Director of Development, Advancement

Lipscomb University; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Lipscomb University is seeking a Director of Development to build and manage a portfolio of major gift donors, cultivating relationships that fuel Lipscomb’s mission. You will travel to meet donors, solicit gifts, and steward partnerships that advance the university’s programs and students.

You’ll partner with academic and university leaders, telling stories that connect Lipscomb’s impact to donor generosity, while guiding a team to achieve fundraising goals and uphold Lipscomb’s Statement of

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of frontline major gift fundraising experience.
• Track record of closing gifts of $25K+.
• Ability to move donors through moves management.

Responsibilities

• Build a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors ($25K+), with a goal of $2M+ annually once ramped.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships as genuine friendships built on trust.
• Collaborate with deans and university leadership to translate programs into donor stories.
• Collaborate with Prospect Research and the development team to support campaign strategy.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Moves management

Prospect research

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Raiser's Edge NXT

Job description

At Lipscomb University, we believe generosity changes lives - and we're looking for a gifted relationship-builder to help make that generosity possible. As Director of Development, you'll spend your days doing what you do best: connecting with people, hearing their stories, and inviting them into a mission worth investing in. You'll build a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects, walk alongside them as friends of the university, and help them discover the joy of giving generously toward something eternal.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Development, you'll partner closely with academic and university leaders to understand what Lipscomb needs most and turn that into a compelling invitation for donors. You'll work alongside a Development team that believes fundraising, done well, is really just an extension of ministry - building trust, telling the truth, and helping people live generously. If you're energized by people, driven by purpose, and ready to help write the next chapter of Lipscomb's story, we'd love to meet you.

Here's what you'll be doing:

Building Real Relationships

• Carry a portfolio of 100-120 major gift prospects and donors capable of giving $25K+, with a goal of raising $2M+ a year once you're fully up and running
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward these relationships - not as transactions, but as genuine friendships built on trust
• Get on the road and in the room regularly, visiting donors in person and virtually, because the best fundraising happens face to face

Making Donors Feel Genuinely Valued

• Deliver a donor experience people remember - timely updates, personal notes, and thoughtful surprises that show you were paying attention
• Make sure every gift, no matter the size, gets a timely and heartfelt thank-you
• Help plan and host donor experiences and events that let people see and feel the impact of their generosity firsthand

Connecting Campus to Community

• Partner with deans, faculty, and university leadership to understand what students and programs need most, and translate that into a story donors can rally behind
• Be the trusted go-between when faculty and staff want to engage a donor - making sure it's done thoughtfully and well
• Keep learning about Lipscomb's programs, people, and mission so you can speak about them with real credibility and heart

Playing Well With Your Team

• Work hand-in-hand with Prospect Research to find and qualify new major donor relationships
• Show up for your Development teammates and the broader campaign strategy, not just your own goals
• Keep your portfolio organized and up to date in Raiser's Edge NXT - good stewardship starts with good records

What You Bring

You've done this before. You have 5-7 years of frontline major gift fundraising experience and a track record of closing gifts of $25,000 or more. You know the rhythm of moves management and you're comfortable managing a full pipeline.

You're a natural connector. People open up to you quickly - donors, faculty, university leaders, strangers at an event. You have the emotional intelligence and warmth to build trust fast and the follow-through to keep it.

You tell a good story. You can make anyone excited about what's happening at Lipscomb - the students, the programs, the mission - through genuine, compelling storytelling rather than a rehearsed pitch.

You're driven and organized. You're a self-starter who can manage competing priorities, a full calendar, and real travel without losing sight of the relationships at the center of it all.

You live out the mission, not just talk about it. Your Christian faith is active and growing, and it shows up in how you treat people - with integrity, humility, and genuine warmth. You support and affirm Lipscomb's Statement of Faith and want to see that lived out in your work every day.

Nice to have:

• A master's degree
• Experience with Raiser's Edge NXT or a similar CRM
• Comfort working alongside deans, faculty, and academic leaders across a variety of disciplines

Education Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelors (required)

Equal Opportunity Employer

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