Executive Director of Development

University of Wisconsin La Crosse; Town of Bangor (WI); On-site; USD 123,000 - 167,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Excellent health insurance

Retirement benefits

Job summary

The Executive Director of Development at UW-La Crosse leads fundraising operations, directing a major giving program and supervising a team within University Advancement.

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor of Advancement and Foundation leadership, the EDD builds donor pipelines, engages alumni and friends, and partners with academic units to meet annual goals. Travel up to 25% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Proven major and principal gift fundraising experience.
• Strong leadership and communication skills (verbal, written, listening).
• Self-motivated with the ability to lead initiatives independently.
• Demonstrated organizational management and attention to detail.
• Time management skills to juggle complex tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a dynamic team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Proven fundraising results and success in achieving or exceeding benchmarks.
• Prior nonprofit or higher education development experience.

Responsibilities

• Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of approximately 75 major and principal gift prospects.
• Supervise a team of major gift officers.
• Develop and manage donor discovery, cultivation, and solicitation workplans to achieve fundraising metrics.
• Establish campaign-ready prospect pipelines toward the university’s first comprehensive campaign.
• Collaborate with Alumni & Friends Foundation and campus leaders to engage donors.
• Attend events to identify and cultivate prospects.

Skills

Major Gift Fundraising Experience

Leadership Communication

Independent Leadership

Organizational Management

Time Management

Independent & Team Work

Microsoft Office Proficiency

Cross-functional Collaboration

Fundraising Benchmarks

Nonprofit/Higher Ed Experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any ofthe Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply throughthe internal application process.

Position Title

Executive Director of Development

Job Category

Limited

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Development Director (B)

Job Duties

As an integral member of the University Advancement team, theExecutive Director of Development (“EDD”) plays a key leadershiprole in the fundraising operations of the University and the UW-LaCrosse Alumni & Friends Foundation. In partnership with theVice Chancellor of University Advancement/Foundation President, theEDD will provide leadership and direction to the Development Teamutilizing industry best practices to implement and execute a majorgiving program. The Development Team includes Annual Giving,Leadership Annual Giving, Major Giving, and Principal Giving. TheTeam is supported by Advancement Services and Prospect Management,Strategic Alumni Engagement, Operations, and Finance Teams. The EDDis responsible for being the principal gift officer in addition toleading a team which achieves annual fundraising metrics andgoals.

• Candidate must be able to travel via all modes oftransportation. Must have a valid Driver’s License. Positionrequires significant time using telephones and computers.
• Local, regional and national travel required (up to 25%). Someevenings and weekends are required as well.

The review of applications starts on November 20, 2026.Applications received on or before November 20th areprioritized and review will continue until the position(s) is/arefilled. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, withshortlisted candidates invited to campus.

UW-La Crosse does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visasponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legallyauthorized to work in the United States at the time of hire andmaintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If youhave questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources at608-785-8013.

Key Job Responsibilities

Focusing on donor solicitation, the Executive Director of Development works closely with Alumni & Friends Foundationleadership and Board of Directors as well as experienced academicand administrative leaders in one or more assigned areas. For eacharea, the Executive Director of Development is expected toestablish and execute a gift pipeline and portfolio. Keyresponsibilities may include:

Academic Unit Leadership

• Become the academic unit expert and serve as liaison betweenthe academic unit and the Alumni & Friends Foundation.Establish competency and be able to communicate on academic unitdepartments, degrees, key faculty, areas of research, programs,awards and recognition, cultivation opportunities, needs, fundinginitiatives, and other areas as appropriate.
  
• Attend events that assist in the identification, cultivation,solicitation or stewardship of major gift prospects and/ordonors.
• Meet regularly with the Dean/Director and appropriate academicunit leadership to review monthly reports by unit, and to discusskey prospect strategies, development assignments, prospectidentification, and progress to goal; and

• Educate Alumni & Friends Foundation peers as appropriateabout the academic unit.

