Executive Director, Development

New Jersey Institute of Technology; Nebraska; On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark seeks an accomplished fundraising professional to serve as Executive Director of Development within University Advancement. The role leads major gifts efforts, cultivates relationships with alumni and partners, and translates institutional priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.

The successful candidate will shape strategies, manage a significant donor portfolio, and travel as needed to secure five- and six-figure gifts, while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• 3–5 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Proven success securing five- and six-figure gifts.
• Experience managing a substantial major gift portfolio.
• Ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward donor relationships.
• Strong written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to collaborate with senior leaders and volunteers.
• Willingness to travel and work occasional evenings/weekends.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and strategic partners.
• Identify, solicit, and close major gifts (five and six figures).
• Develop gift strategies aligned with NJIT priorities.
• Conduct personal donor visits and briefings to advance solicitations.
• Prepare proposals and solicitation materials for major gifts.
• Coordinate with colleagues to move prospects through the cycle.
• Maintain a disciplined donor pipeline and track progress toward goals.
• Develop annual and multi-year fundraising plans for portfolios.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Major gifts

Donor relationship management

Excellent communication

Project management

Experience with databases

Travel

Evenings/weekends availability

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Job description

Title

Executive Director, Development

Reports To

Associate Vice President, Planned Giving and Major Gifts

Position Summary

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) seeks an accomplished, strategic, and relationship-oriented fundraising professional to serve as Executive Director of Development within University Advancement. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Major and Planned Giving, the Executive Director will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of major gift prospects in support of NJIT’s institutional priorities.

The Executive Director will develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies designed to secure significant philanthropic support from alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, and other friends of the university. The position will work closely with university leadership, faculty, volunteers, and colleagues throughout University Advancement to translate institutional priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities while building long-term relationships with donors.

The successful candidate will be an experienced fundraiser with a demonstrated record of securing major gifts, strong interpersonal and communication skills, exceptional organizational abilities, and the capacity to work effectively in a complex research university environment. The Executive Director will be expected to manage a significant portfolio of prospects and donors, with particular emphasis on identifying and closing five and six-figure gifts.

Essential Functions

• Manage a portfolio of high-capacity individuals, corporations, foundations, and other prospective donors, developing individualized strategies for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and close major gifts, with a particular focus on gifts of five and six-figures and, where appropriate, transformational philanthropic commitments.
• Develop sophisticated gift strategies that align donor interests and philanthropic objectives with NJIT’s institutional priorities.
• Conduct personal visits and other meaningful donor interactions to establish and deepen relationships.
• Prepare and present proposals, briefing materials, solicitation strategies, and other materials necessary to secure major gifts.
• Coordinate with University Advancement colleagues to ensure effective prospect movement and appropriate engagement throughout the fundraising cycle.
• Maintain a disciplined pipeline of qualified prospects and demonstrate consistent progress toward annual fundraising goals.
• Develop and implement annual and multi-year fundraising plans for assigned portfolios, schools, colleges, programs, or institutional priorities.
• Develop strategies for moving prospects through the donor cycle and ensure appropriate next steps are documented and executed.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of prospect and donor activity in Raiser’s Edge
• Regularly assess portfolio composition and prioritize prospects based on capacity, affinity, engagement, and readiness for solicitation.
• Establish strong working relationships with faculty leadership, department chairs, faculty members, and other university leaders.
• Serve as a strategic fundraising advisor to academic and administrative leaders, helping translate institutional goals into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
• Prepare university leaders and volunteers for donor meetings, cultivation activities, and solicitations.
• Accompany university leadership on donor visits and assist in developing individualized engagement and solicitation strategies.
• Help strengthen a culture of philanthropy throughout NJIT by educating faculty and staff about the role of private support.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in major gifts, planned giving, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, advancement operations, alumni engagement, communications, and donor relations.
• Coordinate fundraising activity across portfolios to ensure a strategic and unified approach to donor engagement.

Prerequisite Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, preferably in higher education or other complex nonprofit environment.
• Demonstrated success securing five and six-figure gifts
• Proven experience managing a substantial portfolio of major gift prospects and donors.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with senior university leaders, donors, volunteers, alumni, and external partners.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and project-management skills.
• Experience working with advancement databases and prospect-management systems.
• Willingness and ability to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or additional professional credentials.
• Working knowledge of Raiser’s Edge database
• Experience working within a research university or similarly complex institution.
• Experience with comprehensive or capital campaigns.
• Experience securing transformational gifts and/or managing major gift prospects.
• Experience working with academic deans, faculty, senior administrators, and volunteer leadership.
• Familiarity with planned giving and other sophisticated philanthropic vehicles.

Department

University Advancement

Compensation

$120,000 - $140,000

At the university's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be exempted where the candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

Range

Non-Aligned -9

NJIT considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, or other items. To learn more about the comprehensive benefits NJIT offers for this position, please visit our benefits page: https://hr.njit.edu/health-benefits.

Flsa

Exempt

Time Type

Full time

Pay Rate

Salary

Additional Information

As an EEO employer NJIT is committed to building a diverse and inclusive teaching, research, and working environment and strongly encourages applications from individuals with disabilities, minorities, veterans, and women.

Employment at NJIT is subject to the provisions of New Jersey First Act which mandates new employees, who are not NJ residents, to establish primary residence in New Jersey within one year of their appointment to certain positions. The law does not apply to any individual employed at NJIT on a temporary or per semester basis as a visiting or adjunct professor, teacher, lecturer, researcher or administrator. For more information on the act please click here.

If special accommodations are needed in applying for a position, please visit the Department of Human Resources located in Fenster Hall, 5th Floor, University Heights, Newark, NJ 07102 or call [phone]. If you have questions, please email the Human Resources Department at [e-mail].

Information regarding NJIT campus security, personal safety, and fire safety including topics such as, disciplinary procedures, crime prevention, NJIT Police law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, and crime statistics for the most recent three year period is available on the NJIT Department of Public Safety here.

NJIT is an E-Verify employer and uses E-Verify to confirm work authorization of each new hire.