Associate Director of Development – Major Gifts

Purdue Research Foundation; West Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Savings Account

Dental and Vision insurance

Tuition discounts

Job summary

Purdue For Life Foundation seeks an Associate Director of Development – Major Gifts to lead a high-impact fundraising program for Purdue Athletics. You will manage ~125 major gift donors, pursue multi-million-dollar initiatives, and collaborate with Athletics leadership and Varsity P to maximize engagement and giving.

The role requires a minimum of 3 years in fundraising or related fields, a Bachelor’s degree, and willingness to travel frequently, including weekends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Sports Management/Administration, Hospitality and Tourism management or related field is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of fundraising, sales, marketing, and customer service.
• Athletic fundraising or sales experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage and advance a portfolio of ~125 major gift donors and prospects, soliciting gifts from $50k to $2.5M.
• Achieve at least $3,000,000 annually in philanthropic support for Athletics.
• Develop donor strategies through frequent face-to-face visits, virtual meetings, calls, and written communications.
• Supervise one Athletics Development staff member and provide coaching and development.
• Prepare gift proposals supporting annual, capital, endowment, and sport-specific priorities.
• Maintain annual prospect plans, forecasts, and fundraising objectives.

Skills

Initiative

Interpersonal skills

Customer service

Phone outreach

Work ethic

Relationship building

Communication

Problem solving

Multi-tasking

Technology skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Associate Director of Development – Major Gifts

Department: Athletics

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Purdue for Life Foundation

Description

Working for the Purdue For Life Foundation offers a unique opportunity to be part of an organization dedicated to empowering Purdue University alumni and fostering a lifelong connection to the institution. By joining our team, you'll have the chance to contribute to a mission that supports educational initiatives, scholarships, and programs that positively impact the lives of Purdue students and graduates. The Foundation's commitment to education and community engagement provides a fulfilling work environment where you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and the broader community. Additionally, you'll have access to a network of passionate colleagues and the resources needed to drive positive change, making the Purdue For Life Foundation an inspiring and rewarding place to build your career. Your next giant leap starts here.

Responsibilities

• Manage and strategically advance a portfolio of approximately 125 major gift donors and prospects, leading the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual and corporate donors with philanthropic capacity ranging from $50,000 to $2.5 million while aligning donor interests with Purdue Athletics fundraising priorities.
• Achieve and exceed annual fundraising performance metrics, including securing a minimum of $3,000,000 annually in philanthropic support through major gifts, leadership annual gifts, endowment commitments, capital campaign investments, and other Athletics fundraising priorities.
• Support Athletics Alumni Engagement initiatives by developing fundraising strategies and engagement opportunities that strengthen lifelong connections between former student-athletes and Purdue Athletics.
• Develop and execute individualized donor strategies by conducting a high volume of face-to-face visits, virtual meetings, phone calls, and written communications that advance prospects through all stages of the donor lifecycle, resulting in meaningful philanthropic commitments.
• Supervise and mentor one Athletics Development staff member by providing day-to-day leadership, coaching, feedback, and professional development while ensuring alignment with departmental fundraising objectives.
• Prepare compelling gift proposals that support annual, capital, endowment, and sport-specific fundraising priorities.
• Develop and maintain annual prospect plans, fundraising forecasts, and measurable fundraising objectives for assigned donors to support strategic portfolio management and fundraising success.
• Partner with annual giving staff and major gift colleagues to identify, qualify, and transition donors throughout the philanthropic pipeline while supporting coordinated fundraising efforts across the John Purdue Club.
• Leverage Athletics events, Varsity P programming, premium hospitality, team travel, game weekends, alumni engagement activities, and other donor experiences to strengthen relationships, enhance stewardship, and increase philanthropic investment.
• Serve as the primary Athletics Development liaison for Varsity P and Athletics alumni engagement activities by partnering with former student-athletes, coaches, volunteers, and Athletics leadership to strengthen lifelong engagement and philanthropic support.
• Maintain accurate contact reports, proposal activity, and prospect documentation within the University's CRM system to support organizational reporting and pipeline management.
• Seek opportunities to contribute beyond assigned responsibilities by supporting campaign priorities, special fundraising initiatives, and collaborative projects that advance the mission of Purdue Athletics, the John Purdue Club, Varsity P, and the Purdue for Life Foundation.
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional development through participation in industry conferences, professional organizations, and continuing education opportunities.
• Frequent travel and weekend work required.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Superior initiative, motivation, interpersonal, and customer service skills required, with the ability to effectively interact with stakeholders from a wide variety of professional and cultural backgrounds.
• Comfortability placing phone calls
• Relentless work ethic
• Ability to influence and build working relationships among a diverse workforce at all levels required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent problem solving, analytical, quantitative, organizational and project management skills necessary.
• Must be able to multi-task and meet established deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Personal computing and related software skills, such as word processing, spreadsheets, database management, data queries necessary.
• Capable of adhering to and complying with Purdue University, Purdue Research Foundation, Big Ten Conference, and NCAA applicable rules, policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Ability to build relationships with internal and external constituents.
• Regular and reliable attendance are requirements of this position.

Required Education, Experience and Benefits Summary

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Sports Management/Administration, Hospitality and Tourism management or related field required.
• Minimum of 3 years of fundraising, sales, marketing, and customer service.
• Customer service focus and background a high priority.
• Athletic fundraising or sales experience preferred.

Internal Job Title: Director, Development- Athletics

Job Level: Management 3

Purdue For Life Foundation job levels and compensation ranges are independent of, and differ from, those of Purdue University.

Benefits Summary for eligible employees:

• 10 paid holidays per year.
• Accrue up to 22 vacation days a year.
• Traditional pre-tax 403(b) and Roth retirement plans available.
• 10% employer contribution to your retirement plan and immediate vesting.
• Health Savings Account- earn up to $550 annually towards medical expenses.
• Employer funded Preventative Dental and Vision insurance.
• Tuition discounts on eligible programs at Purdue University and Purdue Global for qualified employees, spouses, and dependents.