ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT

Duke University; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 61,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a seasoned fundraiser to join a dynamic team dedicated to community affairs. This role emphasizes strategic thinking and relationship-building with potential donors, focusing on securing significant gifts for various initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional communication skills, a proactive approach to fundraising, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Join a collaborative environment that values diversity and innovation, where your contributions will have a meaningful impact on the community and the organization’s mission. This is an exciting opportunity to advance your career in a supportive and mission-driven atmosphere.

Benefits

Comprehensive Medical Care

Dental Care Programs

Generous Retirement Benefits

Family-Friendly Programs

Cultural Programs

Qualifications

• 5+ years in major gift fundraising, preferably in education.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Solicit and secure gifts for DCA strategic priorities.
• Develop relationships with donors and manage fundraising campaigns.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Fundraising Activities Management

Oral Communication

Written Communication

Creativity

Initiative

Travel Willingness

Fundraising Plan Implementation

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

SAP

Duke Alumni Development Database (DAAD)

Airtable

Job description

Occupational Summary:

The Duke Office of Durham & Community Affairs (DCA) is seeking a seasoned fundraiser to join its tight-knit team. In this role, the fundraiser will use expert communication skills and a keen sense of initiative to spot fundraising opportunities, develop relationships with potential donors, and manage fundraising campaigns.

The ideal candidate will be motivated, professional, and organized and have a knack for research. We’re looking for someone who believes in the missions of Duke University, Duke Health, and DCA and has exceptional drive for furthering our office’s fundraising efforts as well as strategizing and delivering on new ones. This position regularly interacts across units within DCA, the DCA senior team, liaises with Alumni Engagement and Development, and engages with a wide array of campus and community partners.

Work Performed:

Fundraising – 70%

1. In partnership with Duke Alumni, Engagement, and Development teams, solicit, cultivate, and secure gifts for all DCA strategic priorities and units, with an emphasis on gifts of $100,000 - $5M.
2. Oversee, coordinate, and implement annual giving programs that will increase support for DCA unrestricted funds and special initiatives.
3. Develop and maintain personal relationships with prospects, friends, and donors via telephone, email, online platforms, and domestic and local travel in order to qualify interest, cultivate awareness, secure support, and provide stewardship.
4. Support overall efforts to grow and enrich DCA’s prospect pipeline.
5. Solicit and secure gifts from foundations and corporations in support of DCA strategic priorities and programs.

Constituency Relations and Stewardship – 30%

1. Create case statements and proposals for outreach to corporations, foundations, and individual donors.
2. Provide leadership and administration of the Doing Good Employee Giving Campaign, the Duke-Durham Fund, and the Corporate Partnership.
3. Provide oversight of the fundraising operations, including systems that support excellent cultivation and stewardship of donors.
4. Liaise with Duke Alumni Engagement and Development and work closely with DCA Senior Team in the development and management of possible volunteer boards, committees, advisory groups, and other service activities as appropriate.
5. Maintain donor records using SAP and Duke Alumni Development Database (DAAD) and oversee the tracking of all gift commitments.
6. Engage in timely and accurate gift acknowledgment to donors.
7. Lead and provide oversight, planning, and implementation of special events.

Required Behavioral Competencies:

1. Collaborating with others: Ability to work collaboratively, formally and informally within one’s team and across the organization.
2. Listening: Be an “active listener.” Receptive to speaker. Is easy to talk to and gets people to open up. Picks up on underlying messages. “Hears between the lines.”
3. Goal & Task Management: Prioritize and coordinate tasks with attention to deadlines, concurrent management of projects and ability to create and follow a set strategy to goals and objectives.
4. Curiosity & Information Seeking: Expresses an underlying curiosity in people and an ability to go beyond questions that are routine to gain an understanding of the prospects capacity, affinity & inclination.
5. Decisiveness & Judgment: Avoids making assumptions about the facts. Requires the consideration of multiple factors and influences in making decisions.
6. Expressing ideas orally and in writing: Ability to effectively, and persuasively communicate ideas, thoughts, and facts orally and in writing.
7. Self-Management: Manages time efficiently and effectively. Gives and seeks feedback on own performance. Perseveres in the face of performance obstacles for the achievement of work objectives.
8. Consistently chooses an ethical course of action for workplace behavior. Forms relations with seniors, staff and peers that produce trust and approachability.
9. Flexibility: The ability to adapt to and work effectively with a variety of situations, and with various individuals or groups.
10. Models Integrity and Ethics: Demonstrates accountability for actions. Keeps promises and commitments made to others. Serves as a role model of ethical behavior by consistently conforming to the highest ethical standards and practices. Champions organizational values.
11. Organizational Awareness: Ability to learn and understand organizational relationships and dynamics and use them to achieve objectives and goals.
12. Ability to Influence: Ability to move or persuade others to act in a desired way.
13. Dealing with Ambiguity: Makes decisions and takes action with as much relevant information as possible.

Skills:

1. Ability to think strategically about identifying prospects and connecting donors to the Duke Office of Durham & Community Affairs.
2. Demonstrated ability to handle multiple fundraising activities simultaneously.
3. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
4. High level of creativity, initiative, and motivation.
5. Demonstrated ability to handle multiple, complex fundraising activities simultaneously.
6. Must be willing to travel.
7. Ability to plan and implement a fundraising plan for areas of strategic importance to Duke Office of Durham & Community Affairs.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Training: Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience: Work generally requires a minimum of five years of successful experience in major gift fundraising, preferably in an education setting; demonstrated ability to handle multiple complex fundraising activities simultaneously and to coordinate solicitation strategies in a decentralized environment; experience working with volunteers and volunteer groups; demonstrated successful experience in soliciting five and six-figure gifts. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Seven years of progressively responsible experience, preferably in an academic environment.
2. Proactive approach to fundraising.
3. Strong ability to manage multiple projects and timelines.
4. Ability to work cooperatively and strategically in a team environment with all levels of professional, technical, and administrative staff and to integrate resources on a timely and organized basis.
5. Experience with Duke administrative systems (e.g., R/3 - SAP and DADD) and Airtable is beneficial.

Application Documents:

1. Thoughtful Cover Letter (required)
2. Resume (required)

Minimum Qualifications:

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $61,465.00 to USD $105,523.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.