General Summary (Purpose) of Position.
Active participant of senior professional team devoted to development of external contacts with donor prospects, aimed at securing significant gifts to further the mission of UMass Lowell. Directly stewards fund-raising programs for college units and for programs across campus as well as collaborating with internal partners, deans, faculty, other advancement officers or UML volunteers to secure major gifts.
Examples of Duties:
1. Participate as an active member of the prospect management process in the development of strategies for all major gift prospects by:
• Developing annual projections and timetables for activity and income.
• Building a keen sense of reality into all major gift planning and connection to the overall cash goal.
• Achieving goal, either collectively or individually, to close on $250,000.00 to $1.0 million in gift requests each year.
• Facilitating the integration of any college or program based development effort with central University Advancement activities.
• Serving as a resource for developing strategies for smaller scale annual corporate solicitations, working with the Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations and members of advancement team.
• Coordinating external relations efforts with Director of Programs & Alumni Services.
• Collaborating with Communications and Marketing staff organizing communication plan for key major gift constituent groups.
• Coordinating external relations efforts with Director of Programs & Alumni Services.
2. Ensuring the university realizes its annual cash fundraising goals by:
• Performing consistent and strategic solicitation of major gift prospects.
• Supporting deans or Directors, and relevant faculty in external relations activities to secure major gifts for UMass Lowell.
• Expanding annual leadership gift support.
• Cultivating major and planned donor prospects.
• Targeting list of individual major gift prospects (75 – 125) and approaching annually year for gifts of $10,000 or more.
• Making 25 – 50 gift requests every year.
• Coordinating planned giving requests with the Director of Planned Giving and planned giving counsel.
• Incorporating planned giving alternatives wherever appropriate.
• Devising and supervising aggressive calendar of events for Deans, Directors and select faculty meet alumni and friends off-site and systematically bringing back key prospects to serve as advisors, guest speakers.
• Coordinating specialized “mini-campaigns” targeted at constituent groups associated with a particular college unit, program or initiative and involving advisory groups.
• Influencing the development of publications and advocacy materials supporting key funding priorities and advancing the public image of relevant college(s), departments, programs and University as a whole.
• Stewarding the identification, recruitment and involvement of external volunteers in the development process, including the recommendation of certain donors for membership on advisory boards and committees.
• Identifying and involving student and faculty representatives wherever possible and appropriate in the cultivation of donor prospects.
3. Promote the University’s commitment to customer service by:
• Building effective partnerships with co-workers throughout the University by freely sharing appropriate information and providing assistance when needed.
• Ensuring optimum service to all internal and external partners in response to all requests for service and information.
• Maintaining an environment that is welcoming to persons of all backgrounds, nationalities, and roles.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Baccalaureate or higher degree.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in development preferably in higher education.
• Demonstrated knowledge of development practices and principles and a track record of success in managing major gifts prospects and in closing such gifts.
• Demonstrated skill to work within a complex environment at senior levels with strong capabilities in planning, organizing and managing.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and peers in the University Advancement area and with internal partners and external volunteers.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills.
• Flexibility to travel, largely on a regional basis. Occasional weekend and evening work will be necessary, as well as travel nationally.
• Affinity and commitment to the mission of the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Supervision Received: Reports directly to Vice Chancellor of University Advancement
Initial review of applications will begin September 17, 2008.
