Director of Development

Position is responsible for managing and implementing development efforts to raise funds from alumni, parents, corporations, and other friends of Drury. The primary focus is on a portfolio of assigned prospects to raise major gifts of $25,000 and up. Using best practices and supported by a strong research and analytics-driven donor services team, this position will help expand identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of potential friends and major donors to fund university-wide priorities and designated projects. Regional travel is expected.  

Duties/Responsibilities: 

This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties or responsibility requirements. Employees may be required to perform other job-related instructions as requested by the supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. 

Responsible for soliciting gifts from prospects capable of supporting Drury University with gifts of $25,000 and higher. Develop and manage a portfolio of relationships, generally regionally based. Cultivate, sustain, and grow relationships with the university’s strategically important alumni, parents, and friends.  

• Coordinate and implement activities designed to increase prospect, alumni and donor engagement and secure philanthropic gifts in support of the university. Articulate the goals and priorities of the campus through excellent informal and formal communications. Write donor correspondence, contact reports and proposals, and provide updates and briefings on program status. Keep current on programs and initiatives that meet the university’s strategic objectives.  
• Works closely with the Associate Vice President and the major gifts team to maintain a successful major donor management system and active prospect review process. This includes regular activity reporting, recording relationship tracking information and analyzing cultivation and solicitation results.  
• Perform within specific activity goals including number of proposals delivered, meeting expectations. Prepare an annual portfolio plan in consultation with the EVP, AVP and Prospect Research. Contribute to a dynamic, creative and energetic team environment.  
• Works collaboratively with volunteers, advancement staff, and other university representatives to cultivate and solicit donors for university-wide priorities. Assist supervisor and team members in identifying prospective donors. Perform other duties as assigned.  
• Actively managing a portfolio of 150 assigned prospects; devising, and implementing individual cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.  

• Solicit outright and multi-year campaign commitments while achieving annual gift income goals based on an assigned prospect pool.  
• Frequent travel to meet with prospects and represent the university at regional events. Understanding and articulating the university’s campaign fundraising priorities and gift opportunities. Some travel to Springfield, MO required for Advancement initiatives and meetings. 
• Involving university leadership and volunteers in fundraising strategies with specific prospects as appropriate, including arranging visits and drafting correspondence.  
• Designing and executing Campaign events and programs in support of development activities in assigned regions.  
• Devising gift strategies for assigned prospects in a reunion cycle and in the region, collaborating with colleagues in Alumni Relations and the Annual Fund to meet reunion and annual fund goals.  

• Develop and coordinate proposals for major gifts individually and in collaboration with other development officers, planned giving colleagues, other members of the Advancement team and the campus community contributing to the University's overall success.  
• Use metrics to advise actions and strategies, maximizing fundraising effectiveness 

Required Skills/Abilities:  

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum knowledge, skills, and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• Must maintain a dedicated and professional home office location to participate remotely in meetings and activities and use to conduct business. 
•  A proven successful track record of soliciting and closing major gifts, recruiting and managing volunteers, and cultivation of major donors and donor prospects, is highly desirable.  
• Must possess exceptional interpersonal skills, ability to move alumni and volunteers forward with creativity, energy and openness to others’ input and ideas.  
• Strong written and presentation skills with proven success in soliciting funds from various constituencies.  
• Ability to travel extensively. If driving personal vehicle or university vehicle on university business, must have valid driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record. 

• Ability to represent Drury University to alumni and external constituents in a professional positive, and knowledgeable manner at all times, establishing rapport with different types of people, while being discreet and maintaining confidentiality of information and abiding by the department’s confidentiality policy on university and donor information.  
• Ability to maintain a broad knowledge base of information about the university, schools, departments, and the overall organization and to understand its unique characteristics, purposes and philosophy.  
• Ability to work closely with high-level decision makers, trustees, and other top-level volunteers. 
• Must possess the skills to collaborate, communicate and cooperatively work with faculty, staff and administration, focusing on the shared strategic goals of the university to implement the annual fund and alumni program goals.  
• Ability to understand planned giving and to bring planned giving concepts into donor discussions when necessary.  

• Experience in recruiting, training and collaboratively working with volunteers.  
• Ability to counsel with donors, alumni, and friends to deal with problems and issues in a professional, customer service-oriented manner.  
• Willingness to join professional fundraising associations, pursue professional certification, network with other higher education professionals and appropriate community organization s to represent the university and bring best practices to the annual fund and alumni programs.  
• Ability to be analytical, use and generate statistical information for tracking and reporting on overall donor activity and giving results. 
• Experience with Raisers’ Edge preferred and skilled use of Microsoft Office software, including Excel, as well as presentation, and website applications expected.  

Education and Experience:  

• Must possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a related field and a minimum of at least 5 years professional fundraising experience, with emphasis on major gifts, preferably in higher education; or an equivalent combination of experience.