity

• Willingness to ask questions and accept constructive feedback

• Self-directed to learn about campus programs, etc.

• Continued growth and learning regarding gift tools and vehicles, IRS regulations for charitable giving, etc.

• Presents solutions and participates in the creation of practices which help to move the organization forward

• Learns and develops leadership skills and finds ways to help other colleagues be successful

Constituent Focus

• Understanding of appropriate stewardship practices

• Attention to detail

• Proactive trouble-shooting/problem solving

• Timeliness in responses and follow-up

• Able to easily identify and match donor interests and assets to organizational/campus priorities and opportunities

• Able to work donors through concerns without overpromising on behalf of the university

Global Perspective

• Cognizant of and sensitive to a broad differences

• Understanding of organizational commitment to supporting a wide variety of people from broad backgrounds and experiences

• Able to recognize and understand how individual efforts fit into organizational goals

• Able to recognize opportunities in areas other than that of primary focus

• Able to recognize opportunities for blended gifts

Technical Fundraising Skills

• Shows understanding of the various gift vehicles accepted by the university

• Follows established policy and practice in the negotiation and acceptance of gifts

• Creates and presents complex gift scenarios and strategies

• Recognizes opportunities for transformational and/or principal gifts and include appropriate leadership and staff in development of such proposals

• Knowledge and practical use of best practices for the university and in the field

• Ability to train and on-board new staff

Leadership

• Develops managerial and leadership skills through training and hands-on experience

• Plans, implements, and maintains strategic course

• Coaches and mentors others

• Serves as a catalyst for increased productivity

• Influences a positive culture

• Takes initiative to manage multiple and sometimes competing projects and priorities

• Shows strong visionary skills in relation to donor strategy development and implementation

Required Documents to Upload to Application: Cover Letter and Resume

Deadline to apply: The search committee will review applications until the position is filled; however, for best consideration, applications should be provided by June 15, 2025.

BGSU does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term.

Bowling Green State University is an Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer. We are committed to ensuring an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and encourage applications from all regardless of sex, race, veteran-status, disability, age, gender identity, genetic information, religion, or sexual orientation. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Bowling Green State University, please call 419-372-8421 or email mailto: .

To apply, please visit