Development Officer for Leadership Annual Giving (Pool)

University of North Carolina Wilmington; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Development Officer for Leadership Annual Giving at University of North Carolina Wilmington will build and manage a portfolio of 250-500 donors, securing leadership gifts between $1,000 and $24,999. You will design multi-channel outreach and coordinate with campus partners to grow UNCW's donor pipeline.

You will represent University Advancement in engaging alumni, parents, and friends, leveraging events, communications, and personal visits to advance the university's fundraising priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of two years of professional fundraising experience and/or experience in sales, marketing, communications, or higher education development.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills, with great attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative environment.
• Professional experience with donor management or customer relations.
• Knowledge of fundraising ethics and the development process.
• Experience with donor management systems, preferably Raiser's Edge.

Responsibilities

• Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward assigned prospects with the goal of securing leadership annual gifts between $1,000 and $24,999.
• Manage a portfolio between 250-500 leadership annual giving donors and develop strategies to move prospects through the donor cycle.
• Plan, design, implement, and evaluate strategies to secure outright leadership annual gifts and pledges through multi-channel donor outreach; including phone calls, emails, video, and personal visits.
• Cultivate and steward donors and prospective donors through participation in university events, board meetings, and other engagement opportunities.
• Collaborate with University Advancement colleagues to align donors' philanthropic interests with priorities across the university.
• Identify prospects with major gift potential and appropriately refer or transition those prospects to the Major Gifts team.
• Provide timely follow-up and maintain appropriate documentation of prospect activity, moves, and solicitations.
• Collaborate with Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Prospect Development, Advancement Services, and other University Advancement colleagues to maximize fundraising productivity and strengthen UNCW's donor pipeline.

Skills

Donor relations

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Customer relations

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Job description

Development Officer for Leadership Annual Giving(Pool)

Benefits of Working at UNCW:

At the University of North Carolina Wilmington, we are driven by aclear purpose: to empower student success, advance innovation, andstrengthen the communities we serve. Guided by our strategic visionand commitment to excellence, UNCW offers a dynamic andcollaborative environment where employees can make meaningfulcontributions while growing their careers.Located in coastal NorthCarolina, UNCW combines the energy of a thriving academic communitywith the natural beauty of nearby beaches and outdoor spaces. Here,professional opportunity is balanced with an exceptional quality oflife—creating a workplace where you can thrive both personally andprofessionally.As a member of the Seahawk community, you'll benefitfrom a culture that values well-being, lifelong learning, andconnection. UNCW offers a competitive and flexible benefits packagedesigned to support your health, financial well-being, andprofessional growth. From comprehensive health coverage andretirement options to generous paid leave, tuition opportunitieswithin the UNC System, learning and development opportunities, andwellness programs, UNCW is committed to helping you thrive both atwork and in your personal life.

Recruitment Range: $60,000 - $70,000

Vacancy Number: E1645

Location of Workplace: Main UNCW Campus

Home Department: University Advancement - 50000

Division: University Advancement - 50 Division

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

1. Coordinate a campus-wide, comprehensive effort to raisephilanthropic funds that support the strategic plan and mission ofthe university.
2. Manage an inclusive alumni engagement program designed to serveand engage over 115,000 alumni as ambassadors, advocates, anddonors.
3. Strengthen and expand UNCW's donor pipeline through effectivediscovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardshipstrategies.
4. Ensure that external boards (UNCW Foundation Board, Board ofVisitors, Student Aid Association Board, Alumni Association Boardof Directors, and the Friends of UNCW) are effective in theirmission of supporting UNCW.

The division's fundraising efforts are enhanced by effectivepartnerships with the campus community as well as externalconstituents including alumni, parents, corporations, foundations,volunteers, and friends. Development areas include annual giving,leadership annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, corporateand foundation engagement, and planned giving, as well as alumniengagement. Prospect development, events and board management,stewardship, communications, and advancement services are supportservices for the fundraising activities of the division.

