Senior Director of Development - Major Gifts Leader

VCU is a public research university unlike any other. We’re dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients and our passionate community isn’t afraid to tackle difficult challenges others can’t or won’t. We’re home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing. Our location in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, means the nonstop energy of our city ignites our innovation and provides unlimited opportunities.

Department Summary
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The mission of VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) is to maximize philanthropic support by engaging stakeholders with our institution working in partnership with all VCU schools, programs and campuses as one development and alumni relations community and implementing the best practices and efficient strategies to achieve a comprehensive development program.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Development for Colleges, Schools, and Units, the Senior Director of Development will serve as the Lead Development Officer (LDO) for the assigned school, working directly with the dean and Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) colleagues to achieve VCU’s fundraising goals by designing and measuring annual long‑range fundraising plans tied to the strategic needs of the school.

This is a pooled posting for two positions:

• Senior Director of Development for the School of Social Work
• Senior Director of Development for the School of Education

Interested applicants are required to submit a cover letter identifying the role or roles in which they are interested.

• Manage (identify, engage, cultivate, solicit, steward) a portfolio of approximately 60 of the school’s top prospects with a giving capacity of $50,000 or greater; engage in discovery work annually to determine interest in VCU’s priorities.
• Solicit gifts at the major gifts level (at or above $50K) through personal appointments, calls and correspondence in order to obtain and/or increase donor contributions.
• Maximize the dean’s participation in fundraising and engagement efforts through strategic planning and thorough organization.
• In partnership with the dean, academic leaders, and AVP, define and design the school’s philanthropic priorities; collaborate with marketing team in producing campaign documents and cases for support.
• Integrate the dean, faculty, students, and alumni into development activities where most appropriate and effective.
• With dean, academic leaders, AVP, and other DAR leadership and colleagues, devise short and long‑term donor‑centric strategies and develop plans for advancing each prospect’s meaningful passions to the university.
• Collaborate and coordinate with other school operations, as well as colleagues on central teams (including planned giving, CFR, principal gifts, and university development) to develop donor‑centric strategies to leverage and maximize giving and engagement; engage with colleagues for joint cultivation/solicitation/stewardship efforts when needed.
• Develop the annual school‑focused operating plan in collaboration with central partners; design and measure annual and long‑range fundraising plans tied to the strategic needs of the school.
• Prepare briefing documents for VCU and DAR leadership for school functions in which they are in attendance.
• Ensure accurate documentation of all donor activity and major gift solicitation plans in the university’s prospect management system (RADAR).
• May supervise, direct, motivate, and evaluate fundraising and development support staff assigned to the school in order to assure consistency, quality, and quantity of work performed.
• Coordinate with alumni relations and the strategic marketing and engagement team to ensure coordination of information to stakeholders and friends of the school.
• Develop, support, and evaluate campaign volunteer opportunities within the school; collaborate with central partners on recruitment and training of those volunteers.
• Audit internal operations in order to develop standardized procedures in keeping with university policies.
• Provide guidance and assist with stewardship events and correspondence.
• Coordinate…