Senior Director of Development, Student Opportunity

The Senior Director of Development for Student Opportunity is the lead fundraiser for the Student Affairs unit within the office of University Advancement. The Senior Director develops and executes the fundraising strategy to increase private support for Student Affairs' mission to create an engaging learning environment where community is strengthened and individuals flourish. The Senior Director helps promote access to higher education and enhanced student opportunity by raising support for such areas as academic wellbeing, student success, health and wellness, leadership development, veteran and first-generation student programs, student organizations, civic engagement, community values, campus living and scholarships.

The Senior Director reports to the Assistant Vice President for Development for Campus Initiatives with a dotted line to the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs & Public Safety. Collaborating with colleagues within University Advancement and across campus, the Senior Director builds and executes philanthropic initiatives aligned with Student Affairs' priorities and the university's strategic plan, in particular its emphases on creating more equitable learning environments and cultivating student engagement. This position works closely with the Senior Director of Parent & Family Giving and the Senior Director of Development for Career Initiatives to build a robust pipeline of donors to increase investments in enhancing the student experience.

The Senior Director is expected to develop an appropriate-sized major gift portfolio of prospects by the end of their second year in the position and will be expected to conduct an appropriate number of $50,000+ asks based on the portfolio. In addition to annual dollars raised, performance goals include number of asks and closes, activity/move measures as well as the number of prospects identified and qualified for major gift potential.

The Senior Director will help foster a culture of belonging and trust that embraces all people and perspectives. This position is based in Williamsburg, Virginia, and is expected to work on site when not meeting with donors. Please review the full position description with all position duties under the "Featured Job Opportunities" on the University Advancement recruitment website:

https://advancement.wm.edu/come-work-with-us/open-positions/index.php

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, including, but not limited to, collaboration, staffing, and programming.
• Progressively responsible experience in academic or non-profit fundraising (typically 7+ years).
• Demonstrated success identifying, qualifying, soliciting, cultivating, and stewarding donors at the lead annual and major ($50,000+) level.
• Successful track record of exceeding goals in a metrics-driven environment.
• Experience in enlisting and interacting with senior level leadership volunteers and committees.
• Verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills, with the ability to work effectively with a diverse audience and a diverse community of internal stakeholders.
• Effective strategic planning experience, with the ability to translate ideas and concepts into clear, actionable steps.
• Collaborative and independent leadership experience.

• Advanced degree in a related field, specifically a Master's degree in business, higher education or closely related field.
• Experience working on a campaign within a higher education environment.