Director of Institutional Support

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Chesterbrook (PA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastern University is seeking a Director of Institutional Support to build and manage a comprehensive program engaging philanthropic institutions to support the University’s priorities. You will identify, solicit, and steward foundations, corporations, government and church funders, preparing foundation proposals and advancing strategic partnerships.

Reporting to the VP for Advancement, you will lead a team, set goals, coordinate with faculty and administrators, supervise budgets, and ensure

Qualifications

• Three to five years of advancement experience with progressive responsibility.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Demonstrated success in generating funds from institutional sources.
• Knowledge of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for institutional fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage a comprehensive development plan for institutional support.
• Develop proposals and manage institutional relationships to meet funding goals.
• Maintain moves management and prepare fundraising proposals.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to uncover fundraising opportunities.
• Oversee budget, reporting, and coordination with Finance.
• Lead and mentor the Institutional Support team.

Skills

Advancement experience

Fundraising expertise

Relationship building

Proposal writing

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Position Description

Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Director of Institutional Support is responsible for the development of a comprehensive program for strategically engaging philanthropic institutions and partners to generate support for the University’s priorities. The Director will work closely with administrators, faculty, and program staff to help identify, solicit, and steward institutional prospects and donors, including the preparation of foundation, corporate, government and church funding proposals. He/she will possess the strategic ability to elevate outcomes from the University’s grants programs in order to significantly impact our programs and priorities.

Position Responsibilities

Strategy

Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive proactive development plan focused on expanding and enhancing key relationships by directing and coordinating activities related to obtaining support from institutions such as foundations, corporations, government and churches. Develop high value corporate alliances and identify, evaluate, cultivate and solicit five- and particularly six figure (and larger) philanthropic commitments to support the mission and goals of the University. Assist in determining annual giving goals for grant funding and build strategic and tactical plans for achieving these goals in partnership with the Vice President for Advancement and the Associate Vice President for Advancement.

Generation

Manage a prospect pool of institutional funders and prospects with annual goals for visits, solicitations and giving outcomes. Develop highly competitive proposals and manage institutional relationships in support of university goals and priorities. Maintain a rigorous strategy of awareness building within institutional representatives, creating moves management plans, compelling presentations and comprehensive fundraising proposals. Monitor proposal deadlines, write/edit proposals, and manage proposal/LOI applications averaging a minimum of four monthly submissions.

Research

Work closely with Advancement colleagues, faculty, staff, and administration to uncover opportunities and significantly expand fundraising relationships among corporate and foundation constituencies. Identify key alumni within corporations/foundations/churches and keep current on foundation trends and corporate profiles that suggest potential relationships because of common interests.

Stewardship

Maintain a high-quality stewardship process for active institutional donors. Ensure that stewardship and reporting requirements are met with excellence and timeliness in order to transform programmatic support into successful, long-term philanthropic partnerships.

Replication

Engage faculty, administrators, and staff and prepare them for involvement in the grant‑seeking process. Initiate opportunities for faculty, administrators, and deans to interact with institutional prospects and interpret corporate and foundation interests to university constituencies. Work directly with the campus deans/faculty to develop grant applications and to initiate the cultivation/fundraising process.

Administration

Supervise the daily operations, including budget. Submit plans, maintain progress reports and manage budgets to track revenue and expenses. Ensure Vice President & AVP for Advancement are briefed on all aspects of progress, challenges, and successes. Coordinate with the Finance Office to ensure the timely and thorough use of funds for purposes outlined by the funding source, and communication of proposed variances to use of funds as necessary. Collaborate with Finance and Institutional Research on the collection and analysis of budget information for cost applications as well as grant reports.

Leadership & Supervision

Coach, mentor, and directly lead a growing team that includes the Assistant Director of Institutional Support and additional hires that may occur overtime. Provide appropriate direction, feedback, and instructions so employees under the Director’s supervision feel supported, have clarity about responsibilities, and are held accountable to deliver on them in a timely manner while adhering to the highest standards of quality and ethics.

Status

Staff, full‑time, salaried, exempt, 40 hours per week, 12 months per year.

Qualifications

Work Conditions and Additional Position Requirements

• This position requires the incumbent to engage institutional donors and prospects throughout the region; some travel will be necessary.
• Work venues vary from office, to virtual, to networking events, to presentations, to large and small meetings and interactions with individuals, involving a variety of environments.
• Evening/weekend work may be required on occasion.
• Limited physical exertion is involved.
• The ability to coordinate a variety of tasks simultaneously and manage to retain a positive attitude within a goal‑oriented environment is required.

Required

• Enthusiastic support for the distinctive mission and vision of Eastern University.
• Three (3) to five (5) years of advancement experience with evidence of progressive responsibility and success in developing relationships and securing funds.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Demonstrated record of success in generating significant levels of financial support from institutional sources preferred.
• Knowledge of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques, particularly in the area of institutional fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability in proposal writing for a variety of institutional priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of methods for obtaining information about the giving programs of corporations, foundations, and government programs.
• Understanding of local, state, federal government systems as they pertain to higher education.
• Ability to maintain a high level of poise and professionalism in all circumstances.
• Ability to initiate and build relationships with prospective institutional donors, and interact via Zoom, phone, and in person with institutional representatives.
• Demonstrated ability to take primary responsibility for a diverse number of projects and to complete them in a timely manner with limited supervision.
• Self‑motivation and discipline to regularly set and achieve work goals.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and networking skills with both groups and individuals are essential.
• Embody values of caring and compassion, justice and integrity, competence and affirmation.
• Seeks to treat each member of the campus community with fairness, dignity and respect seeking a spirit of unity and harmony as we join together to achieve our common mission.
• Familiarity with fundraising software systems preferred, such as Raiser’s Edge, Wealth Engine, and Foundation Search.
• Experience in an academic setting preferred, with an understanding of and appreciation for a private, liberal arts education.