Associate/Senior Associate Athletics Director of Development

Eastern Kentucky University; Richmond; On-site; CAD 128,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastern Kentucky University seeks a high-impact Associate/Senior Associate Athletics Director of Development to lead major gifts and engage donors for EKU Athletics. This role collaborates with the VP for Major Gifts and Athletics leadership to align development efforts with university priorities and travel for donor visits.

The successful candidate will manage a large prospect portfolio, deliver face-to-face solicitations, and supervise initiatives that broaden donor participation while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Two years of nonprofit fundraising or sales experience is required.
• Athletics experience and knowledge is required.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal relations, and strategic thinking skills; ability to speak and write persuasively about higher education and EKU.
• Collaborative and transparent with ability to work independently when needed.
• Creative, hardworking, and mission-driven with high emotional intelligence.

Responsibilities

• 60% - Cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward major gifts ($25,000+) with frequent donor visits and events.
• 20% - Coordinate with Athletics leadership on fundraising priorities and execution of major gifts.
• 10% - Collaborate with head coaches on annual fund events and opportunities.
• 10% - Perform administrative duties including CRM data entry and hospitality coordination.

Skills

Relationship building

Fundraising

Athletics knowledge

Communication

Strategic thinking

Team orientation

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Title: Associate/Senior Associate Athletics Director of Development

Position Type: Fulltime Staff

Search Type: External - minimum 7 days

Department: 81R000 - University Development

Division: 7R0000 - Development

Position Location: Richmond Campus

Driver Classification: Driver

FLSA: Exempt

Schedule Type: Full Time (37.5 hrs per week or more)

Posted Salary Grade: Exempt - G23

Retirement: KTRS

Contact Person: Sean Hamilton

Job Summary/Basic Functions

The Associate/Senior Associate Athletics Director of Development will be an integral part of the Development and Alumni Engagement team and will also serve as a member of the Athletics Department senior staff. This position will work closely with the Vice President & Director of Athletics to align development efforts with the broader vision and priorities of EKU Athletics. Under the supervision of the Assistant Vice President for Major Gifts, this position will:

• Cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward major gifts ($25,000 and greater).


• Execute a minimum of 12 substantial face-to-face visits per month and a combination of annual and major proposal goals based on portfolio value and tenure.


• Actively engage a prospect portfolio of 80+ individuals/households, working with the Development team, coaches, athletics staff and other campus leaders on unique donor strategies.


• Travel frequently for prospect visits and athletic events, including a minimum of one out of state trip per month.


• Be responsible for recruiting members to the Colonel Club with leadership annual gifts ($1,000 - $5,000).


• Assist with coordination of hospitality areas.


• Responsible for logging metric and contact information into the University system.


• Motivates administrators and coaches to participate in the development process and solicitation of gifts.


• Oversee specific giving initiatives, events, and projects with the purpose of donor acquisition, portfolio building, and donor participation.


• Attend a high number of EKU Athletics games and events, including nights and weekends.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree is required.

Experience:

• Team player with a keen sense of internal and external relationship building.


• Two years of work experience in non-profit fundraising or sales is required.


• Athletics experience and knowledge is required.


• Successful experience in athletics fundraising is preferred.


• Excellent communication, interpersonal relations, and strategic thinking skills; an ability to speak and write persuasively about higher education and EKU.


• Collaborative and transparent with ability to make independent decisions when appropriate.


• Creative, hardworking, and committed to successful fundraising.


• Possesses a high degree of emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and self-awareness.


• Highly attentive to detail.


• Self-starter with discipline in establishing and meeting personal and team goals.


• Mission-driven and identifies with goals of university.


• Ability and willingness to travel and attend numerous evening and weekend events, as required.

Job Duties:

• 60% - Cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward major gifts ($25,000 and greater) by engaging a portfolio of prospects, including frequent travel for donor visits and athletic games/events. - (Essential)


• 20% - Coordinate with Director of Athletics and Vice President for Major Gifts on athletics department fundraising priorities and on execution of completed major gifts. - (Essential)


• 10% - Work with head coaches (or their designee) on occasional annual fund events and opportunities. - (Essential)


• 10% - Other duties including, but not limited to, assisting with coordination of hospitality areas, inputting call reports into CRM, and other administrative duties. - (Essential)

Sponsorship: This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Funding Source: Institutional

Open Until Filled: Yes

Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts or any employment policy or practice.

Offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Advertised: 28 Jul 2026 Eastern Daylight Time