Director of Development

Southwest Baptist University; Bolivar (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO seeks a Director of Development to cultivate relationships with alumni, parents, organizations, and friends to fund the university's mission.

The role leads donor engagement, manages a donor portfolio, and develops proposals for major gifts, traveling frequently to build strategic partnerships with supporters and faculty across campus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Two years of fundraising, alumni relations, and/or public relations experience.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Five years of fundraising and management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops strategic cultivation plans with VP to advance relationships through discovery, engagement, proposal, closure, and stewardship.
• Manage donor portfolio and performance metrics with Advancement leadership.
• Engage donors through meetings, events, and regional opportunities.
• Build knowledge of SBU funding priorities and campus programs.
• Represent SBU graciously with campus and external communities.
• Develop and present major gift proposals including outright and planned gifts.
• Identify potential future donors in the assigned territory.
• Collaborate with Advancement team on events and donor stewardship.
• Maintain confidentiality of donor relationships.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Portfolio management

Communication skills

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Summary/Objective

The Director of Development serves as a development officer for Southwest Baptist University by cultivating relationships with various SBU Alumni, parents, organizations, and friends who are most strategic to charitably funding Southwest Baptist University’s mission.

Essential Job Duties

• Intentional Cultivation: Develop strategic plans with VP to advance assigned and potential relationships through stages of the development cycle: discovery, engagement, proposal, closure, and stewardship. Create a relationship development plan for each individual in an assigned portfolio that is updated and reported regularly.
• Portfolio and Performance Management: Develops and implements goals and strategies for a management system with VP for Advancement that includes donor research, donor development, wealth screenings, recommends assignments, and tracking of key performance indicators.
• Thoughtful Donor Engagement: Discern current and potential donors’ interest in SBU’s mission so that it may be contextually expressed and givers may be meaningfully involved. This is accomplished through individual meetings each year and is leveraged by campus events, regional engagement events, and service opportunities for SBU.
• Expand SBU Expertise: Develops competence in discussing with constituents all key SBU funding priorities, campus developments, tools, and resources through team-initiated and self-initiated learning, including developing relationships with SBU faculty and staff.
• Represents SBU: Interacts in gracious and meaningful ways as a key SBU representative with members of the campus community, Bolivar community, and the larger external SBU family.
• Strategic Proposals: Present and close an agreed-upon number of proposals for major gifts to SBU. Proposals will include both outright and planned gifts.
• Future Pipeline: Identify and become familiar with individuals in your territory who could become future major donors by engaging with them in the early stages of their giving relationship with SBU.
• Team Collaboration: Supports the collegial team culture of the Advancement division by contributing to the planning and execution of tradition-building initiatives designed to engage current students, alumni, parents, donors, and friends of SBU in a life-long habit of engagement, prayer, and financial support.
• Event Participation: Collaborate with Advancement teammates to plan and host the annual donor/student Scholarship Celebration luncheon, Homecoming, and annual Major Donors banquet, etc.
• Foundations: As assigned, develops and maintains relationships with strategic philanthropic foundations and provides funding usage reports as required
• Serves as a development officer in all development initiatives and campaigns
• Assures the confidentiality of all donor relationships
• Regular attendance and punctuality
• Sets an example of a Christian lifestyle for students, staff and faculty
• Commitment and adherence to Southwest Baptist University’s Principles and Expectations
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree
• Two years of experience in fundraising, alumni relations and/or public relations.

Preferred

• Master’s degree
• Five years of prior fundraising and management experience.

Work Environment

• Typical office environment. Must be able frequently to travel and work in a variety of environments. Must be able to accommodate night and weekend assignments.

Physical Abilities

• Demonstrate a strong work ethic and a high level of integrity.
• Strong organizational and computer skills.
• 40%-50% travel required, including evening and occasional weekend work.
• Communicate professionally, in written and verbal form, with alumni and donors and demonstrate excellent customer service with all constituents.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer.
• Must maintain valid Missouri Driver’s License.
• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and get in and out of the vehicle frequently during each shift.
• Must be able to exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Must be able to travel long distances by car and commercial airplane.
• Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time, transverse stairs and uneven surfaces.