College Philanthropy Director Assistant

Job Title

College Philanthropy Director Assistant

Director of Philanthropy - Nursing

RE52970

14000:
Office Of Development

Lexington, KY

46

$52, per year

Staff, Full-Time

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

5 years of related experience in fundraising.

Long periods of sitting and/or standing. Travel throughout the state and U.S. for donor visits. Lifting, pushing and/or pulling objects up to 25 pounds.

Monday – Friday; 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., primarily. Some evenings and/or weekends may be required.

Managed jointly by the UK Philanthropy Office and the College of Nursing, the Director of Philanthropy is responsible for the overall leadership of philanthropy activities within the College of Nursing. With a primary focus on major gift fundraising at high giving levels, the incumbent will engage in progressively more sophisticated philanthropic giving conversations with major gift donors and prospects of greater capacity.

The selected applicant will be responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift donors and prospects with a giving capacity of $25,000 or more. This position will be a member of the Dean’s senior leadership team and provide counsel to the Dean regarding philanthropy activities. They must be an active participant in all philanthropic activities of the College of Nursing, and connect with associate deans, college administration, department heads, faculty, and staff on philanthropic initiatives in their respective units.

This position will manage the volunteer philanthropy leadership council, and may supervise and manage other philanthropy staff in the college, providing mentorship, guidance, fundraising strategy (including prospect strategies and next steps), and ensuring that they are meeting their portfolio, visit, proposal, and yield metrics.

The culture within the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement (PAE) is built on our shared core values CoMMIT—Collaboration, Communication, Mutual Respect, Mission Driven, Innovation, and Transparency. By applying for a position within UK PAE, you are indicating your commitment and expressing your agreement to our six values. It is important you share these values in order to be part of our committed team!

The ideal candidate will be a strong, collaborative leader with a proven record of success in building and sustaining relationships that foster major gift giving. This position requires an individual who understands person-to-person relationships and has the ability to convincingly articulate the vision and priorities of the College and University and match them to the interests of prospective donors. Familiarity with planned giving, charitable gift arrangements, as well as demonstrated experience in marketing, philanthropic messaging, and persuasive writing is also desirable.

This person will have experience managing and developing a fundraising team in an environment in which accountability-based metrics are used as benchmarks for performance.

Yes. The role may supervise and manage other philanthropy staff, providing mentorship, guidance, and ensuring performance metrics are met.

Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of five years of professional fundraising experience, including experience as a major gift officer, expertise in planned giving, and a demonstrated record of success. Minimum of 2 years in successful management of fundraising work plan and staff is preferred. Experience at a Land‑grant or similar higher education institution and an understanding of the Land‑grant mission is preferred.

March 1, 2026

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