Regional Leadership

• Cultivate philanthropic relationships with individuals andentities interested in the success of UWL by traveling in-state,regionally, and nationally to solicit prospects; and

• Achieve competency in Alumni & Friends Foundation and UWLhistory and purpose as well as an understanding of UWL’s strategicplans and priorities, academic units, funding priorities, andgeneral needs.

Development Specialty, Initiative or other Priority Leadership

• Become the expert in development specialty, initiatives, orother UWL priorities as assigned.

Collaboration with the Foundation Board of Directors, UWL Campus Partners, and Advancement Colleagues.

• Serve jointly with Director of Strategic Alumni Engagement(“DSAE”) to oversee operations for the Philanthropy &Engagement Committee of the Foundation Board

• Work in coordination with the DSAE to ensure a vibrant donorstewardship plan is developed and executed

• Engage with various campus administrative and academic leadersto ensure their engagement in the fundraising process throughregional and liaison assignments

• Work with the Advancement team to provide educationalopportunities related to deepening the culture of philanthropy withthe campus community

Execute an effective major giving program

• Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio ofapproximately 75 major and principal gift prospects

• Supervise a team of major gift officers

• Execute donor discovery, cultivation, and solicitation workplans which result in achieving annual fundraising metrics andgoals.

• Establish campaign-ready prospect pipelines toward theexecution of the university’s first comprehensive campaign.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and manage volunteer teams as appropriate to leveragegift success.

• Draft formal correspondence, proposals, and other writtenmaterials for assigned prospects.

• Collaborate with other Alumni & Friends Foundationdepartments and team members to ensure development success.

• Affect and maintain a professional, proactive, positive, highlycollaborative, and performance-centric work environment; and
• Complete all other duties as assigned by supervisor (ViceChancellor of Advancement/Foundation President). Duties andresponsibilities may change at any time.

Department

University Advancement

Compensation

$145,000 / year to commensurate with experience andqualifications

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree.

Skills

• Proven Major and Principal Gift Fundraising Experience

• Strong leadership communication skills including verbal,written, and listening

• Self-motivated and able to lead initiatives independently

• Demonstrated organizational management and attention todetail

• Time management skills-able to juggle complex tasks and meetdeadlines

• Can work both independently and as part of a dynamic team

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

• Proven team player with interest and ability to work acrossfunctions and teams

• Commitment to the vision, mission and values of UWL

• Proven fundraising results and success in achieving/exceedingbenchmarks

Experience

• Prior non-profit or higher education development experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Seven years or more of demonstrated major gift/principle giftfundraising, preferably in higher education

• Experience leading a successful fundraising campaign

• Proficient in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge database

Contact Information

Allison Ziegelman [e-mail]

Application deadlines

TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION: Priority consideration is given tothose candidates who apply by the listed ‘First Review Date’. Applications received after that date may be considered at the discretion of the search committee. Application materials will beevaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Incompleteand/or late application materials may not receive consideration. Ifyou have questions regarding this recruitment, or if you are notable to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact the Office of Human Resources.

Confidentiality of Applicant Materials

UWL is a state agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law.UWL will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants whorequest confidentiality in writing except as may be required byWisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of theappointed applicant must be revealed upon request.

CBC & Reference Check Policy

All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employmentscreening which includes a criminal background check, workauthorization, and verification of education. It will also requireyou and your references to answer questions regarding sexualviolence and sexual harassment.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., CleryReport), which includes statistics about reported crimes andinformation about campus security policies, see http://www.uwlax.edu/student-life/student-resources/annual-security-report/ or contact the University Police Department at 608.785.9000.

INFORMATIONABOUTYOURBENEFITS

Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financialpackage from the university.

• Paid vacation for 12-month positions.

• Excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and goodcoverage.

• Paid holidays and paid sick days.
• After 5 years of employment, you become vested in ourretirement system which ensures income post-career.

• Benefits atUWLare highly competitive with local industry andsome of the strongest in state and nation.

Benefit eligibility is determined at the point of hire. Thisinformation is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefitsare also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employmentwithout regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability,status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected byapplicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We arecommitted to building a workforce that represents a variety ofbackgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualifiedindividuals to apply.