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Executive Director of Development, Major Gifts and Regional Advancement Dev Investment Fund Initiative
Job Description
Executive Director of Development, Major Gifts and Regional Advancement
Dev Investment Fund Initiative, Lincoln Center
Fordham University
Fordham University has an excellent reputation as a dynamic institution located in New York City. Founded in 1841, Fordham enrolls more than 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its 9 Colleges and Schools
- Fordham University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to its employees, which includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
- We offer tuition remission for employees and their dependents
- A generous employer match towards a 403(b) retirement plan.
- As a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Fordham is considered a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, a federal program designed to forgive student loan debt for employees of certain public and certain nonprofit employers.
- As part of its work-life balance program, the University provides generous PTO including 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 2 personal days, 6 summer Fridays, and holidays that include paid time off between Christmas and New year.
- University employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP provides no-cost, professional, and confidential services, to help employees and family members address a variety of personal, family, life, and work-related issues.
Hybrid Policy:
Please review the Hybrid Policy here.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Development, the Executive
Director of Development, Major Gifts and Regional Advancement, will lead
Fordham’s regional advancement efforts. This role oversees a team of 4 to 8
regionally deployed leadership gift officers, providing strategic direction to
enhance Fordham’s presence in key areas. In addition to managing the team, the
Executive Director will manage their own region, hold a portfolio of approximately
100 qualified prospects, and focus on securing gifts of $100K and up.
The Executive Director must inspire, manage, and mentor frontline gift officers,
setting ambitious yet tailored goals based on each region’s donor maturity and
the team members’ experience levels. They will establish clear metrics for
discovery, solicitation, and gift closures while ensuring team members are
supported and given growth opportunities. The Executive Director will actively
contribute to strategy and planning within the development team, collaborating
closely with the Assistant Vice President to set annual performance goals and
ensure the success of the regional advancement program.
The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, highly motivated, and goal-oriented with
strong interpersonal skills, capable of fostering meaningful relationships with
internal and external stakeholders. They are mission-driven and collaborative,
constantly seeking ways to improve the team’s efficiency and effectiveness in
meeting annual fundraising objectives. There is a meaningful opportunity to
leverage Fordham’s President’s Club and 1841 Society in conversations with new
prospects and to pursue major gifts that increase scholarship funding, attract top
faculty, support student clubs and organizations, athletics, and the performing
arts, and enable experiential learning opportunities.
Experience in higher education or similar environments with regional fundraising
models is preferred. The Executive Director will frequently travel and work nights
and weekends as needed and will be expected to leverage technology creatively
to reach prospective donors.
Essential Functions
Leadership & Management
∙Oversees a regional team of four to eight advancement staff; mentors,
trains, supervises, and evaluates staff to ensure significant fundraising
productivity in service to the University’s strategic goals; travels to regions
to accompany team members on prospect and donor visits to provide
support and coaching. Leads the regional advancement team in planning and
implementing long- and short-term strategies to secure major, planned, and
annual gifts from individuals.
Program Strategy
∙Collaborates with the Assistant Vice President to create a strategic
direction for the regional program; establishes measurable goals to
increase fundraising results in aspirational and achievable ways. Serves
as a member of the Assistant Vice President’s leadership team and a
thought partner across the institution; contributes to overall advancement
goals, priorities, and future directions.
Fundraising
∙Manages a regionally based portfolio of approximately 100 prospects,
creating fundraising strategies for those prospects, including those in
early-stage cultivation and/or with whom the university has little to no
relationship, and regularly soliciting gifts of $100,000 and higher.
∙Develops and continuously update the strategic plan for assigned
region(s), to sustain and increase the size and quality of the prospect pool;
the plan will include coordinating activity with other central units and
school/community-based programs.
Additional Functions:
∙Collaborates with colleagues throughout the Development and University
Relations division to ensure effective, efficient, and coordinated
fundraising strategies and assists, where needed, in reunions,
Homecoming, and other important university-wide special events.
∙Makes appropriate use of time and resources; plans travel efficiently;
continuously updates the prospect management database with information
related to donor strategies, proposals, contacts, and results.
Essential Functions Note
This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.
Management Responsibilities
Supervises the work of other Fordham employees who are individual
contributors. Responsible for hiring, training and developing, managing
performance and administering corrective action. Has significant input in
compensation decisions.
Additional Functions
∙Collaborates with colleagues throughout the Development and University
Relations division to ensure effective, efficient, and coordinated
fundraising strategies.
∙Assists, where needed, in reunions, Homecoming, and other important
university-wide special events.
Required Qualifications: Education and Experience
∙Bachelor’s degree
∙Minimum of 7 years of progressively more responsible experience in
development.
∙Minimum of 3 years of experience leading teams.
∙Proven track record of success in individual gift fundraising, preferably in
higher education, and experience in cultivating and soliciting prospects
capable of gifts of $100,000 or more.
Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills
∙Excellent time/territory management skills
∙Broad knowledge of the principles of fundraising
∙Demonstrated ability to participate in all aspects of the gift cycle
∙Demonstrated ability to manage and develop staff and provide clear,
actionable, and timely feedback.
∙Demonstrated and successful experience using various charitable
solicitation and/or sales vehicles (direct mail, phone, email, and
crowdfunding).
∙Ability to adopt new technology and train colleagues on use.
∙Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) while also being a
good listener.
∙Strong analytical skills and professional judgment; personal comportment
consistent with DAUR’s core values.
∙Initiative, sound judgment, consistency of output, and timeliness of follow-
through.
∙Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to
the goals of Jesuit Education.
Preferred Qualifications
∙Experience in a regionally assigned development office
∙Strong interpersonal skills and confidence necessary to engage in face-to-
face and/or phone solicitations.
∙Experience working effectively in a complex higher education setting
∙Familiarity with Ellucian CRM Advance and Fundraising Performance
Management systems.
Minimum Starting Salary: $175,000
Maximum Starting Salary: $215,000
Note: Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.
START DATE: ASAP
APPLY HERE: https://careers.fordham.edu/postings/8267
ABOUT FORDHAM
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an
exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000
students in its 9 colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx
and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center
Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United
Kingdom.
Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and
welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.
Fordham is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Veterans/Disabled and other
protected categories
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