Assistant Director of Development, Athletics

Marquette University; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Assistant Director of Development, Athletics at Marquette University (as represented by NACDA context) oversees donor relations and fundraising for athletics. Responsibilities include building relationships with alumni, families, and friends, and staffing events that support philanthropic goals for the athletic program.

The role requires a bachelor's degree and 1–3 years in development or NCAA athletics, with strong communication, willingness to travel and work evenings/weekends, and the ability

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required.
• 1–3 years of development, NCAA athletics, or related experience with external constituencies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel and work evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Build and steward a portfolio of donors, managing the donor cycle from qualification to stewardship.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies to increase annual gifts and major gifts.
• Plan and staff events to generate philanthropic support for athletics.
• Collaborate with athletic departments and advancement colleagues on priorities and revenue strategies.
• Proactively develop fundraising skills and stay informed about college athletics and fundraising priorities.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Travel flexibility

Evenings/weekends availability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Responsibilities:

The Assistant Director of Development, Athletics plays a key role in building and stewarding an ever-growing, deeply connected community that fosters lasting appreciation and philanthropic support for Marquette University and Intercollegiate athletics, empowering student-athletes, coaches, and administrators to excel academically, athletically, and developmentally for generations to come.

The Assistant Director secures philanthropic support for Marquette Athletics by establishing and developing relationships with alumni, M Club members, parents, and friends of Marquette through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. He or she will collaborate with coaches, athletic administrators, and advancement colleagues to build and maintain a deep understanding of athletic department and university priorities and implement fundraising strategies to build and maintain a portfolio of leadership annual giving contributors.

1. Portfolio & Relationship Management

Manage a portfolio of up to 75 contributors, serving as a philanthropic advisor and fostering relationships throughout the full donor cycle.

Develop and execute fundraising strategies to increase giving through the renewal, and upgrade of annual donors, securing annual gifts of $5,000+, multi-year commitments up to $100,000, and/or planned gifts in support of athletic department and university priorities.

Make 40+ solicitations, secure 20+ commitments, and conduct 120+ personal visits annually, with a particular focus on strengthening donor retention and engagement, as well as building a robust pipeline of future major gift prospects.

2. Qualification & Acquisition

Build a portfolio of contributors through strategic qualification, leveraging available data and technology to identify alumni, families, and community members with the inclination and capacity to make a gift.

Utilize digital engagement strategies, including personalized email, virtual meetings, and targeted outreach, to initiate and strengthen relationships and advance prospects through the donor pipeline in addition to in person meetings.

3. Engagement and Gameday Support

Assists in planning and provides staffing support for events aimed at generating philanthropic support for Marquette Athletics including alumni M Club events, alumni and family weekends, receptions, etc.

Assists in managing hospitality spaces for home basketball games at Fiserv Forum on gamedays.

4. Athletic Department Collaboration

Works closely with Athletic Development colleagues and coaching staffs to develop strategies to determine and achieve program-specific fundraising goals.

Collaborates with Marquette Athletics Marketing & Ticketing to support strategies for ticketed athletic contests.

Partner with Marquette Sports Properties, NIL Strategy & Athlete Marketing, and Athletics Communication teams on strategic relationships and revenue generation strategy.

5. Professional Development

Proactively develops professional fundraising skills using internal and external resources.

Maintains up-to-date knowledge of the college sports landscape through professional networks.

Maintains comprehensive knowledge of university wide fundraising priorities.

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required, along with at least 1-3 years of development, NCAA athletics, or related experience (e.g. sales, recruitment, etc.) working directly with external constituencies. Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment, a growth mindset and commitment to the mission and values of Marquette University, along with the ability to travel and work evenings and weekends is also needed. An understanding of the current landscape of college athletics and direct fundraising experience, preferably in higher education in support of NCAA Division I athletics programs is preferred.