Assistant Director of Leadership Gifts

Apply now Back to search results Job no: 535032 Work type: Administrative & Professional Senior management: Senior Vice Pres Advancement Department: University Development Location: Blacksburg, Virginia Categories: Advancement, Business / Accounting / Finance, Communications / Public Relations / Marketing, Fundraising

A successful Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts is organized, collaborative, and impact-driven. In this role, the Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts builds constructive and effective relationships with alumni and friends that will translate to a long-term base of support for the University.

Responsibilities include:

• Assist with fundraising activities for colleges and programs, within designated time frames.
• Travel, on average, five to ten days per month to cultivate, solicit, steward, and identify prospects for colleges and programs.
• Manage and cultivate a primary portfolio between 50 – 250 prospects.
• Have typical solicitation ranges of $5,000 to $100,000.
• Close $500,000 per fiscal year.
• Establish strong working relationships with central advancement, fellow gift officers, and the college and program staff to foster a productive work environment.
• Ensure compliance with the University, state, and federal laws, policies, regulations, and the CASE Donor Bill of Rights. Treat all information and data within the scope of the position with appropriate confidentiality and security.

Regional and national travel is required for the purposes of conducting qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings with donors and prospective donors, which may include overnights and weekends. The assistant director must have the ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation. Additionally, the ability to work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when possible, is necessary.

• Bachelor's degree with related fundraising or relevant experience, or a Master's degree.
• Ability to build relationships with volunteers and donors, self-motivated, and embrace teamwork in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to articulate the importance of higher education and understand the critical role and priorities of the university and the advancement division.
• Demonstrated experience in fundraising, sales/marketing, advertising, public relations, client relations, communications, or experience in cold calling.
• Demonstrated experience in relational database manipulation.
• Experience with office software applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook or similar programs.

• Experience in higher education fundraising.
• Proven success in building productive relationships with senior administrators, key business leaders, faculty, staff, institutional boards, volunteers, and/or donors.
• A basic understanding of the concepts and principles of fundraising is beneficial.
• Previous annual giving experience.

Exempt:
Not eligible for overtime

Regular

$50,000 - $55,000

40+

January 5th, 2026

Safe Driving Record. Unable to Sponsor Work Visas. Routine Travel or Telework – (50% or more travel). The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Virginia Tech is seeking an Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts Officers for the following areas:

• College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
• College of Natural Resources and Environment

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands‑on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem‑solvers. A comprehensive land‑grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate…