About the Department:

The mission of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences' Office of Development is to raise private philanthropic funds in support of students, faculty, departments, programs, and centers within the College. We also explicitly support the efforts of the Advancement offices of other colleges and the university as a whole. This is accomplished by building relationships with alumni, friends, parents, and students and by soliciting donations, major gifts, planned gifts, and corporate and foundation support. Alumni relations are cultivated and maintained through outreach efforts.

About the Position:

The Associate Director for Major Gifts will plan and implement a variety of strategies to raise funds from major donors and secure significant philanthropic support for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences priorities. The Associate Director will manage a portfolio of donors and prospective donors, including individuals, Corporations, and Corporate Foundations, and be responsible for facilitating all phases of the gift cycle, including initiating contact, cultivating and moving potential donors to solicitation and closure, creating solicitations, writing proposals, and stewarding donors. The position works collaboratively with key volunteers, school leadership and faculty, Advancement staff, and other school representatives to cultivate and solicit donors for university priorities.

Responsibilities:

• Carries a portfolio of 80-125 individual and corporate donors that are being moved through the donor engagement process culminating in major gifts (as defined by George Mason's Advancement team);
• Actively engages each prospect in their portfolio to ensure prospect movement and portfolio penetration annually;
• Conducts an average of 10 visits (or meaningful interactions) per month or a total of 120 visits per year;
• Conducts a minimum number of discovery visits with prospects each year in accordance with guidelines established by Central Advancement;
• Submits 2-4 “Asks” per month for a total of 20-40 per year;
• Obtains financial support of $500,000 or more per year as the opportunity owner for the College by identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding current donors and identifying new donor prospects, including Corporations and Corporate Foundations;
• Maintains ongoing communication with prospects and donors through written correspondence and personal visits;
• Plans and assists with donor relations and fundraising events for major donors with the goal of further cultivating and stewarding these individuals and groups, some of which occur in evenings or on weekends;
• Assists the Director of Development in preparation of annual and strategic plans for fundraising initiatives and oversees implementation of these plans;
• Maintains accurate and timely records using University development data management and reporting systems;
• Follows George Mason University policies and procedures, maintains files, and provides annual projections; and 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Minimum of five (5) years of prior fundraising experience in successfully cultivating and securing major gifts of $25,000 or more;
• Demonstrated successful professional advancement and/or fundraising-related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved;
• Experience with corporate and foundation giving;
• Consistent record of building solid relationships with prospects and donors;
• Ability to manage a mixed portfolio of approximately 80-125 individual, corporate, and prospective donors involving travel and considerable face to face meetings;
• Knowledge of basic principles and techniques of planned giving, and ability to work closely with planned giving colleagues;
• Knowledge of business processes of advancement operations including prospect management, donor relations, and gift processing;
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, listening, and written communication skills;
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Demonstrated aptitude at representing an organization in a professional and highly effective manner;
• Able to work well with diverse groups of constituents and colleagues;
• High level of creativity, initiative, and motivation;
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality with respect to prospects and donors;
• Proficient in MS Office Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
• Familiarity with CRM fundraising software; and
• Ability to travel as needed; evenings and weekends may be required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated successful professional advancement and/or fundraising-related experience, preferably in higher education.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Associate Director Major Gifts at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, one of which must be a current supervisor, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.

Posting Open Date:  May 22, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  June 5, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes