Director of Regional Development

BlueSteps Connect; United States; Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

BlueSteps Connect seeks a Director of Regional Development for the Upper Midwest to manage major gift prospects and drive $125K+ commitments in a hybrid role across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Michigan.

You will lead regional donor strategies, coordinate with college advancement colleagues and internal teams, and travel as needed to deepen relationships and advance philanthropic goals in Catholic higher education.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional development activities across the Upper Midwest.
• Collaborate with advancement stakeholders and college colleagues to set donor strategy.
• Travel as needed to build and maintain major gift relationships and solicit commitments.

Job description

the client is seeking a Director of Regional Development, Upper Midwest to directly manage a portfolio of major gift prospects interested in supporting the client. In this hybrid role, the director will identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit prospective donors and will work toward commitments of $125K or greater. The position partners closely with college advancement colleagues and the assistant vice president, regional development, to advance philanthropic goals across the region.

Working to build strong donor relationships, the director is expected to oversee prospect strategy from early engagement through solicitation, coordinating with internal advancement teams to align outreach and stewardship. The role emphasizes a people-first, donor-centered approach and supports an advancement organization focused on raising performance in Catholic higher education fundraising, with a collaborative, purpose-driven culture.

The director can work anywhere in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, or Michigan, provided they are able to travel as needed. Core responsibilities include leading regional development activities, collaborating with advancement stakeholders, and contributing to organizational standards for high-quality, relationship-based fundraising. Additional core competencies and qualifications will be detailed in the full prospectus.