Director of Development, Upstate NY​/Great Lakes Region

Director of Development, Upstate NY/Great Lakes Region

Job Title Director of Development, Upstate NY/Great Lakes Region

Campus

Syracuse University is committed to delivering an exceptional student experience through vibrant, engaged campus communities. This position is based at the above campus location and requires regular in‑person presence to support our students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to our thriving academic environment. Syracuse University values the collaboration, mentorship, and spontaneous connections that happen when our community works together on campus.

Remote work arrangements are limited in accordance with University policy.

Pay Range $110,000 - $125,000

Pay rates at Syracuse University are based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to, the job responsibilities; the candidate’s education, training, work experience and key competencies; the university’s strategic priorities; internal peer equity; applicable federal, state, local laws, grant funding and contractual requisites; and external market analyses.

Exempt

Standard University business hours

8:30am – 5:00pm (academic year)
8:00am – 4:30pm (summer)

Hours may vary based on operational needs.

Full‑time

This role serves as a front‑line fundraiser and member of the Regional Advancement Team. Primary duties include establishing and managing effective relationships with prospects and existing donors who have the capacity to make a major gift. The Director will identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, close and steward major gift prospects located throughout Upstate New York, in Chicago, and adjacent regions. He /She will play an important role in the success of the current Campaign by continuing to build, engage, and solicit gifts from new and current donors with an emphasis on increasing annual giving and gifts of $100,000 or more.

He/ she will engage alumni, parents, and donors in the life of the University and will collaborate with school and college‑based colleagues to align donor interests with funding priorities. The Director is expected to make gift asks at all levels including soliciting prospects in their portfolio for a minimum annual gift of $2,500 as they build towards a major gift solicitation.

The Director will also facilitate the work of the Chicago Regional Council, a core group of University ambassadors whose primary purpose is to help identify and engage key donors and prospects.

The Division of Advancement & External Affairs expresses a shared mission that is collaborative, trusted, respectful, future‑focused and is aligned with the overall University. All current and new employees embrace and demonstrate dedication to promoting shared values in an inclusive work culture to propel the future of advancement operations in their everyday work.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.
• Experience in fund‑raising work in higher education or equivalent is required.
• A successful record of accomplishment in major gifts is necessary and experience within an academic setting is preferred.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle is required.

• The ideal candidate must be highly collaborative and have a demonstrated ability to work successfully with external constituents such as alumni and parents, as well as internal constituents such as administration, fundraising colleagues, faculty and deans.
• At the same time, the ability to work independently and manage competing deadlines and objectives is important.
• The position requires enthusiasm, strategic thinking, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to problem solve challenging situations. Proficiency in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, including the ability to produce presentation quality documents is required.

• Manage an assigned prospect/donor portfolio of approximately 80 alumni, parents, and friends to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and close major gifts for the University with an emphasis on…