Assistant AD Major Gifts

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Summary:

The Assistant Athletic Director for Major Gifts is responsible for securing significant philanthropic support for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics through the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-capacity donors and prospects. This position manages a portfolio of approximately 90-125 individuals capable of making major philanthropic gifts (typically $50,000+), with a focus on advancing athletics priorities including capital projects, endowments, and programmatic initiatives.

The role requires a strategic, relationship-driven approach and close collaboration with athletics leadership and university advancement. All philanthropic gifts are charitable in nature and are not contingent upon ticket purchases, seating, or other transactional benefits.

Unit: Athletics MBU

Department: Athletics Office

Department
Summary: VCU Athletics’ mission is to win conference and national championships, provide a first-class student-athlete experience, serve as a source of pride for the University and community and cultivate graduates who excel as leaders.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Position Summary

The Assistant Athletic Director for Major Gifts is responsible for securing significant philanthropic support for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics through the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-capacity donors and prospects. This position manages a portfolio of approximately 90-125 individuals capable of making major philanthropic gifts (typically $50,000+), with a focus on advancing athletics priorities including capital projects, endowments, and programmatic initiatives.

The role requires a strategic, relationship-driven approach and close collaboration with athletics leadership and university advancement. All philanthropic gifts are charitable in nature and are not contingent upon ticket purchases, seating, or other transactional benefits.

Core Responsibilities

• Manage (identify, engage, cultivate, solicit, steward) a portfolio of approximately 90-125 of the top prospects with a giving capacity of $50,000 or greater; engage in discovery work to determine interest in VCU 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;
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors in support of athletics priorities, including capital projects, endowments, and programmatic initiatives.
• Independently identify major gift prospects through athletics engagement, professional networks, and external relationships in addition to collaboration with central advancement.
• Partner with Development and Alumni Relation’s Prospect Development department to ensure strategic and data-informed moves management for the athletics constituency;
• Apply a disciplined moves management approach to advance prospects through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship stages.
• Utilize personalized fundraising targets to communicate with Athletics leadership about fundraising effectiveness and for personal accountability.
• Develop and execute individualized engagement strategies to move prospects through the major gift pipeline and achieve fundraising goals.
• Travel to in-season and postseason athletic events, as appropriate, to support donor cultivation, engagement, and stewardship activities.
• Develop comprehensive, customized proposals aligned with donor interests and athletics priorities.
• Prepare and present proposals, gift agreements, and naming opportunities in coordination with athletics and university advancement leadership.
• Collaborate on naming opportunities, endowment structures, and complex gift arrangements, including pledges, multi-year commitments, and blended gifts.
• Play an active role in campaign strategy, including prospect segmentation, goal setting, tracking, and reporting.
• Participate in joint visits and coordinated solicitations for transformational gifts.
• Support engagement and strategy for top-tier donors in partnership with senior athletics leadership.
• Assist in preparing senior leadership (e.g., Athletic Director, President) for high-level donor meetings and solicitations.
• Secure philanthropic support for priority initiatives, including the continued development of the Athletic Village.
• Participate in regular prospect strategy and portfolio review meetings with athletics and advancement…