Executive Director, Leadership Giving

University of Miami; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Miami is seeking an Executive Director, Leadership Giving to lead fundraising efforts in Coral Gables, FL. This full-time role guides strategy, supervises development activities, and drives major gifts programs to meet university goals.

The position emphasizes relationship building, donor engagement, and operational excellence in advancement services, with strong focus on compliance and strategic impact across divisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum 7 years of experience; 10+ preferred.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership and alignment with university mission.
• Ability to drive operational efficiency and lead organizational change.
• Proven financial stewardship and optimization of financial performance.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across departments.

Responsibilities

• Creates and strengthens relationships with key volunteers and donors.
• Leads efforts to identify and cultivate new donors.
• Develops and implements professional development for staff and performance growth.
• Supports policy development and dissemination.
• Serves as primary contact for fundraising issues across campus and externally.
• Represents the University in discussions with donors.
• Oversees database administration and technology support.
• Analyzes advancement trends and recommends strategic improvements.
• Ensures compliance with gift acceptance rules and effective controls.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Vision & strategy

Operational transformation

Change leadership

Financial stewardship

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Innovation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field

Job description

The University of Miami, Division of Development and Alumni Relations has an exciting opportunity for a full time Executive Director, Leadership Giving to work in Coral Gables, FL. The Executive Director, Leadership Giving provides strategic guidance to fundraising units in assigned division(s) and helps establish strategic direction for the University’s fundraising efforts. The Executive Director, Development supervises and guides fundraising work and activities and sets and achieves fundraising goals. The incumbent formulates and implements ways to increase gift revenue to support the University’s funding needs and oversees programs for major and special gifts process documentation and improvement.

Core responsibilities

• Creates, maintains, and strengthens relationships with key volunteers and enhances volunteer engagement.
• Leads efforts to identify and cultivate new donors.
• Devises and implements strategies to provide professional development for staff and encourage their highest level of performance.
• Assists in the development and dissemination of fundraising policies and procedures.
• Serves as the primary contact for fundraising issues for various groups across campus and external parties.
• Represents the University in discussions, interactions, and negotiations with donors.
• Coordinates all database administration and related technology support and implements plans to improve the effectiveness of current systems.
• Analyzes current and emerging trends in advancement services and provides strategic approaches to improve the University’s current and future advancement activities.
• Ensures adherence to applicable rules and regulations concerning gift acceptance.
• Ensures internal control oversight and compliance with laws and regulations, safeguarding of assets, compliance with University policies and procedures, reliability of internal and external reporting, and efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
• Creates an effective control environment, conducts risk assessments, and implements and monitors controls.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

Core Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required.
• Minimum 7 years of experience required; minimum 10 years of relevant experience preferred.
• Strategic Leadership: Commitment to the University’s core values, mission and vision.
• Understand(s) the strategic vision and major initiatives to lead and influence across departments to achieve goals and drive strategic initiatives.
• Operational Transformation: Ability to drive operational efficiency.
• Change Leadership: Ability to lead organizational change initiatives, fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability.
• Financial Stewardship: Ensures fiscal responsibility, and optimization of financial performance.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging and communicating with key stakeholders, building strategic partnerships, and enhancing the university's reputation.
• Innovation: Drives innovation by encouraging/implementing innovative solutions and driving continuous improvement.
• Communication: Ability to influence others, articulate strategic vision, and ensure clear and persuasive communication.
• Any relevant education, certifications and/or work experience may be considered.

The University of Miami is recognized as one of the nation’s premier research institutions and academic health systems and is among the largest employers in South Florida. With more than 20,000 faculty and staff, the University is committed to excellence and guided by a mission to positively impact the lives of students, patients, and communities locally and globally. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute meaningfully. United by shared values, the University community works together to build an environment defined by purpose, collaboration, and service.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.

Job Status: Full time Employee Type: Staff

The mission of the University of Miami is to transform lives through education, research, innovation, and service. A vibrant and diverse academic and healthcare community, the University of Miami and the University of Miami Health System ("UHealth") have rapidly progressed to become one of the nation’s top research universities and academic medical centers in the nation. The University comprises 12 schools and colleges serving undergraduate and graduate students in more than 350 majors and programs. Visit welcome.miami.edu/about-um to learn more about our points of pride.

The University ranks No. 55 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Colleges list and ranked No. 49 in the 2022 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is ranked the #1 eye hospital in the USA and offers some of the nation's premiere eye doctors to treat every eye condition for adults. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer, part of the Miller School of Medicine, received the prestigious National Cancer Institute designation in 2019. The University of Miami and UHealth have also ranked among the Forbes Best Employers and Best Employers for Women on several occasions, most recently in 2022. With more than 17,000 faculty and staff, the University strives for excellence, and is driven by a powerful mission to transform and impact the lives of its students, patients, members of the community, and people across the globe.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.