Executive Director of Advancement

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Executive Director of Advancement will lead strategic direction for several fundraising areas for the College, including external relations, foundation and corporation, and planned giving fundraising at the College. This position will oversee the current Director of Planned Giving, and supervisory responsibilities may continue to expand in the Director’s portfolio during the upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign if resources are available.

The position will also carry a portfolio of approximately 50-75 prospects capable of making significant gifts to Ursinus College, with a specific focus on the institution’s highest priorities. This position will be an active decision-making member of the Advancement Office interacting with the Associate Vice President, Vice President, and President’s office, as well as senior leadership across the College.

The Executive Director of Advancement will qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of current and potential donors with the capacity to make planned gifts of $500,000+, along with creating a proactive culture of visiting Tower Society members working with advancement front line staff. A specific focus will be increasing Tower Society members and booking undocumented bequests.

The Executive Director of Advancement will partner with the Provost’s Office/Academic Affairs and any external consultants on seeking out opportunities for support from foundations. The Director of Development will create, maintain, cultivate, solicit, and steward a small list of Presidential Priority Foundations, foundations that are actively under strategic management and that the College is actively pursuing for funding with the President’s lead.

The Executive Director of Advancement will lead strategy for corporate engagement that leads to both philanthropic investment, sponsorship dollars, and any other non-direct outcomes by engaging with companies. The individual will partner with the annual fund team on the annual Bear2Bear Benefit Bash to increase the number of corporate sponsors as needed.

• Leads all facets of the planned giving program, seeking to create more proactive outreach in soliciting for planned gifts.
• Carries a portfolio of 50-75 prospects, focusing on planned giving prospects and potential major gift capability of $500,000+. This portfolio will evolve steadily as prospects/suspects are brought to closure or dropped from the portfolio for lack of capacity or inclination.
• Maintains an active schedule of face-to-face/virtual meetings with prospects and external partners, averaging 8-10 such meetings per month. Establish best practices of the donor engagement process including qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts to the institution.
• Directly supervise the Director of Planned Giving who leads Tower Society strategy and marketing. Create a proactive culture of meetings with Tower Society members to increase Tower Society membership, philanthropy, and stewardship.
• Serve as primary point of contact both internally and externally with key foundations, leading the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship processes. Maintains the Presidential Priority Foundation list.
• Assist in and oversee all aspects of proposal development, submission, and reporting for foundations.
• Work closely with the Associate Vice President to identify any corporate prospects and engage strategically. Create a corporate partner’s model interfacing with Career Development, Academic Affairs, Athletics, and the President’s Office to maximize corporate support.
• Oversees corporate engagement program for the College with the goal of increasing philanthropic dollars, sponsorship dollars, and other non-revenue priorities. Maintains the annual corporate opportunities inventory with amounts, working closely with the gift processing team to ensure proper tax-deductible amounts are listed. Works closely with the annual fund team to generate support for Bear2Bear Benefit and Bash. Collaborates with campus partners – especially in athletics and Career Development – as needed in the cultivation and solicitation of corporations. Seeks out opportunities to identify potential c-suite individuals from partner corporations for volunteer opportunities.
• Partners with the Vice President on the external relations program for the College, seeking to increase the number of partners who can provide direct and in-direct benefits to the College. Serves as the liaison for Ursinus Academy and any other lifelong learning initiatives in coordination with Academic Affairs.
• Document all contacts in Raiser’s Edge per established Advancement Office guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Manage donor relationships according to Advancement Office’s established prospect management guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Develop a thorough knowledge of Ursinus College history, academic and extracurricular programs, and its faculty, students and administration; maintain a thorough understanding of the College’s current priorities and initiatives of the faculty and administration.
• Attend and support appropriate alumni and donor engagement events related to assigned responsibilities; participates in departmental and professional training programs to increase expertise in profession.

• Bachelor’s degree with advanced degree preferred.
• At least ten years of experience in development and major gift fundraising, preferably in higher education.
• Experience with direct solicitation of five and six figure gifts from individuals.
• Successful manager, mentor and collaborator.
• Familiarity with planned giving concepts and experience in soliciting planned gifts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, both in terms of communicating with superiors and colleagues, as well as others within and outside of the organization.
• Proven volunteer management experience.
• Comfortable interacting with administrators, faculty, trustees, volunteer leaders, students, donors, and prospects.
• Self-motivated and able to motivate others to achieve established goals and objectives on a timely basis.
• Self-starting strategic thinker whose hallmark qualities include being persistent, being personable, and possessing a desire to succeed.
• Able to exercise good judgment in handling of confidential information.
• Able to bring out the best in Ursinus’s associates and volunteers.
• A personal commitment to excellence and the mission of a top-tier college of liberal arts, and the ability to work in a goal-oriented environment are required.
• Good judgment, a positive attitude and a sense of humor.

Work Environment:

• Ability to sit for long periods at personal computer performing related functions.
• Availability and flexibility to traveling assigned territories and regions that have high propensity for planned gifts.
• Ability to work evenings and/or weekends as necessary.

Departmental Accountabilities:

• Works collaboratively with colleagues and team members in the Advancement office and throughout the College. Participates in Advancement Office meetings and other key College staff meetings.
• Provides support to office leadership, as needed, for priority projects. Serves to help educate faculty and staff about the Advancement office and its mission and goals.
• Possesses knowledge and experience with computer programs that support the Advancement Department including Microsoft Office programs and Raiser’s Edge.

Interested candidates should apply here. Once you create an applicant account, you will be prompted to upload your cover letter, resume, and a list with contact information for three references to the applicant database.

Ursinus is an AA/EO employer. Ursinus College does not discriminate on grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, creed, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, disability, or other classification protected by applicable law in the administration of any of its educational programs or activities or with respect to employment.