Director of Development, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The University of Pittsburgh is seeking a Director of Development for Innovation & Entrepreneurship to lead fundraising strategy across Pitt's innovation ecosystem, cultivating donors and partners to support entrepreneurship initiatives.

The role reports to senior leadership and works with OIE, PAE, and campus units to build partnerships, advance programs like Pitt.INC and ChangeMakers, and drive annual giving and major gifts for student and faculty ventures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 7+ years of fundraising experience.
• Experience with academic leadership is a plus.
• Track record of closing at least $1M in gifts annually.

Responsibilities

• Envision and execute a comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship philanthropy and engagement plan in partnership with OIE and PAE leadership and other campus-wide stakeholders. Efforts include entrepreneur and investor volunteer engagement opportunities, annual giving, major gifts, stewardship, and cultivation events tailored to the innovation community.
• Build, manage, and maintain a portfolio of prospective and current donors. Collaborate closely with other PAE units including MAJ, PRIN, and school-based leaders to qualify, solicit, and close gifts in the leadership, major, and principal gifts range and attain annual metric goals established by the division. While this role will have their own portfolio of prospects interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, the incumbent will also play a strong supporting role on prospect management teams where another fundraising may be the lead but the donor is interested in innovation and entrepreneurship helping to advance that piece of the philanthropic discussion.
• Be the PAE content and contact expert for philanthropy and engagement with the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, including annual fund efforts

Skills

Donor relations

Major gifts

Portfolio management

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Job Description - Director of Development, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (26006869)

Director of Development, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Medical and Health Sciences Foundation - Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh - ( 26006869 )

The Director of Development for Innovation & Entrepreneurship is responsible for discovering, cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts, developing and maintaining a strong portfolio of donors and prospects across the Pitt innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and navigating and leading strategy for innovation and entrepreneurship philanthropy across campus, schools and units. This role will serve as a strategic leader and PAE advisor/support to the University’s Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Associate Dean for Commercial Translation in the School of Medicine. This development role will plan and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies, plans, and programs for innovation constituencies including entrepreneurs, investors, corporate partners, and alumni founders while ensuring strong coordination across Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement (PAE), Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and other university-wide partners.

The DOD will gain and present an expansive knowledge of the University of Pittsburgh's innovation ecosystem and will represent the University of Pittsburgh to internal and external audiences while working with members of the University community to advance our collective mission.

Given the interdependence of various PAE and campus-wide constituencies with innovation and entrepreneurship, the DOD will orchestrate and execute partnerships across stake-holding units. While this role reports directly to PAE’s Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences & Clinical Programs Advancement, and indirectly to Pitt’s Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship & the Associate Dean for Commercial Translation in the School of Medicine, it will collaborate intentionally across campus into the provost area schools and their respective Directors of Development.

The DOD will be responsible for building and maintaining collaborative partnerships to envision and deliver a comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship philanthropy and engagement plan, including opportunities for mentorship, annual giving, and major gift support to areas across campus that enhance Pitt's innovation ecosystem and student/faculty entrepreneurship.

The DOD will scale existing engagement and fundraising work with entrepreneur and investor constituencies, while exploring new opportunities for engagement and growth., This could include innovation priorities within the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship such as Pitt.INC, the commercialization gap funding program and other emerging needs. Also includes fundraising for priorities that live within the Big Idea Center such as ChangeMakers and various pitch competitions.

Key responsibilities:

• Envision and execute a comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship philanthropy and engagement plan in partnership with OIE and PAE leadership and other campus-wide stakeholders. Efforts include entrepreneur and investor volunteer engagement opportunities, annual giving, major gifts, stewardship, and cultivation events tailored to the innovation community.
• Build, manage, and maintain a portfolio of prospective and current donors. Collaborate closely with other PAE units including MAJ, PRIN, and school-based leaders to qualify, solicit, and close gifts in the leadership, major, and principal gifts range and attain annual metric goals established by the division. While this role will have their own portfolio of prospects interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, the incumbent will also play a strong supporting role on prospect management teams where another fundraising may be the lead but the donor is interested in innovation and entrepreneurship helping to advance that piece of the philanthropic discussion.
• Be the PAE content and contact expert for philanthropy and engagement with the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, including annual fund efforts

Why Join Us?

Impactful Work: Play a crucial role in supporting the University's mission.

Collaborative Environment: Work within a supportive, innovative, and dynamic team.

Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning, professional development, and career advancement.

Competitive Benefits: Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Job Summary

Oversees development of a program, plans, and activities to create and execute a comprehensive development plan achieving new and recurring contributions to a school, foundation, program, and/or group. Manages a portfolio of major gift donors and strategically builds fundraising prospects. Assists leadership in facilitating a comprehensive communications plan and with development strategies.

Essential Functions

• Must be able to navigate around campus, including being able to walk up and down hills.
• Must be able to travel to meetings off campus, some of which may not be in Pittsburgh.
• Must be able to use a computer.

Physical Effort

Light - Little physical effort required. Duties are primarily sedentary. May be required to move objects up to 25 pounds occasionally.

The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.

Assignment Category Full-time regular

Bargaining Unit Eligibility This position is bargaining unit eligible

Job Classification Staff.Development Director

Job Sub-Family Major & Principal Gifts

Campus Pittsburgh

Minimum Education Level Required Bachelor's Degree

Minimum Years of Experience Required 7

Will this position accept substitution in lieu of education or experience? Combination of education and relevant experience will be considered in lieu of education and/ or experience requirement.

Additional details about Required Licensure/Certification 7+ years of fundraising or transferrable experience, preferably within higher educationTrack record of building a fundraising program and closing at least $1M in gifts each yearExperience having worked with a Dean or another academic leaderTravel requirements – 6-8 trips per year

Work Schedule Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Work Arrangement Hybrid: Combination of On-Campus and Remote work as determined by the department.

Hiring Range TBD Based Upon Qualifications

Relocation Offered No

Visa Sponsorship Provided No

Background Check For position finalists, employment with the University will require successful completion of a background check

Child Protection Clearances Not Applicable

The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.