Alumni & Major Gifts Engagement Lead

South Dakota Board of Regents; Alabama; On-site; USD 52,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Short-term disability

Hospital indemnity insurance

Flexible spending account

Health savings account

Health reimbursement account

Reduced tuition

Professional liability coverage

Paid family leave

Job summary

Dakota State University seeks a passionate relationship builder to serve as its next Assistant Director of Development. This role identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards alumni, parents, and friends capable of making gifts of $5,000 or more, helping create philanthropic partnerships fueling the university’s vision.

Advertised Salary NFE Pay Grade 6S: $52,000 - $60,000 DOQE. This position requires 40 hours per week, with evenings and weekends as needed, located in Madison, SD.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in Marketing, Education, Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 1–3 years in fundraising, especially major gifts or leadership giving.
• Experience in higher education preferred.
• Ability to build relationships and cultivate donor loyalty.
• Ability to analyze donor data and fundraising trends.
• Public speaking and presenting to groups.
• Strong analytical, creative, and organizational skills; attention to detail.
• Proficiency with database management systems.
• Commitment to confidentiality of philanthropic partners.
• Excellent MS Office skills (Excel and Word).
• Effective written, oral, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify potential donors through research, interviews, and other engagement methods.
• Develop personalized strategies to cultivate relationships with prospects.
• Solicit gifts aligned with the University’s needs.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with existing donors through communications and recognition.
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date records in Raiser’s Edge.
• Collaborate with University leadership to translate funding priorities into donor opportunities.
• Partner with colleagues across the University to identify prospects and create engagement plans.
• Plan and attend events to engage with donors, representing the University’s mission.

Skills

Relationship building

Donor cultivation

Public speaking

Analytical skills

Excellent communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Dakota State University seeks a passionate relationship builder to serve as its next Assistant Director of Development. This role identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards alumni, parents, and friends capable of making gifts of $5,000 or more, helping create philanthropic partnerships fueling the university’s vision.

Advertised Salary NFE Pay Grade 6S: $52,000 - $60,000 DOQE. This position requires 40 hours per week, with evenings and weekends as needed, located in Madison, SD.