Director of Development (Schools of Education, Divinity, and Social Work)

Howard University; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Howard University in Washington, DC seeks a Director of Development for the Schools of Education, Divinity, and Social Work to lead strategic fundraising and major gifts initiatives.

The role partners with Deans and leadership to build engagement, write proposals, and steward top donors. Strong communication, moves management, and data-driven reporting are essential.

This position advances the university's mission by turning donor investments into measurable impact across three schools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5 to 7 years of development experience with at least 3 years in major gifts.
• Experience with an HBCU preferred.
• Proven ability to manage high-level donor relationships.
• Excellent written and verbal communications.
• Knowledge of moves management and donor stewardship.
• Experience with Raiser's Edge database highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead fundraising strategy and management for the Schools, focusing on major gifts.
• Partner with Deans and the Executive Director to provide strategic insights.
• Design and manage engagement initiatives to support fundraising priorities for the Schools.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects with metrics.
• Write complex proposals for individual, corporate, or foundation prospects.
• Enhance cultivation and stewardship strategies with senior leadership.
• Develop knowledge about School priorities to elevate fundraising stories.
• Produce fundraising performance reports and key development metrics.
• Plan alumni and donor events in coordination with Alumni Relations.
• Provide guidance to staff involved in engagement initiatives.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Donor relationship management

Strategic planning

Proposal writing

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Job description

Director of Development (Schools of Education, Divinity, and Social Work)

Responsibilities:

• Lead fundraising strategic planning and management for the Schools, especially major individual giving, utilizing a “return on investment” strategy in managing a donor portfolio.
• Serve as the strategic partner to leadership, particularly the Deans and the Executive Director, Schools & Colleges, by providing both strategic and tactical insights.
• Conceptualize, implement, direct, and manage engagement initiatives that enhance and support fundraising priorities for the Schools.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects and donors, using metrics to track all activity and provide timely reports.
• Write complex proposals for solicitation of individual, corporate, or foundation prospects.
• Enhance cultivation and stewardship strategies for top prospects and donors through high-level engagement with the Deans, faculty, or University leaders as appropriate.
• Act as the subject matter expert on priorities for the Schools, developing and utilizing knowledge to elevate stories of the Schools’ efforts and successes.
• Assist in formulating fundraising policies and procedures, as requested, and ensure they are accurately implemented at the Schools.
• Produce fundraising performance reports and report on core development metrics to measure effectiveness.
• In coordination with the Director of Alumni Relations, plan and manage alumni, fundraising, and other special events for the Schools.
• Provide guidance and direction to staff involved in engagement initiatives and programs.

Ideal Candidate:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5 to 7 years of development experience, with at least 3 years of personal solicitation of individual major gifts.
• Experience with an HBCU preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in managing relationships with high-level prospects to secure major gifts.
• Mastery of the fundamentals of major gifts fundraising and moves management.
• A basic understanding of planned giving concepts and an ability to navigate internal processes and structures to the advancement of relationships with donors.
• Superior written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
• Creative problem-solving skills and the ability to initiate and collaborate with partners at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to work interdependently and independently in a collaborative environment is vital.
• Experience utilizing fundraising database programs (experience with Raiser’s Edge highly preferred).
• Commitment to the mission of Howard University.