Director, Strategic Major Gifts

William Pateron University; New Jersey; On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Director of Development at William Pateron University leads strategic fundraising for the Cotsakos College of Business and the Honors College, partnering with academic leadership to translate priorities into donor opportunities and drive major gifts through relationship-building and strategic planning.

The role reports to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and manages a 100-125 prospect portfolio, aligning campaigns with institutional priorities, coordinating with Corporate &

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience, preferably in higher education or nonprofit environments.
• Proven success in major gift fundraising and donor relationship management.
• Experience working with academic leadership, corporate partners, alumni, foundations, and volunteer boards preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 100-125 major gift prospects, leading identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Serve as the primary development liaison to the Deans of the Cotsakos College of Business and the Honors College.
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies supporting scholarships, faculty excellence, experiential learning, and innovation initiatives.
• Collaborate with academic leadership, advancement teams, and external stakeholders to identify and advance funding opportunities.
• Build and maintain relationships with alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, and community leaders.
• Partner with Corporate and Foundation Relations and Alumni Engagement teams on donor strategy and outreach.
• Prepare proposals, stewardship reports, and donor communications aligned with institutional priorities.
• Support campaign planning, pipeline development, and fundraising goal achievement.
• Maintain accurate donor records and activity tracking within CRM systems.
• Represent the institution at events and engagement opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with ethical fundraising practices and institutional policies.
• Perform additional duties in support of advancement initiatives as assigned.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Major gifts

Donor opportunities

Campaigns & revenue

Donor relationships

Long-term partnerships

Stakeholder engagement

Interpersonal skills

Advisor to leadership

Academic alignment

Cross-department collaboration

Volunteer & board engagement

Corporate & foundation relations

Strategic partnerships

Alumni networks & events

Storytelling & case development

Proposals & donor communications

Tailored messaging

Portfolio management

CRM & data

Donor capacity analysis

Organization & multitasking

Event planning & campaigns

Independent work

Integrity & discretion

Ethical fundraising

Donor stewardship

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

The Director of Development at William Pateron University leads strategic fundraising for the Cotsakos College of Business and the Honors College, partnering with academic leadership to translate priorities into donor opportunities and drive major gifts through relationship-building and strategic planning.

The role reports to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and manages a 100-125 prospect portfolio, aligning campaigns with institutional priorities, coordinating with Corporate &