Senior Director of Development & Strategy

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position. In your cover letter, please provide examples of how your skills and experiences meet the requirements of this position. To apply for this position, please submit your cover letter and resume as one document on University of Michigan Careers at the U site.

The Institute for Social Research (ISR) is the world's largest academic social science survey and research organization. With scholars from a wide range of disciplines, ISR acts as a national laboratory for the social sciences, advancing public understanding of human behavior through rigorous, wide-ranging research.

Our mission is to:

• Conduct high-quality social science research
• Share findings widely to inform public understanding and decision-making
• Train future generations of social scientists

The Development Director provides strategic leadership for ISR's advancement efforts. In partnership with the ISR Director and as part of the executive leadership team, this individual designs and drives a comprehensive philanthropic and engagement strategy aligned with ISR's mission. This role requires regular in-person engagement to effectively support the development team, center directors, faculty partners, and our broader community. Leading a high-performing team in fundraising, the Development Director serves as a visible ambassador for ISR, building strong relationships with donors, alumni, corporate and foundation partners, and stakeholders across the University of Michigan.

• Lead the development team in setting measurable annual and multi-year fundraising goals (e.g., revenue growth, number of major gifts, number of stewardship activities) to maximize transformational giving.
• Serve as an internal and external ambassador by conducting presentations, events, or communications annually that showcase ISR's mission, priorities, and impact.
• Partner with the U‑M Office of University Development to coordinate ISR's participation in university-wide campaigns and to co‑develop joint proposals or initiatives per year.
• Improve our system for tracking and evaluating all goals, programs, and activities (e.g., quarterly dashboard reviews, donor pipeline reports) to ensure continuous improvement.

• Model ISR's values of culture and respect, ensuring all team members complete training as appropriate.
• Organize and manage day‑to‑day operations of the development team; set annual work plans and complete performance reviews with measurable deliverables for each staff member aligned to institutional objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop staff through regular coaching, performance reviews, and professional development plans, aiming for a balance of staff satisfaction and results.
• Ensure the ISR Director is strategically engaged in development activities by preparing comprehensive briefings for 100% of donor and strategic social science events and tracking outcomes.
• Personally manage a portfolio of ISR's highest‑level donors, maintaining an active portfolio of prospects with defined annual goals for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship (e.g., major solicitations per year).
• Create meaningful meetings and experiences that strengthen engagement among the ISR leadership team, faculty, and staff.
• Oversee prudent management of human, financial, and physical resources; ensure timely and accurate reporting of all fundraising results (cash, pledges, bequests, gifts‑in‑kind, and other commitments) via monthly or quarterly reports.

• Act as a visible and trusted ambassador by attending and representing ISR at a minimum number of external events or conferences each year, engaging with alumni, donors, corporations, foundations, and peer institutions.
• Establish and sustain collaborative relationships across ISR and U‑M to advance fundraising, alumni engagement, and stewardship initiatives co‑host or hold joint events or programs annually with internal partners.
• Proactively build and manage partnerships with external organizations - including corporations, foundations, and peer universities - by initiating a set number of new…