Description:
The executive director position offers an opportunity for a strategic and collaborative advancement professional to lead advancement for a school program at Washington University. This individual will work directly with the dean to set short- and long-term priorities and strategies for school’s advancement operation. The executive director will also work closely with key volunteers and faculty to increase engagement with and philanthropic support for Washington University and assigned school. The executive director will report to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Programs, and partner closely with the dean and senior leadership team.
This position requires the ability to move to on and off-campus locations and travel nationally.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
Management
- Manage a team of professional and support staff members.
- Oversee the staff’s responsibilities in principal gifts, major gifts, annual fund gifts, and planned gifts.
- Set clear performance goals and provide mentorship, guidance, and regular feedback on performance culminating in formal annual performance reviews.
School Relationship Management
- Establish and maintain strong and effective working relationships with the major internal constituents of assigned school.
- Coordinate all advancement-related activities to ensure that advancement policy and plans support academic mission.
- Develop wide comprehension of academic programs and the dean’s vision for the future.
- In coordination with the dean, faculty, and staff, work to create an advancement plan that supports the dean’s school-wide priorities.
- Provide leadership in the planning, preparation, and execution of annual fundraising goals for school including an analysis of the current prospect pool, expansion of the pool as needed, development of a compelling case for support, and creation of marketing materials.
- Work closely with the dean’s office to identify and cultivate appropriate new members for the school National Council.
Portfolio Management
- Manage a portfolio of high-priority prospects involving the dean, faculty, and volunteers as appropriate in prospect and donor contacts.
- Conduct personal face-to-face cultivation/solicitation calls each fiscal year and assure a similar level of activity among team.
- Visit and fundraising goals will be set annually.
Stewardship
- Steward major, principal, and planned gifts through reporting and personal interactions among donors, the dean, faculty, and students.
- Oversee school focused stewardship systems that assure effective recognition of donors at various levels of giving.
Internal Communication
- Coordinate closely with other University Advancement staff, including major gifts, corporations and foundations, planned giving, and parents to maximize cultivation, involvement, and solicitation of alumni, parent, individual, and organizational donors across the country.
Event Supervision
- Assist with planning, execution, and evaluation of local, regional, and national special events.
- Maintain personal responsibility for the quality of execution on important projects and for the most important and visible school events such as professorial installations, Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards, Scholarship Stewardship activity, National Council meetings, and the chancellor’s dinners.
- Perform other duties as assigned.