| About the University |
Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties. |
| About the Position |
The Senior Director of Development manages a team of fundraisers at the Director and Associate Director Level, and Development Assistant with a goal of raising money for all colleges and programs across the university. They are responsible for mentoring their team members and ensuring the team achieves its annual fundraising goal. As members of the leadership team at University Advancement, they are the main liaison between Deans and Academic Partners and report to the Associate Vice President for University Advancement. The Senior Director is a strategic partner to all academic and development professionals in securing philanthropic gifts, they represent University Advancement as leaders and partner with colleagues in University Advancement such as those in Prospect Research, Advancement Services, Planned Giving and Alumni Engagement.
As a senior development officer, this position is charged with creating and implementing a comprehensive development program for their team, to engage and solicit alumni, parents, friends, community members, business, and civic leaders to achieve the fundraising goals for Western. The Senior Director of Development is personally responsible for soliciting and closing major gifts of $25,000 or more, with a specific focus on principal gift prospects starting at the $250,000 level. Furthering Western’s mission requires strategy, creativity, and innovation, which are cultivated by an inclusive, diverse environment that respects and appreciates differences. Western is seeking professionals for these positions who will also contribute to our mission of enhancing, increasing, and supporting a diverse and inclusive environment.
This is a full-time position reporting to the Associate Vice President of University Advancement. Annual success metrics are determined from both the activities associated with fundraising and the actual fundraising results of the team. The Senior Director of Development is responsible for the discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of Western donors. In this ever-changing profession, multiple channels are utilized to connect with and cultivate donors, including face-to-face, phone and video, with a key success metric focused on substantial contacts. This position requires travel in and out of state with a heavy focus on the Puget Sound area.
Position Duties and Responsibilities
40% Leadership, Philanthropic Strategy, and Planning
- Responsible for the design and implementation of a comprehensive development plan to increase philanthropic support for funding priorities established by the University and Academic Partners.
- Member of the leadership team at University Advancement
- Manages team of fundraisers at the Director and Associate Director Level, and Development Assistant
- Responsible for coaching, mentoring, and developing team members
- Responsible for annual planning and ensuring the team achieves its annual fundraising goals and metrics
- Serves as primary liaison between Deans and academic partners; works with the Deans, department chairs and Institute directors to shape fundraising priorities and campaigns
- Serves as a coach and strategic partner to all academic partners and development professionals in securing philanthropic gifts and enhancing donor relationships
- Ensures work is consistent with UA policies and procedures.
40% Fundraising
- Focus on strategically identifying, engaging, qualifying, cultivating and soliciting prospects for gifts with a focus on principal gift prospects at the $250,000 level.
- Travel regionally and nationally to connect personally with constituents.
- Complete at least 60-90 substantial contacts and 15-20 major gift solicitations per year.
- Prepare written proposals, background reports, meeting briefs, impact reports and other development materials for use during donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
- One Team, Our Team. Work collaboratively with members of the Annual Giving, Corporations and Foundation Relations, Donor Relations, Alumni Engagement, Communications, and Special Events teams in order to further the fundraising goals for the University.
- Develop effective fundraising strategies in coordination and collaboration with the Associate Vice President of Development and members of the University Advancement team.
- Works directly with Prospect Research Department to manage portfolios for the members of their team and helps to identify new donors as well as establish strategies for donors who should be moved along the donor engagement process
- Works with the Donor Relations Team to ensure donors are appropriately recognized and stewarded. Follow up with donors and prospects in a timely manner. Steward donors by consistently and thoughtfully reporting on impact in creative and meaningful ways.
- Cultivate relationships with diverse communities and individuals that have not otherwise been approached.
20% Prospect Management
- In collaboration with the Director of Prospect Research, build, develop, and manage a portfolio of 50-100 major and principal gift prospects for themselves and their team.
- Utilizing the Advancement CRM, record and track all donor activity and analyze donor information for increased donor participation; review team performance metrics and provide coaching and timely feedback on prospect management.
- Prioritize reporting activities and recording asks in the database and ensure the same for their direct reports
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| Required Qualifications |
• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 5 years of experience in successful frontline fundraising for a university or nonprofit organization.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a customer service orientation.
• Poised, professional manner with the ability to express oneself clearly and empathetically in interactions with others including written and in-person.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using technology – such as Microsoft Office suite, Teams and Zoom.
• Ability to travel (including a valid driver’s license at time of hire) at least once a week within Washington State, and outside the state for overnight travel.
• Proven success in face-to-face asks and the closing of gifts valued at $25,000 and above
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends
• Management Experience
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