Athletics Development Director: Major Gifts & Partnerships

Southeast Missouri State University; Cape Girardeau (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Southeast Missouri State University seeks a proactive Director of Development for Athletics to grow philanthropic support for SEMO Athletics and the SEMO Athletics Fund. The role focuses on major gifts, capital projects, and leadership annual giving while collaborating with Athletics leadership and campus partners.

The position manages donor relationships, develops fundraising strategies, and ensures ethical, results-driven engagement across events, proposals, and communications to support SEMO

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of Athletics donors and prospects, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and ongoing relationship management.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies to secure major gifts, sport-specific gifts, annual leadership gifts, capital project support, endowment support, and other philanthropic commitments for SEMO Athletics.
• Build and maintain relationships with alumni, former student-athletes, season ticket holders, parents, community leaders, corporate partners, and friends of SEMO Athletics.
• Help grow investment in SEMO Athletics by identifying donor upgrade opportunities, cultivating mid-level donors, supporting donor renewals, and assisting with annual giving strategies as needed.
• Prepare donor proposals, case statements, stewardship reports, impact communications, and other materials that clearly communicate the value and impact of supporting SEMO Athletics.
• Coordinate donor engagement and solicitation strategies in partnership with University Advancement, including prospect management, gift processing, stewardship, database activity, campaign alignment, and reporting.
• Partner with coaches and sport administrators across all SEMO sports to identify fundraising priorities, engage prospects, and support approved sport-specific fundraising initiatives.
• Support the successful operation of fundraising events, home athletic events, emerging revenue generation initiatives, and other external engagement opportunities.
• Use Raiser’s Edge NXT, Paciolan/PacFund, and other platforms to manage prospects, track sales activity, document partner communication, monitor inventory, measure performance, and support revenue forecasting.

Skills

Fundraising

Relationship building

Communication

Donor cultivation

team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge NXT

Paciolan/PacFund

Job description

Southeast Missouri State University seeks a proactive Director of Development for Athletics to grow philanthropic support for SEMO Athletics and the SEMO Athletics Fund. The role focuses on major gifts, capital projects, and leadership annual giving while collaborating with Athletics leadership and campus partners.

The position manages donor relationships, develops fundraising strategies, and ensures ethical, results-driven engagement across events, proposals, and communications to support SEMO