Director, Development

Lindenwood; United States; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangement

Job summary

Lindenwood University seeks a Director of Development to secure private philanthropic support by aligning donor interests with institutional priorities. The role targets gifts of $25,000+ and $100,000+ with a focus on qualification, cultivation, and closing conversations.

The person will travel within assigned regions, serve as a liaison to colleges and units, and help grow the donor pipeline through strategic relationship-building and teamwork with campus leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years of experience soliciting major donors.
• Experience in a higher education environment, ideally including participation in campaigns.
• Experience with Raisers Edge preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manages a portfolio of major donor prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more, with focus on qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and gift closure.
• Coordinates strategies to meet annual and campaign fundraising goals with senior leadership and colleagues.
• Meets with donors and prospects 25%–50% of the time through travel, on-campus visits, phone calls, and video conferences.
• Prepares donor proposals, reports, draft agreements, and communications tailored to donor interests.
• Develops strategies for assigned units to increase major-gift support in partnership with leadership.
• Maintains partnerships with units to understand programs and identify opportunities for private support.
• Keeps up-to-date on major-gift best practices and giving vehicles; shares insights with team.
• Collaborates on stewardship plans and uses Raiser's Edge for documentation.
• Participates in advancement meetings and events to support fundraising goals.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor cultivation

Prospect research

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Job description

Benefits of Being a Lindenwood Employee:

• Upon hire, employer-paid tuition benefits for bachelor’s (employee, spouse, and dependent) and master’s degree programs (employee and spouse only).
• Tuition discounts for doctoral programs (employee only).
• Comprehensive benefits plan: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement options.
• Paid holidays: MLK Jr. day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving break (Wednesday – Friday), and winter break (Dec. 23 – Jan. 1).
• Free lunch Fridays: LU employees are eligible for a free meal on Fridays at the Evans Commons Dining Hall or Spellman Dining Hall; Chick-fil-A and Qdoba included.
• Professional development opportunities through the Lindenwood Learning Academy.

JOB TITLE SUMMARY

• Job Title: Director, Development
• Division: University Advancement
• Evaluation Group: Staff
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Reports To: Assistant Vice President, Development
• Positions Supervised: N/A

Job Summary

The director, development secures private philanthropic support by aligning donor interests with institutional priorities. This position identifies, qualifies, cultivates, and solicits donor prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more, with an emphasis on gifts of $100,000 or more. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and innovative team member who, through strategic work and relationship-building, will help Lindenwood grow its donor pipeline and expand its philanthropic reach. Development officers travel throughout their assigned regions while also serving as liaisons to designated colleges and units across campus.

Essential Job Functions and Performance Indicators

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and level of responsibility that will be required of positions given this title. This job description shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Job Responsibilities and Execution

• Manages a portfolio of major donor prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more, with a focus on qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and gift closure
• Coordinates with the assistant vice president, development, development colleagues, and prospect researcher to develop and implement strategies to meet annual and campaign fundraising goals
• Meets with donors and donor prospects 25%–50% of the time through travel, on-campus visits, phone calls, and video conferences, including some evenings and weekends
• Prepares donor proposals, reports, draft agreements, and communications tailored to donor interests
• Develops and executes strategies for assigned units that support philanthropic priorities and successfully increase major-gift support in partnership with Advancement and Academic leadership and other advancement colleagues
• Develops and maintains close, collaborative partnerships with assigned units to gain a strong understanding of their programs and initiatives and identify opportunities for private support
• Maintains expertise in major-gift best practices, contemporary philanthropic trends, and evolving giving vehicles, translating industry insights into innovative strategies for prospect engagement and complex gift structuring
• Collaborates with stewardship and engagement colleagues to develop strategic engagement plans for key alumni and donors
• Utilizes Raiser’s Edge to document all activities, interactions, and other relevant data
• Participates in advancement meetings and events, assists colleagues, and supports ongoing programs and operations as needed to help meet institutional engagement and fundraising goals

Service Excellence

Supports the mission of the University and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellence Models, supports, and holds others accountable to the University’s values Conducts meaningful and authentic donor acknowledgment and stewardship activities Cultivates strong relationships with individual donors, alumni, and friends of the University

Communication, Teamwork, and Collaboration

Advises division leaders on internal and external constituency relations Provides leadership to campus constituents regarding current and effective fundraising techniques Mentors other members of the advancement team in industry best practices

Job may require other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered.
• Additional requirements may be designated by position.
• Bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree preferred
• Minimum of three years of experience soliciting major donors and gifts
• Experience in a higher education environment, ideally including participation in a comprehensive campaign, capital campaign, or fundraising initiative for capital projects
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• May be representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this job competently.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures
• Deep understanding of the principles that drive fundraising success, including prospect discovery, donor lifecycle, storytelling, and pipeline segmentation and analysis
• Experience in writing proposals and gift agreements
• Demonstrated ability to effectively build relationships and alliances with internal and external audiences
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Knowledge of the field’s best and current concepts, practices, and procedures
• Proven track record of securing major gifts of $25,000 and above OR comparable results within a business-to-business (B2B) or inside sales setting
• Knowledge of planned giving techniques and vehicles
• Skilled in providing attention to detail
• Empathetic listener with corresponding excellence in verbal and written communication
• Ability to maintain accuracy under time pressure with multiple priorities and deadlines
• Ability to provide discretion with confidential information

Work Environment

Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of this job’s functions. Please click here to view Lindenwood University’s flexible work designation descriptions. Flexible work environment consisting of regular in-office and remote workdays as assigned by supervisor Occasional night and weekend work Serves as regional representative for Lindenwood Advancement; regular travel to assigned region to conduct donor visits and alumni engagement events Standard Flex

Physical Abilities

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Ability to work effectively at a computer for up to eight hours daily Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time Ability to lift/carry items commonly found in an office setting including, but not limited to, documents, laptops, etc. Adequately mobile to attend events on- and off-campus Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function

Equal Opportunity Employer

Lindenwood University is an Equal Opportunity employer. The University complies with appropriate federal, state, and local laws and provides equal employment opportunities and access to educational programs without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status to all qualified applicants and employees. Lindenwood University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and dedicated to providing a positive discrimination-free educational work environment. The Human Resources Division's purpose is to support the University's efforts in providing a quality education and experience for all Lindenwood students and by providing for the professional success and the personal wellness of our employees.