Director of Development

Western University

Lebanon (OR)

On-site

USD 104,000 - 127,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Western University in Lebanon, Oregon seeks a Director of Development to lead major gifts fundraising for the colleges in the Lebanon area. Reporting to the Interim VP of Development, the DoD builds engagement programs with alumni, donors, corporations and foundations to secure gifts of $250,000+ annually and advances a strategic campaign.

The Director will maintain a top donor portfolio, collaborate with deans and senior administrators, and develop comprehensive solicitation and stewardship

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required.
4 years of fundraising experience including closing major gifts.
Excellent written, oral and presentation skills required.
Proven track record in setting and achieving ambitious goals.

Responsibilities

Develops and manages a portfolio to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects for gifts in the agreed upon range.
Writes proposals for solicitation of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects to build a giving pipeline and support college needs.
Tracks progress and results using Raiser’s Edge and follows prospect management guidelines.

Skills

Major gifts

Moves management

Strategic fundraising

Alumni engagement

Donor relations

Proposal writing

Portfolio management

Data analysis

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge/RENXT/Banner

Job description

Position Title

Director of Development

Position Control Number

998986

Type of Position

Administration

Position Status

Full-time

Department

5501-External Relations

Campus

Western University Campus-Lebanon, OR

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Interim VP of Development, the Director of Development (DoD) is dedicated to fundraising for the colleges in the Lebanon, Oregon area. The DoD will collaborate with the IVP to ensure strategies are effectively implemented. The DoD creates and implements programs of engagement between the University/college(s) and external constituencies to encourage major gifts and principal gifts totaling $250,000+ per year. The DoD will ensure the success of multiple fundraising projects, develop annual goals, work with college deans to secure and sustain support from prospective donors, including alumni, friends, employees, corporations, business, and foundations. Maintains a portfolio of top prospective donors; develops a solicitation and stewardship plan for those in assigned portfolio.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Individuals must possess the knowledge, as well as the following skills and ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Major Gift Mastery & Moves Management: Proven ability to close major/principal gifts; maintain a rigorous, data‑driven moves management process and high‑activity cadence.
Strategic Fundraising & Alignment: Expertise in building and executing fundraising plans aligned with institutional priorities, academic program needs, and campaign goals.
Comprehensive Advancement Knowledge: Broad understanding of individual, corporate, and foundation fundraising; donor relations, stewardship, alumni engagement, and pipeline development.
Leadership & Collaboration: Ability to lead through influence, mentor volunteers/staff, and partner effectively with deans, faculty, and senior administrators to advance fundraising outcomes.
Advanced Communication: Exceptional written, oral, and interpersonal skills; persuasive proposal writing; skilled in donor meetings and executive‑level briefings.
Project & Portfolio Management: Ability to work independently, prioritize across multiple initiatives, manage complex projects, and deliver results against ambitious goals.
Data & Systems Proficiency: Skilled with advancement CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, RENXT , Banner) and productivity tools; comfortable analyzing metrics and translating insights into action.
Ethics, Confidentiality, and Compliance: Commitment to CASE‑aligned ethical standards, Donor Bill of Rights, and confidentiality requirements, including FERPA and HIPAA .
Analytical & Critical Thinking: Strong organizational, analytical, and decision‑making skills; adept at identifying risks, solving problems, and optimizing processes.
Digital Fundraising & Integrated Campaigns: Familiarity with online giving, email, social media, and content strategies that enhance donor acquisition, retention, and stewardship.
Informed Donor Engagement: Ability to engage diverse donor communities with cultural competence and inclusive practices that reflect WesternU’s values.
Bring Your Best Self to Work: Consistently demonstrate respect, compassion, and integrity in interactions with colleagues, donors, and partners; foster a positive, collaborative, and inclusive workplace culture.
Demonstrate a commitment to working in an organization that values and promotes humanism.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required.

Experience:

4 years of fundraising experience including closing major gifts from individuals.
Has a proven track record in setting and achieving ambitious goals.
Excellent written, oral and presentation skills required.

