Director of Development

Illinois Institute of Technology; Illinois; Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Life and long-term disabilityinsurance

403(b) retirement plan with university

Tuition assistance programs

Flexible spending and commuterBenefits

Employee assistance program

University holidays

Paid and job-protected leave benefits

Job summary

Illinois Institute of Technology is seeking a Director of Development to lead major gift fundraising and manage a portfolio of prospects focused on $100,000+ commitments. The role guides donor engagement, cultivation, and stewardship across university priorities and academic units.

You will conduct donor visits, develop tailored solicitation strategies, and collaborate with leadership to achieve annual revenue goals while ensuring accurate donor activity records in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of fundraising experience with direct donor engagement and solicitation.
• Demonstrated success closing major gifts.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects (125+) and target $100,000+ gifts.
• Conduct approximately 100 donor visits per year with at least 20 solicitations.
• Develop cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Ensure timely documentation in donor systems and prepare proposals and donor communications.
• Collaborate with leadership and PRM for portfolio optimization.
• Represent Advancement at donor events and internal meetings.

Skills

Donor engagement

Closing major gifts

Communication

Organization

Education

Advanced degree

Tools

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT

Job description

Together, we can build a university where students of all backgrounds can prepare for meaningful roles in a changing society. For more than 130 years, this has been our guiding purpose. At Illinois Tech we are looking for purpose-driven individuals to help us in our mission.

Join Illinois' premier technology university, renowned for elevating students from the bottom 20% to the top 20% of income (Opportunity Insights). Immerse yourself in our daily pursuit of excellence and discover the essence of our institution: Our Mission, Our Vision , Our History , and Our Accomplishments .

Discover what sets Illinois Tech apart as an exceptional place to work, and why that has earned us a place on Forbes’ America’s Best Midsize Employers lists for four years running. Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in our competitive benefits package, featuring sliding premiums for equitable access, a highly generous 403b Match Program ,and on-site fitness centers . For those looking to continue their education, Tuition Remission allows both employees and eligible dependents to take classes at Illinois Tech at no or reduced cost. Join us and help power the difference at Illinois Tech.

Illinois Tech gladly encourages its employees to apply for positions for which they are eligible and qualified as opportunities arise. For more information regarding eligibility and applying for a promotion or transfer, please read this policy and contact your HR Representative prior to applying.

The salary range for this role is $110,000-$135,000 and is commensurate with experience

Position Summary

The Director of Development is a frontline fundraiser responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift prospects capable of commitments of $100,000+. Directors manage a portfolio of prospects and support the university’s fundraising priorities across all academic units. Directors are assigned based on institutional priorities and will have primary fundraising responsibility for one or more academic units.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects (approximately 125), with capacity of $100,000+.
• Conduct approximately 100 donor visits per year, including at least 20 formal solicitations (may include blended or planned gifts).
• Qualify prospective donors through discovery to assess philanthropic interest, capacity, and alignment with university priorities.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies aligned with academic unit priorities.
• Achieve annual revenue goals aligned with experience and unit priorities (generally ~$1M–$3M).
• Maintain strong stewardship practices and solicit annual leadership gifts from assigned prospects.
• Partner with Managing Director and Prospect Research & Management (PRM) for portfolio optimization and pipeline development.
• Participate in regular portfolio reviews with the Managing Director and PRM.
• Prepare proposals, gift agreements, and donor correspondence in collaboration with Donor Relations and Gift Administration.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation of all prospect activity in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT; adhere to stage movement and data integrity standards.
• Prepare briefing materials for meetings involving deans, faculty, or university leadership.
• Participate in Advancement meetings, prospect strategy reviews, and professional development trainings.

3) Academic Partnerships – 15%

• Serve as key liaison for one or more academic units; align fundraising strategies with dean-defined priorities and program needs.
• Develop deep knowledge of university and unit priorities. Partner with faculty and program leaders and understand student success initiatives, to align donor interests with institutional needs.
• Represent Advancement at donor and university events as assigned.
• Contribute to special projects and cross-unit initiatives that advance institutional and campaign fundraising goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of fundraising (or closely related) experience with direct donor engagement and solicitation.
• Demonstrated success closing major gifts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• 7+ years of frontline major gift experience.
• Experience with STEM and/or professional school donors.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT.

Work Environment & Conditions

• Periodic out-of-state travel.

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision coverage
• life and long-term disability insurance
• a 403(b) retirement plan with university contributions and matching for eligible employees
• tuition assistance programs
• flexible spending and commuter benefits
• an employee assistance program
• university holidays
• and applicable paid and job-protected leave benefits

Eligibility, waiting periods, employee contributions, and coverage levels vary by benefit and position.

Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in our competitive benefits package located here: Benefits Summary