Program Director for Principal Gifts

CASE; Rochester (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Oakland University seeks a Program Director for Principal Gifts to lead daily and strategic operations of the Principal Gifts team within University Advancement. You will map complex donor engagement, manage timelines, and prepare executive materials, working with senior leaders to deepen donor affinity.

You will craft customized prospect communications, including proposals and executive summaries, and coordinate with Prospect Management and Research to oversee the prospect list and engagement

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Business, Marketing or related area.
• At least four years of experience in advancement, donor relations, engagement, strategic communications, or related field.
• Knowledge of fundraising processes, strategy and relationship management.
• Ability to establish, maintain and strengthen relationships with significant donors.
• Outstanding project management and ability to balance complex projects across multiple stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, including proposals and donor communications.
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives, boards or volunteer leaders.
• Experience coordinating high-profile meetings, events, visits involving senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Requires some evenings and weekends for events.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the president’s regional donor engagement and prepare for off‑site donor visits and travel.
• Develop and manage strategic donor engagement initiatives with campus partners.
• Prepare briefs, agendas, and all materials for donor meetings.
• Report updates on donor prospects, strategy, next steps, and needs to advancement leadership.

Skills

Project management

Donor relations

Strategic communications

Relationship management

Proposal writing

Executive engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business, Marketing or related area

Tools

Raiser's Edge

CRM software

Job description

The Program Director for Principal Gifts reports to the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Philanthropy in University Advancement and works directly with the Office of the President for Oakland University. This position plays a key role in managing the daily and strategic operational functions for the Principal Gifts team through high level strategy and execution of complex donor engagement mapping, managing timelines, and managing considerations associated with high-level donor engagement activities that deepen affinity to the University. This position ensures that briefings, agendas, and all preparation materials are available and communicated in an effective manner. This position will also support strategic, customized prospect communication including writing proposals, executive summaries, white papers and other correspondence. This position will work collaboratively with all levels of the organization, especially Prospect Management and Research, to maintain the organization and oversight of the full principal gift prospect list. Responsibilities include convening campus partners and advising the team on the development of successful coordinated strategies aimed to maximize the life‑time engagement and support of these prospects. This position plays a critical role in the coordination of Presidential donor activity and ensuring engagements are thoughtful, intentional, and purposeful. The Program Director will give updates on these prospects and their strategy, next‑steps, and needs to the advancement leadership team and the President. The position will coordinate the president’s regional donor engagement and prepare for off – site donor visits and travel.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Business, Marketing or a related area or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• A minimum of four (4) years of experience in advancement, donor relations, engagement, strategic communications, executive engagement, higher education, or a related field
• Knowledge of fundraising processes, strategy, and relationship management tactics and the role that strategic engagement opportunities play in advancing donor relationships. .
• Ability to establish, maintain and strengthen relationships with signicant donors.
• Must be an outstanding project manager, and able to balance complex projects with competing priorities across multiple stakeholders and ability to work collegially and interact effectively with a diverse constituency.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including proposal writing, executive correspondence, donor communications, and presentation development
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives, boards, trustees, or volunteer leaders.
• Experience coordinating high-profile meetings, events, visits, and relationship-building activities involving senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• This position requires a high level of phone communication, very limited travel and the ability to work events in the evenings and weekends.