University Information:

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastaluniversity, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring,research, and service. UNCW is distinguished by its commitment toputting students first, supporting world‑class faculty and staff,delivering transformative learning experiences, and leveraging itsunique proximity to the ocean. Recognized nationally for scholarlyexcellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academicexperience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinkingand reflects emerging industries and interdisciplinaryinnovation.

A public institution with nearly 20,000 students, UNCW offers afull range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as wellas doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology,nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learningoptions, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSNprogram, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for workingprofessionals, and the nation's first bachelor's degree programfocused on coastal engineering.

The university's efforts to advance research and scholarlyactivities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of "DoctoralUniversities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University)by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of HigherEducation.

Founded as Wilmington College in 1947, UNCW moved to its presentlocation in the heart of New Hanover County in 1961. The 660-acrecampus is only minutes from Wrightsville Beach and historicdowntown Wilmington and features Georgian architecture anddesignated conservation areas. Wilmington International Airport(ILM) provides commercial air service to cities both domestic andabroad and is just six miles from the UNCW campus.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since1969.

Location of Workplace: Main UNCW Campus

Brief Summary of Work for this Position:

The Development Officer for Leadership Annual Giving will functionas a vital member of the Annual Giving and fundraising teams withinthe Division for University Advancement. The position isresponsible for securing leadership annual gifts of $1,000 to$24,999 from university constituents, including alumni, parents,and friends of the university. Through strategic, personalizedengagement, the Development Officer will qualify, cultivate,solicit, and steward assigned prospects while contributing to thegrowth of UNCW's donor pipeline and overall philanthropic support.Fundraising activities will utilize a multi-channel approach,including phone calls, email, video, digital outreach, and personalvisits.

Key responsibilities include:

• Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward assigned prospectswith the goal of securing leadership annual gifts between $1,000and $24,999.
• Manage a portfolio between 250-500 leadership annual givingdonors and develop strategies to move prospects through the donorcycle.
• Plan, design, implement, and evaluate strategies to secureoutright leadership annual gifts and pledges through multi-channeldonor outreach; including phone calls, emails, videos, digitalsolicitations and personal visits.
• Cultivate and steward donors and prospective donors throughparticipation in university events, board meetings, and otherengagement opportunities.
• Collaborate with University Advancement colleagues to aligndonors' philanthropic interests with priorities across theuniversity.
• Identify prospects with major gift potential and appropriatelyrefer or transition those prospects to the Major Gifts team.
• Provide timely follow-up and maintain appropriate documentationof prospect activity, moves, and solicitations.
• Collaborate with Annual Giving, Major Gifts, ProspectDevelopment, Advancement Services, and other University Advancementcolleagues to maximize fundraising productivity and strengthenUNCW's donor pipeline.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Bachelor's degree with a minimum of two years of professionalfundraising experience and/or experience in sales, marketing,communications, or higher education development.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills &Experience:

• Strong organizational and analytical skills, with greatattention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborativeenvironment.
• Professional experience with donor management or customerrelations.
• Understanding and knowledge of the principles, practices, andethics of fundraising, as well as the development process and donorcycle.
• Customer Relationship/Database Management systems experience(preferably Raisers Edge)
• Superior verbal and written communication, interpersonal,relationship-building, and creative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to organize workload and collaborate with colleagues toprioritize competing demands effectively.
• Knowledge of UNCW's organizational structure, culture,policies, and procedures, as well as familiarity with its missionand strategic goals.

Required Certifications or Licensures:

N/A

FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)

Months Per Year: 12 Months

Eligibility for Employment:

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offenderbackground checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motorvehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federallaw requires all employers to verify the identity and employmenteligibility of all persons hired to work in the UnitedStates.

Type of Position: Permanent

Position Number: E1645

Job Posting Date: 11/06/2026

Posting Close Date: 12/31/2026

Number of Openings: Multi-Positions

UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant forhforeemployment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, genderidentity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color,national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexualorientation, political affiliation, veteran status, militaryservice member status, genetic information, and relationship toother university constituents - except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications orwhere marital status is a statutorily established eligibilitycriterion for State funded employee benefit programs.