Preferred Qualifications

Key Responsibilities

Develops and manages a portfolio to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects for gifts in the agreed upon range.
Ensures that predetermined fundraising goals are met. Writes proposals for solicitation of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects with a focus on developing an individual giving pipeline, sustaining and enhancing corporate philanthropy, and developing initiatives to support the colleges and continued student success. Develops detailed gift opportunities tailored to the interest of potential major donors, consistent with established needs and priorities of the University and the college(s).
As part of engagement efforts, initiate proactive contact and develop meaningful and effective development prospects for donors and prospective donors to showcase unique opportunities for support; Track progress and results utilizing Raiser’s Edge and follow WesternU’s prospect management and stewardship guidelines.

Strategic Reporting, Cross‑Functional Collaboration, and Compliance:

Track and analyze portfolio performance, pipeline movement, and campaign results for the college; prepare regular reports and insights for the AVP , Dean(s), and senior leadership; use data to refine strategy and improve outcomes.
Collaborate with marketing/communications, alumni relations, and events to design integrated donor engagement and stewardship campaigns (digital and in‑person) that elevate the donor experience and the college(s)’ brand.
Ensure adherence to WesternU policies, prospect management protocols, ethical standards, and relevant regulations (e.g., FERPA / HIPAA ); continuously improve processes and documentation within Raiser’s Edge/ RENXT /Banner.
Maintain professional development in contemporary fundraising practices (principal gifts strategy, digital engagement, corporate/foundation trends, humanistic philanthropy) and share best practices with colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

Recruits, trains, and supports key volunteers to assist in advancement efforts.
Organizes and directs donor solicitation involving key volunteers and academic leaders and participates in major donor solicitations. Enlists the involvement of the College faculty, the Dean and other senior administrators in their contact with volunteers and prospective donors.

Key Responsibilities

Supports other fundraising activities.
Attends events as needed to support fundraising needs.
Other duties as assigned.

Posting Details Continued

Work Schedule

The working hours will be 8am-5pm with some nights and weekend hours.

We believe in making an impact in the lives of our employees, personally, and professionally. Every employee has different individual and/or family needs. We offer benefits that are both comprehensive and flexible to address your unique needs. We believe work-life harmony is positive and achievable.

We offer competitive salaries, generous paid time off, insurance plans, reimbursements, and retirement benefits. Additionally,

Our faculty, staff, and administrators are 100% focused on student success.
Our University culture creates the context for a nurturing and supportive environment.
Faculty, staff, and students can expect to make deep, personal relationships within the University community.
As a Faculty, Staff, or Student at WesternU, you can focus on work that you love, be your authentic self, and lead to the future with innovation in health sciences.
WesternU’s core value of humanism encourages all to bring their whole self in all that they do.
We are committed to fostering a culture of respect, equity, collaboration, and fun at all levels for all people!

Expected Pay Scale

Minimum

Minimum $115,000.00 Annually

Maximum

Maximum $115,000.00 Annually

Physical Demands

Do the essential functions of this job require lifting?

Do the essential functions of this job require lifting? Yes

If yes, list maximum weight and duration

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by any employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, use hands, and reach with hands and arms in order to operate a PC in the performance of job duties, and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job includes close, distance, and peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to focus. Individual must be able to travel to meet with individual prospects/donors in their homes, offices and other locations.

Describe Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Duties are normally performed in the homes or offices of other people or in a typical office setting. The noise level in these settings is usually fairly quiet.

Posting Information

Posting Number

A00965

Posting Date

02/05/2026

Close Date

02/05/2027

Open Until Filled

Yes

Conditions of Employment - Background Check

To secure employment, successful fulfillment of a background check, including a criminal records check, may be required. Western University of Health Sciences will extend a conditional offer of employment, subject to rescission if the background check unveils disqualifying information or if it is found that the candidate deliberately withheld or misrepresented information. Non-completion of the background check to satisfaction may impact the ongoing employment of a current Western University of Health Sciences employee who received a conditional offer for the position.

Pay Transparency Act

Pay Transparency Act- Western University of Health Sciences is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range considers various factors in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The Expected Pay Scale is defined as the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Placement within the Expected Pay Scale is determined by internal equity and relevant qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Statement (EEO)

It is the policy of Western University to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment as required by law without regard to age, race, color, national origin ancestry, citizenship, ethnicity, creed, religion or religious creed, sex or gender (including gender identity), marital status, sexual orientation, disability (both physical and mental) including HIV and AIDS, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), pregnancy (which includes childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), age, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other applicable protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.This policy applies to all employment practices within WesternU including without limitation, hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoffs, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. WesternU makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merits, and business needs at the time.

Required Documents