The University System of New Hampshire
Director of Development, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
The University System of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, us, 03824
Director of Development
The Director of Development (DoD), College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) leads major gift fundraising efforts on behalf of COLSA. The incumbent will manage a portfolio of prospects capable of making contributions (focused on the $100,000+ level) from various constituencies (alumni, parents/families, friends, faculty, staff, etc.) to support the priorities of COLSA. The DoD will strengthen the COLSA major gift results and lead the planning and decision making that connects Development with the evolving vision and priorities for COLSA. To be successful in this role, the DoD must work closely with dynamic academic leadership and other key stakeholders in COLSA (primarily the Dean), while also collaborating with colleagues and leadership across Development and University Advancement. The DoD will instill a heightened level of engagement with donors, prospects, and board members, setting the tone for the highest levels of fundraising achievement and program caliber that reflects the University's culture, mission, and evolving strategic plans. Duties/Responsibilities
Front-Line Fundraising (80%) Manage a robust portfolio of major, principal, and planned gift prospects, maintaining frequent contact with these individuals and organizations to build relationships that will increase philanthropic support. Conduct upwards of 120 personal visits with prospects and donors each fiscal year and facilitate 10-20 major gift solicitations annually, including six-seven-and-eight figure gifts. Meeting this activity goal will require travel across the state, region, and, on occasion, the U.S. These visits should be planned strategically and leverage the Dean of COLSA and other leadership when appropriate. Craft systematic and effective solicitation strategies and funding proposals for major, principal, and planned gift prospects. This will require collaboration with key partners across University Advancement and other Development team members. Qualify and disqualify prospects for major gift potential by conducting a series of steps that deem their affinity and inclination to engage philanthropically at that level. And facilitate pipeline movement across the Development spectrum when prospects should be transitioned to or from a major gift portfolio. Steward prospects and donors through their philanthropic journey with COLSA/UNH, with the goal of maximizing their donor potential. Assist the entire Development team with achieving alumni participation goals, overall for the university and for COLSA specifically. This will require engagement in key campaigns such as the annual (603) Challenge and year-end pushes. Utilize CRM database, reports, and other available technologies to efficiently manage, engage and expand prospect portfolio. Planning & Coordination (20%) Work closely with the Managing Director of Development to strategize on key prospects/projects and to develop/implement a comprehensive multi-year plan for COLSA major gifts to significantly increase results each fiscal year and throughout the campaign. Plan strategic fundraising and engagement opportunities for COLSA that align with the Dean's vision/priorities and with UNH's overall case for support and strategic plans. Involve the Dean of COLSA in key solicitations and leverage other faculty and staff expertise to execute successful fundraising activities. Oversee preparation of reports, proposals, brochures, and other materials for various internal and external stakeholders. Recruit and manage volunteers around various fundraising efforts and provide guidance as needed; this will include advisory boards and fundraising committees. Participate in the annual planning and goal setting process, in addition to campaign planning and goal setting for COLSA. Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:
Bachelor's degree. Minimum of 5 years of fundraising experience or equivalent (sales, business development, account/relationship management, marketing and/or public relations) Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Demonstrated understanding of the relevance of philanthropy and thorough knowledge of Development principles and a record of accomplishment in managing a major gift program. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, about fundraising support. Exceptionally strong interpersonal skills and experience interacting with internal and external constituents who are diverse in characteristics such as age, education level, race, gender identity and expression, ability, and socioeconomic backgrounds in a culturally competent and supportive manner. Strong organizational skills and ability to juggle and prioritize many projects/tasks. Strong analytical skills and experience working in a metrics-driven environment. Proven success in managing a major gift portfolio through a disciplined moves movement strategy, and soliciting/closing principal and major gifts, blended gifts, and planned gifts. Familiarity with estate planning instruments, products, principles, and marketing programs, and success integrating gift and estate planning into a comprehensive major gifts program. Orientation as a team player and demonstrated strength at partnering with peers, management, and leadership and collaborating across diverse university units and departments, while also having the discipline to work independently. Experience collaborating with academic and administrative leadership to define funding projects and initiatives, drafting strong cases for support, developing engagement experiences, etc. And demonstrated prowess translating the vision and direction of institutional leadership into actionable plans, goals, and strategies for the major gifts program. Experience with board member and/or volunteer management. Reputation for collegiality and collaboration, and a high level of professional maturity, judgment, and decisiveness to motivate fellow staff and to inspire confidence among donors/prospects. Respect and support for reporting structures and lines of communication. Demonstrated understating of the responsibility to maintain sensitive information and appreciation of ethics and compliance. Openness to travel on behalf of UNH for donor/prospect visits or as the university's representative. Commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and advancement. Proficiency in fundraising database technologies and Microsoft Office. Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree. Knowledge of the fundraising profession, theories, and standards. Knowledge of philanthropy policies, practices, and systems. Familiarity with a university setting and fundraising campaigns. Experience with portfolio and/or volunteer management. Experience making major gift level solicitations. Applicant instructions: Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the Resume/Cover Letter section of your application: Resume/CV Cover Letter Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed. About the UNH Foundation (UNHF) and UNH Development: Established in 1989, the UNHF exists to build private philanthropic support for the university with the goal of strengthening programs and supporting students, faculty and staff. The UNH Development team is the fundraising arm of the UNHF, working to advance the mission of the university by inspiring giving among alumni, parents/families, friends, employees, corporations, and foundations. Our donor-centered approach connects stakeholders' passions and philanthropic goals to funding opportunities at UNH, resulting in meaningful and lasting impacts across the university. The Development team is structured to ensure every level of the donor pyramid is poised for growth and success in the short and long-term, with staff focused on annual giving, leadership giving, major giving, principal and planned giving, and foundation relations. Further, most team members are assigned to fundraise for a specific area of the university, supported by Development leadership and operations staff who work across the various teams. Our team is ambitious about the potential of our fundraising outcomes, embraces diverse perspectives, commits to professional growth, operates with integrity and collaborates in every way possible. Please join us! Hybrid Workplace Expectation: University Advancement has implemented a hybrid work model, and this is a hybrid position. The expectation is that employees reside within reasonable distance to the Durham, NH campus (under three hours) so they are available to come to campus as often as business needs dictate, which vary depending on the position and assigned areas. The hiring manager will determine and communicate exact expectations of in-person versus remote working time for each specific position. The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire's lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 1
The Director of Development (DoD), College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) leads major gift fundraising efforts on behalf of COLSA. The incumbent will manage a portfolio of prospects capable of making contributions (focused on the $100,000+ level) from various constituencies (alumni, parents/families, friends, faculty, staff, etc.) to support the priorities of COLSA. The DoD will strengthen the COLSA major gift results and lead the planning and decision making that connects Development with the evolving vision and priorities for COLSA. To be successful in this role, the DoD must work closely with dynamic academic leadership and other key stakeholders in COLSA (primarily the Dean), while also collaborating with colleagues and leadership across Development and University Advancement. The DoD will instill a heightened level of engagement with donors, prospects, and board members, setting the tone for the highest levels of fundraising achievement and program caliber that reflects the University's culture, mission, and evolving strategic plans. Duties/Responsibilities
Front-Line Fundraising (80%) Manage a robust portfolio of major, principal, and planned gift prospects, maintaining frequent contact with these individuals and organizations to build relationships that will increase philanthropic support. Conduct upwards of 120 personal visits with prospects and donors each fiscal year and facilitate 10-20 major gift solicitations annually, including six-seven-and-eight figure gifts. Meeting this activity goal will require travel across the state, region, and, on occasion, the U.S. These visits should be planned strategically and leverage the Dean of COLSA and other leadership when appropriate. Craft systematic and effective solicitation strategies and funding proposals for major, principal, and planned gift prospects. This will require collaboration with key partners across University Advancement and other Development team members. Qualify and disqualify prospects for major gift potential by conducting a series of steps that deem their affinity and inclination to engage philanthropically at that level. And facilitate pipeline movement across the Development spectrum when prospects should be transitioned to or from a major gift portfolio. Steward prospects and donors through their philanthropic journey with COLSA/UNH, with the goal of maximizing their donor potential. Assist the entire Development team with achieving alumni participation goals, overall for the university and for COLSA specifically. This will require engagement in key campaigns such as the annual (603) Challenge and year-end pushes. Utilize CRM database, reports, and other available technologies to efficiently manage, engage and expand prospect portfolio. Planning & Coordination (20%) Work closely with the Managing Director of Development to strategize on key prospects/projects and to develop/implement a comprehensive multi-year plan for COLSA major gifts to significantly increase results each fiscal year and throughout the campaign. Plan strategic fundraising and engagement opportunities for COLSA that align with the Dean's vision/priorities and with UNH's overall case for support and strategic plans. Involve the Dean of COLSA in key solicitations and leverage other faculty and staff expertise to execute successful fundraising activities. Oversee preparation of reports, proposals, brochures, and other materials for various internal and external stakeholders. Recruit and manage volunteers around various fundraising efforts and provide guidance as needed; this will include advisory boards and fundraising committees. Participate in the annual planning and goal setting process, in addition to campaign planning and goal setting for COLSA. Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:
Bachelor's degree. Minimum of 5 years of fundraising experience or equivalent (sales, business development, account/relationship management, marketing and/or public relations) Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Demonstrated understanding of the relevance of philanthropy and thorough knowledge of Development principles and a record of accomplishment in managing a major gift program. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, about fundraising support. Exceptionally strong interpersonal skills and experience interacting with internal and external constituents who are diverse in characteristics such as age, education level, race, gender identity and expression, ability, and socioeconomic backgrounds in a culturally competent and supportive manner. Strong organizational skills and ability to juggle and prioritize many projects/tasks. Strong analytical skills and experience working in a metrics-driven environment. Proven success in managing a major gift portfolio through a disciplined moves movement strategy, and soliciting/closing principal and major gifts, blended gifts, and planned gifts. Familiarity with estate planning instruments, products, principles, and marketing programs, and success integrating gift and estate planning into a comprehensive major gifts program. Orientation as a team player and demonstrated strength at partnering with peers, management, and leadership and collaborating across diverse university units and departments, while also having the discipline to work independently. Experience collaborating with academic and administrative leadership to define funding projects and initiatives, drafting strong cases for support, developing engagement experiences, etc. And demonstrated prowess translating the vision and direction of institutional leadership into actionable plans, goals, and strategies for the major gifts program. Experience with board member and/or volunteer management. Reputation for collegiality and collaboration, and a high level of professional maturity, judgment, and decisiveness to motivate fellow staff and to inspire confidence among donors/prospects. Respect and support for reporting structures and lines of communication. Demonstrated understating of the responsibility to maintain sensitive information and appreciation of ethics and compliance. Openness to travel on behalf of UNH for donor/prospect visits or as the university's representative. Commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and advancement. Proficiency in fundraising database technologies and Microsoft Office. Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree. Knowledge of the fundraising profession, theories, and standards. Knowledge of philanthropy policies, practices, and systems. Familiarity with a university setting and fundraising campaigns. Experience with portfolio and/or volunteer management. Experience making major gift level solicitations. Applicant instructions: Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the Resume/Cover Letter section of your application: Resume/CV Cover Letter Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed. About the UNH Foundation (UNHF) and UNH Development: Established in 1989, the UNHF exists to build private philanthropic support for the university with the goal of strengthening programs and supporting students, faculty and staff. The UNH Development team is the fundraising arm of the UNHF, working to advance the mission of the university by inspiring giving among alumni, parents/families, friends, employees, corporations, and foundations. Our donor-centered approach connects stakeholders' passions and philanthropic goals to funding opportunities at UNH, resulting in meaningful and lasting impacts across the university. The Development team is structured to ensure every level of the donor pyramid is poised for growth and success in the short and long-term, with staff focused on annual giving, leadership giving, major giving, principal and planned giving, and foundation relations. Further, most team members are assigned to fundraise for a specific area of the university, supported by Development leadership and operations staff who work across the various teams. Our team is ambitious about the potential of our fundraising outcomes, embraces diverse perspectives, commits to professional growth, operates with integrity and collaborates in every way possible. Please join us! Hybrid Workplace Expectation: University Advancement has implemented a hybrid work model, and this is a hybrid position. The expectation is that employees reside within reasonable distance to the Durham, NH campus (under three hours) so they are available to come to campus as often as business needs dictate, which vary depending on the position and assigned areas. The hiring manager will determine and communicate exact expectations of in-person versus remote working time for each specific position. The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire's lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 1