Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations

University of Texas; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel opportunities

Career development

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin invites applications for the Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations. This role leads frontline fundraising, manages an 80-100 donor portfolio nationwide, and builds strong alumni engagement for the Jackson School of Geosciences.

Responsibilities include delivering funding proposals, collaborating across university departments, and traveling to meet donors, while maintaining high integrity and strategic focus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Full-cycle donor strategy experience.
• 1+ year in higher education philanthropy.
• High emotional intelligence.
• Strong communication skills (written, verbal, interpersonal).
• Strategic and creative thinking under pressure.
• Independent work with collaborative teamwork.
• Frequent travel to visit prospects and donors.
• Discretion and professionalism.
• Relevant education/experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Responsibilities

• Manage an active portfolio of 80-100 donors across the US.
• Solicit gifts from $25,000+ and generate $2,500,000+ annually.
• Deliver 12-20 funding proposals to donors.
• Collaborate with faculty and development staff on funding opportunities.
• Represent the Jackson School at alumni events and engage volunteers.

Skills

Donor strategy

Fundraising

Communication

Strategic thinking

Project management

Collaboration

Travel readiness

Discretion

Professionalism

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Job Posting Title: Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations ---- Hiring Department: John A and Katherine G Jackson School of Geosciences ---- Position Open To: All Applicants ---- Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 ---- FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA ---- Earliest Start Date: Immediately ---- Position Duration: Expected to Continue ---- Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details: General Notes The Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin is among the most well established and well regarded geoscience programs in the world. The school includes the University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, one of the country’s oldest geoscience departments, and two world-renowned research units, the Institute for Geophysics and the Bureau of Economic Geology. The school is home to the world’s largest academic geoscience communities with more than 5,000 alumni, 400 graduate and undergraduate students, 120 tenure track and research faculty members, 110 research staff and postdoctoral scientists and 140 support staff. The Jackson School is both old and new. It traces its origins to a Department of Geology founded in 1888 but became a separate unit at the level of a college on September 1, 2005. The school’s formation resulted from one of the most generous gifts in the history of higher education when the late John A. and Katherine G. Jackson bequeathed endowments and assets to the university presently valued at over $300 million.

Purpose To serve as the Associate Director of Development on the Jackson School’s development and alumni relations team. Successful candidates will work closely with the College and focus on identifying and cultivating prospects with a capacity of $25,000+ with an emphasis on soliciting gifts from $25,000 to $100,000+.

Responsibilities

• Frontline Fundraiser Build and carry an active portfolio of 80-100 prospective donors across the US. Engage in qualification, strategy, development, relationship building, and closing of annual and major gifts at $25,000+ for the Jackson School. After a full year in the role, consistently produce $2,500,000+ per year in contributed income. Successfully deliver 12-20 funding proposals to prospective and current donors. Effectively work with, communicate with, and collaborate with faculty, academic leaders, and other development staff to develop campus-wide funding opportunities to reach campaign goals. Work collaboratively, proactively, and in a professional, service-oriented manner with all University development officers to further the development goals of the University. Regularly travel to meet with donors for the purposes of qualification, solicitation and stewardship. Utilize a fundraising database and prospecting tools. Maintain appropriate electronic documentation on a timely basis, including engagement activities, proposal tracking, contact reports, donor strategies and forecasting. Record timely reports, letters, proposals, or gift agreements following a donor contact. Maintain an understanding of university priorities, vision and mission. Participate in goal setting, proposal preparation, strategy development, and stewardship as required for donors in the portfolio.
• Alumni Relations Serve as the front-line contact for the general alumni community, cultivating meaningful relationships and representing the Jackson School at events. Travel to meet personally with constituents to strengthen connections, identify volunteer interest, and cultivate support for the annual fund. Work with FAN’s President to coordinate annual meetings and strengthen board engagement. Help identify, cultivate and recruit alumni for FANs board and committee positions. Partner with the Donor and Alumni Engagement Coordinator and FAN’s Board Chapter Directors to support the Jackson School’s alumni network.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Demonstrated ability to execute successful full-cycle donor strategy.
• A minimum of one year of experience in higher education philanthropy or related fields.
• High degree of emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrated ability to show tenacity and be nimble.
• Ability to drive results.
• Highly effective communication skills (written, verbal, interpersonal).
• Ability to think strategically and creatively and work well under pressure.
• Project management skills.
• Capable of working independently, while also engaging in collaboration between teams.
• Ability to travel frequently to visit prospects and donors.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain integrity and professionalism.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three + years of frontline fundraising experience.
• Experience working in a large-scale complex research university.
• Knowledge of UT Austin policies and procedures.
• Experience with VIP, Raiser’s Edge or other similar CRM.

Driving Required

This job requires a class "C" operator's driver's license. The applicant selected must provide a current three year driving record from the current state of residence. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver's license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident. Employees who are required to have a CDL are subject to drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing).

Salary Range

$85,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

May work around standard office conditions. Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation. Use of manual dexterity. Climbing of stairs. Weekend and evening work may be required. Must be able to travel overnight and weekends. Lifting objects, bending, kneeling, walking, standing. Lifting and moving up to 40 pounds. May work in all weather conditions. May work in extreme temperatures.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following: E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and. If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031. The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.

Start Here, Change the World At The University of Texas at Austin, tradition meets innovation in the heart of a city that frequents lists of the best places to live and work. Named by Forbes as one of America's Best Large Employers for the sixth year in a row in 2025, UT offers both a dynamic work environment and a gateway to vibrant local culture. Whether you're at the forefront of the student experience, conducting world-changing research or supporting the engine that drives Texas’ flagship university, working at UT means making a lasting impact on our city, our state and our world. Our more than 20,000 faculty and staff empower 55,000+ students to challenge ideas, pursue passions and shape their futures. Joining UT, you’ll become part of a community dedicated to making a meaningful impact on campus and throughout the world.

Comments and Inquiries

Email comments to [e-mail]. For questions or concerns regarding equal opportunity only, contact Equal Opportunity Services. Additional information for applicants can be found on the Human Resources web page: Applying for Employment. For more job information, call the Human Resource Service Center at [phone], or toll-free at [phone]. UT Austin is a Tobacco-free Campus