Associate Director of Development, Athletics

The Associate Director of Development (ADoD), Athletics helps drive major gift efforts for UNH Athletics, strengthening a high-caliber fundraising program that reflects the University’s culture, mission, goals, and evolving strategic plans. The incumbent will focus primarily on managing a portfolio of major gift prospects capable of making philanthropic contributions in support of the priorities set by the Athletics Director (AD). In addition to partnering with leadership and stakeholders across UNH Athletics, they will also collaborate with many colleagues across the Development team and University Advancement.

Beyond personal outreach and interactions, they will coordinate strategic communications, events, and other initiatives as needed to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, engage and steward prospects to motivate them toward major giving in support of Athletics. The incumbent will embrace goal-oriented outcomes and be an entrepreneurial, strategic, and creative thinker who is capable of building and expanding relationships with constituents in ways that have a quantifiable impact on philanthropic achievement.

They will have a proven track record in fundraising or a closely related field of expertise, and will possess outstanding interpersonal competencies, ability to effectively manage projects/priorities, and be highly motivated, organized and detail oriented.

• Maintain a robust portfolio of major gift prospects consisting of Athletics constituents, including alumni, donors, and friends of UNH Athletics; maintain frequent contact with these individuals and organizations to build relationships and increase philanthropic support.
• Conduct up to 150 visits each year with prospects and potential prospects via video conferencing, phone, and/or in-person; meeting this activity goal will require travel across the state, region, and, on occasion, the U.S. When needed, engage the Athletics Director, coaches, and staff in these visits.
• Craft meaningful funding proposals to facilitate major gifts and multi-year commitments that align with the donors’ and the Athletics Director’s fundraising and/or strategic priorities.
• Solicit gifts of all levels for Athletics, with a focus on major gifts, from assigned prospects and other donors or potential donors to achieve annual revenue goals.
• Assist the entire Development team with achieving alumni participation goals, overall for the university and for Athletics. This will require engagement in key campaigns such as the annual (603) Challenge and year-end pushes.
• Facilitate pipeline movement across all laterals of the Development spectrum (Annual Giving, Leadership Giving, Major Giving, and Planned Giving), working closely with colleagues to successfully transition prospects.
• Qualify new prospects and disqualify prospects for leadership level giving by conducting a series of steps that deem their affinity and inclination to engage philanthropically at that level.
• Steward prospects and donors through their philanthropic journey with UNH Athletics with the goal of maximizing their donor potential.
• Utilize CRM database, reports, and other available technologies to efficiently manage, engage and expand your portfolio.

• Plan and execute major gift communications and marketing for Athletics in partnership with colleagues across the Development team, utilizing all available channels (mail, phone, email, social media, etc.).
• Plan and facilitate major gift cultivation and stewardship activities (events, programs, and other touchpoints) in partnership with Development colleagues.
• Consult with leadership and staff across UNH Athletics on above tactics, engaging them in strategies when possible and ensuring efforts align with the Athletics Director’s priorities and vision.
• Partner with the Director of Development for Athletics to determine annual goals for all individual and unit level metrics.
• Regularly monitor progress through reports and ensure data is recorded timely and accurately; work to ensure these goals are all achieved each year.
• Work collaboratively across all Development and Advancement teams to support both the division and university in its fundraising goals and strategic plans and to ensure that leadership giving strategies align with overall fundraising and engagement strategies and vice versa.
• Participate in events, programs, meetings, and initiatives that support UNH and Athletics as directed by…