Director of Development (0462U), Berkeley Law #87795

Job

Location:

Main Campus-Berkeley

Full Time

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and Mac Arthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond.

Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth. We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and providing space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan, which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.

Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride.

The Law School's Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) team engages alumni philanthropically and in programming and initiatives that strengthen the school and the student experience. The mission of the Development arm is to secure financial support for core operations and special initiatives that advance the law school's mission.

Position Overview

The position involves designing, developing, delivering, and administering fundraising programs. Develops and implements strategies for cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gifts prospects with the capacity for a major gift of $25k to $1M and above; identifies new donor prospects through researching background information on potential donors and developing materials, creating marketing plans, and organizing related programs/events; cultivates, stewards, and solicits donor prospects for gifts ranging from $25K to $1M and above;

prepares and negotiates gift instruments ranging from moderate to high complexity; works with the Dean, Assistant Dean and faculty as necessary to solicit the largest gifts; manages a portfolio of principal gift prospects assigned to the Dean. Directs the research and preparation of the Dean's briefings materials, creates talking points and meeting strategies for the Dean and briefs the Dean on these strategies.

As appropriate, staffs the Dean on principal gifts visits and directs the tracking and implementation of all follow-up; manages the activities of the campaign cabinet and their meetings; collaborates with the Director of Financial Aid and the Director of Career Services to ensure proper stewardship of financial aid donors.

The First Review Date for this job is:
August 12, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

• Plans, organizes, and directs large-scale fundraising campaigns for Berkeley Law.
• Participates in short- and long-range strategic planning. This includes annual stewardship for existing donors, long-term planning for prospect cultivation, foundation research and strategy, and campaign planning related to Berkeley Law endowment funds and long-term fundraising initiatives.
• Identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards major gift prospects and donors, using established metrics (currently CADS) to track activity and report outcomes. Utilizes a return-on-investment approach in managing a donor portfolio.
• Responsible for major gifts, corporate and foundation fundraising, and direct marketing efforts that generate philanthropic support for Berkeley Law. Manages a portfolio of donors with the capacity to give between $25,000 and $1,000,000 or more.
• Writes complex proposals for individual, corporate, and foundation prospects.
• Travels to meet with donors and represent Berkeley Law. Designs, organizes, and attends functions, meetings, and conferences as a representative of Berkeley Law. May serve on internal and external committees as a campus or Berkeley Law representative.
• May participate in cross-campus, multi-unit fundraising campaigns in partnership with UDAR.
• Ensures fundraising goals are achieved and raises at least $1 million annually by:
  • Managing a portfolio of 75-100 major gift and corporate/foundation prospects with the capacity to give $25,000-$1,000,000+.
  • Making 15-20 substantive donor contacts per month that advance relationships.
  • Conducting 80-120 donor visits annually.
  • Leading the planning and evaluation of fund development and annual solicitation programs, including financial feasibility studies, market research, and recommendations for program improvements.
  • Closing at least $1 million in new gift commitments or outright gifts.

• May recruit, train, and support key volunteers who assist in advancement and fundraising efforts.