Director of Development

OVERVIEW

The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for a Director of Development position within the University Advancement Department. 

The University of St. Thomas embraces belonging and equal opportunity for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity and personal attention call us to embody and champion an inclusive environment.  The University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (EEO).  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or other protected characteristic.  This commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity is consistent with our mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.  A successful candidate will possess a commitment to the ideals of this mission.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

• Up to 100% tuition remission for employees and dependents upon eligibility
• Up to 50% tuition remission for spouses upon eligibility
• A generous Employer retirement contribution of 9.4% of annual salary upon eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits

Salary Range: $99,785 - $110,000

The University of St. Thomas has provided a salary range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The specific salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, the Director of Development for the Opus College of Business (OCB) and

Schulze School of Entrepreneurship (SSOE) is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding major donors with an

emphasis on raising unrestricted and restricted funds for areas of greatest need within the College. This position will play a central

role in major gift fundraising and will have responsibility for cultivating and soliciting gifts of $50,000 or greater. The position is

based on the Minneapolis campus.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Fundraising, College/School Support, and Portfolio Management Fundraising

The Director of Development will raise major gifts ($50,000 or more) in support of the college priorities by

qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of major gift prospects and effectively moving

prospects through the donor gift cycle. The Director of Development will maintain in-depth knowledge of

institutional priorities and programs and use donor-centric industry best practices to match donor interests with

them.

• OCB and SSOE Support: This position will work solely with the OCB/SSOE and will support their specific fundraising priorities. This will entail the following duties:
  • Meeting regularly with the Senior Director of Development to develop strategies for college/school prospects
  • Assisting the Senior Director of Development with the unit’s annual and three-year fundraising plan
  • Attending faculty meetings, meetings with the Dean, retreats, department-based advisory boards, and other events as appropriate to stay abreast of fundraising priorities and other significant developments
  • Representing OCB/SSOE as needed
  • Staffing the Dean and relevant department staff and faculty for donor visits as needed
• Portfolio: The Director of Development will work with Prospect Management and Research professionals to prioritize prospects, ascertain their stage in the giving cycle, enter and track solicitations, and maintain a balanced portfolio. A proposal-based system is used to track prospect stages and solicitations, as well as to establish and monitor personal performance goals.
• Planning and Performance: The Director of Development will prepare an annual work plan that includes strategies and solicitation plans for each donor prospect, including target amounts and target dates and engagement strategies. The annual plan will form the basis of the Director’s work throughout the year as well as serve as the basis for annual performance goals and metrics.
• Collaboration: The Director of Development will collaborate with campus partners on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding prospects and donors. The Director will work with communications and donor relations staff to develop compelling proposals for identified areas of donor interests and will engage campus leaders, faculty, and staff to advance relationships with the university as appropriate. Using a donor-centric model of engagement, the Director will work collaboratively with other development and university staff to cultivate prospects with multiple giving interests. The Director will work in partnership with Donor Relations to develop meaningful stewardship plans that help donors understand the impact of their gifts.

2. Reporting and Data Management

• The Director of Development will complete and file timely contact reports of donor/prospect contacts by utilizing the donor database; maintain accurate and relevant records within the database.
• In partnership with Development management and Prospect Management & Research partners, the Director of Development will track progress towards individual and team goals adjusting strategies, when necessary, in order to deliver on strategic objectives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree

• Five years of fundraising experience with demonstrated success with soliciting and closing major gifts ($50,000

  or more)

• A DMV background check is required for this position

An equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired may be substituted.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the higher education environment

• Familiarity with the characteristics of a comprehensive university

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates must apply online at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/. Follow the instructions to complete an online application which includes creating or updating an applicant profile, uploading a resume, and completing a job specific application.

In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires consent and successful completion of a background screening.

Official job posting is available at www.stthomas.edu/jobs.