Assistant Director of Leadership Giving (7547U), University Development and Alumni Relations #88979

University of California-Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of California, Berkeley seeks an Assistant Director of Leadership Giving to manage a portfolio of 175–200+ prospects, cultivate relationships, and upgrade donors to increase annual support.

You will collaborate with schools, colleges, and campus partners, design solicitation strategies, and lead major gift conversations in the four- to five-figure range, aiming to raise substantial annual gifts and build a strong donor pipeline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in fundraising, communications, or related field.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage a large donor portfolio and travel within California.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 175-200+ prospects and solicit four- to five-figure gifts.
• Coordinate with campus partners to develop solicitation strategies.
• Record donor interactions and produce fundraising reports.
• Lead face-to-face solicitations and donor stewardship activities.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising

Communication

Portfolio management

Strategic planning

Team collaboration

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Job Details

Location: Main Campus-Berkeley

Full Time

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth. We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan, which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.

Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride.

Departmental Overview

University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR), increases support for and enhances knowledge of UC Berkeley through communications, public outreach, and fundraising. UDAR is responsible for fundraising and donor engagement, and works to strengthen unit development offices by consulting and partnering with campus fundraisers. UDAR also handles a range of central activities and services encompassing events, communications, stewardship, prospect development, gift management, database management, and more.

The Office of Annual Programs within UDAR, is the university's largest fundraising department and is responsible for engaging thousands of alumni, parents, and students as donors and volunteers each year. The goals of this department are to: 1) increase the number of annual donors, 2) significantly raise the amount of discretionary funds for the Chancellor, the deans and program directors, and 3) identify campaign/major donors for the campus. Programs include the Parent and Family Philanthropy program, Pipeline Development, and Direct Response Marketing. The department is made up of 25+ employees and raises $13-$15 million in private contributions from 40% of campus donors each year.

The Office of Pipeline Development provides philanthropic opportunities for alumni, parents, and friends of UC Berkeley in the $1k- $100k level. Situated within the University Development & Alumni Relations division, and the department of Annual Programs, Pipeline Development solicits leadership gifts from UC Berkeley constituents, manages the digital philanthropy program, pipeline growth program and provides strategic leadership for campus units in scalable qualification and pipeline health.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Leadership Giving works with the Pipeline Development team to discover and qualify new leadership gift prospects, solicit new donors, and upgrade existing leadership gift donors to build the pipeline of major gift donors. This position partners with schools/colleges and departments on pipeline activities leveraging existing cultivation opportunities throughout campus. The Assistant Director leverages foundational aspects of existing stewardship programs, The Charter Hill Society & Benjamin Ide Wheeler Society, to cultivate and solicit leadership annual donors. This role uses skills as a seasoned, experienced fundraising professional, demonstrates good judgment, and independently manages a portfolio of 200+ prospects annually. The Assistant Director coordinates with campus colleagues in a large, decentralized fundraising environment and is expected to raise gift dollar amounts and meet monthly contact targets as established in annual campaign plans and standards of performance.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: October 3, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Responsibilities

Portfolio Management - 20%

• Manage a portfolio of 175-200+ prospects, mainly top leadership prospects who have the capacity to make four or five-figure gifts or a planned gift.
• Attempt to personally contact all tracked prospects 3-6 times within the fiscal year.
• Work with Pipeline Growth staff to coordinate new prospects through various Discovery Journeys, i.e. giving days, crowdfunding campaigns, LYBUNT prospect populations, etc.
• Collaborate with Development Analysts to analyze reports to establish effective annual solicitation strategies.

Prospect Management - 20%

• Prepare background information and research on prospects to ensure completion of assigned solicitations each fiscal year.
• Record and document all donor interactions into the donor database, CADS.
• Conduct at least 10-20 substantive contacts per month (e.g. significant moves that advance a relationship with the institution, such as in-person donor meetings, phone calls, or virtual donor meetings).

Leadership Fundraising - 40%

• Personally identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward an active portfolio of leadership gift prospects for increased levels of annual support ranging from $1,000-$100,000+.
• In partnership with Prospect Development, design strategies to ensure top prospects are solicited each fiscal year at appropriate levels.
• Make face-to-face solicitations for lead gifts in the four and five-figure range. A portion of these solicitations will be conducted in partnership with gift officers in other campus units.
• Once a mature portfolio is established, raise $750,000+ per year.
• Partner with Development Officers as needed, to maintain donor-centered relationships.
• Within the Charter Hill Society, identify top prospects and develop individual solicitation strategies with a focus on Cal Fund donors. Where appropriate, collaborate with campus colleagues.

Program Management & Campus Partnerships - 20%

• Serve as the lead leadership gift officer to coordinate and collaborate with the Southern California Major Gifts team to ensure a healthy donor pipeline is being built.
• Attend functions, meetings, and serve on internal/external committees as a representative of the Pipeline Development team.
• Develop strategic fundraising plans for each prospect, focusing on identifying future major gift prospects.
• Each plan could reflect the following: volunteer leadership profile, profile of top prospects, analysis of prior class giving, best practice reunion giving strategies, history and characteristics of each class, and life cycle/life stage of each class.
• Coordinate overall message and general details with direct response colleagues (direct mail and telefundraising).
• Monitor and analyze results throughout the fiscal year, and revise strategies as necessary in order to accomplish goals.
• Record and document all donor interactions into the donor database, CADS and other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Thorough working knowledge and understanding of fundraising, donor relations, or business development concepts, principles, techniques, procedures, and practices.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve common goals.
• Thorough written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, including political acumen, to build and maintain effective working relationships at all organizational levels and with outside constituencies.
• Thorough analytical and critical thinking skills, including skill in creative and effective decision-making and problem identification/avoidance/resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Available for some evening and weekend work.
• Able to travel (generally within California).

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience and keen interest in personally soliciting special gifts from individuals ($1,000-$100,000+).
• Experience in higher education.
• Knowledge of UC Berkeley's mission, history and goals and/or the ability to learn.

Education / Training

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications,