Senior Director of Development

Job Requisition:

JR101801 Senior Director of Development, Batten School & VIMS (Open)

Job Posting Title:

Senior Director of Development, Batten School & VIMS

Department:

CC00816 VIMS1 | DEAN | Advancement

Job Family:

Staff - Giving: Annual, Major Gifts, & Planned

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular (benefited)

Job Requisition Primary Location:

Watermen's Hall

Primary Job Posting Location:

Posting Location - VIMS Gloucester

Job Description Summary:

In University Advancement, we create the conditions for opportunity – human, financial, & experiential
by garnering and stewarding the resources that advance William & Mary. The mission of the Advancement Office at The Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences & VIMS is to oversee all fundraising efforts for its benefit.

The mission of William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is to seek and broadly communicate knowledge in marine and coastal science to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world through research, education, and advisory service. The Batten School & VIMS make seminal advances in understanding coastal and marine systems through research and discovery, translate research findings into practical solutions to complex issues of societal importance, and provide new generations of researchers, educators, problem solvers, and managers with an education of unsurpassed quality.

This position is assigned 5% effort to support the VIMS Foundation with the responsibilities outlined below.

Job Description:

The Senior Director of Development is an essential member of the William and Mary’s Batten School’s Development team. The Senior Director reports to the Executive Director of Advancement and VIMS Foundation at the Batten School & VIMS and is responsible for the developing fundraising strategies and tactics and leadership of a team of fundraisers. The Senior Director will develop and manage a portfolio of donors and build philanthropic strategies for donors and prospects who support the school’s priorities. They also work closely with internal partners in the Office of University Advancement, including other school and unit development professionals, regional gift officers, colleagues on the marketing, communications, events, stewardship, alumni engagement, and annual giving teams, and staff and faculty partners on campus.
 

The Senior Director will develop an appropriate-sized major gift portfolio of prospects by the end of their second year in the position and will be expected to conduct an appropriate number of $50,000 asks based on the portfolio. In addition to annual dollars raised, performance goals include the number of asks and closes, activity/move measures, and the number of prospects identified and qualified for major gift potential.
 

The Senior Director will help foster a culture of belonging that embraces all people and perspectives. This position will be located in the VIMS Advancement office near historic Yorktown, VA on our scenic Gloucester Point campus and offers a flexible work environment.

This position is classified as professional, meaning it is salaried and exempt from overtime. For benefits and leave purposes, this role falls under the "12‑month Professionals & Faculty" classification on the HR website.

Review the full position description with all job duties on the University Advancement recruitment website: Open Positions | University Advancement - William & Mary

Conditions of Employment

• This position may require additional hours beyond typical work hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Must have the ability to travel extensively throughout the assigned region.

Salary: $120,000 to $130,000 commensurate with experience and internal alignment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.
• Commitment to the university’s values of belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect, and service, including, but not limited to, collaboration, staffing and programming. 
• Progressively responsible experience in academic or non-profit fundraising (typically, 7+ years).

• Demonstrated success identifying, qualifying, soliciting, cultivating, and stewarding donors at the lead annual and major gift ($50,000+) level.
• Fluency in using persuasive language to promote visionary gift opportunities, with the proven ability to identify, qualify and cultivate prospective major gift donors and desire exceed goals.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to deal effectively and discreetly with donors, colleagues, and other appropriate officials.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to work effectively in a metrics-driven environment and a commitment to building a culture of engagement and philanthropy.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and with a diverse constituent base needed.
• Strong organizational skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, independence and the ability and desire to work effectively and successfully with minimal supervision, while managing complex priorities and projects concurrently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated management or leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to reach aggressive goals, soliciting and securing private gifts.
• Campaign experience within a higher education or nonprofit environment.

Position Duties

Fundraising and Portfolio Management, 60%

• The Senior Director’s primary focus is identifying and qualifying prospects who may or may not have existing ties with the university to build a pipeline of donors.
• Qualify, build, and manage a portfolio of 100-125 prospects and participate in one-on-one virtual and in-person cultivations and solicitations of gift opportunities.
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Batten School & VIMS priorities to make persuasive verbal and written arguments for supporting key programs and projects, effectively matching prospects’ interests to specific Batten School at VIMS needs.
• Cultivate, solicit, and move prospects toward gifts benefiting any/all of William & Mary’s schools and programs, targeting philanthropic commitments of $50,000 and above.
• Work with the Executive Director, the Batten School Director/s of Development and regional, central, and university colleagues to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and close gifts while stewarding donors and prospects with major gift capacity.
• Coordinate prospect research with the Prospect Development team to identify new major donor individual /institutional prospects from the database and other sources. Review listings of alumni, parents and friends from the database and other publicly available sources and help to develop individual strategies to engage and cultivate them for new gifts.
• Prepare letters of inquiry and proposals to prospects and donors on behalf of the university, requesting support for endowment, education, research, and capital priorities.
• Develop a working knowledge of the university’s goals, priorities, and programs and align fund-raising efforts with these priorities.
• Research and write briefings to prepare colleagues, including leadership and faculty, for effective meetings with major gift prospects.
• Direct follow-up correspondence and objectives resulting from donor meetings. Document all advancement activity in the donor/prospect database.
• Suggest potential prospects for trustee and advisory boards.

Strategic Program Management, 20%

• Provide counsel and support to the Executive Director and the Dean of the Batten School in efforts to engage and cultivate current and prospective donors.
• Collaborate with colleagues in University Advancement to develop and elevate giving opportunities for the Batten School and VIMS across multiple audiences and channels.

Campaign Development Leadership & Volunteer Management, 15%

• Strategically help share campaign priorities and strategies as it relates to the Batten School & VIMS.
• Work with volunteers and board members from across campus in the direction of the Executive Director and the Dean.

Performance Management / Staff Management, 5%

• Establish expectations which are clear, well communicated, and related to the goals and objectives of the unit.  
• Provide staff with frequent, constructive feedback, including interim evaluations as appropriate.  
• Ensure staff have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish goals.  
• Complete evaluations and EWPs by established deadlines with proper documentation.  
• Address and document performance issues as they occur.  
• Review and communicate safety issues to ensure a safe and healthy workplace and a reduction in work-related absences.  

Additional Job Description:

Job Profile:

JP0440 - Senior Major Gifts Officer - Exempt - Salary - S14

Qualifications:

Compensation Grade:

S14

Recruiting Start Date:

2026-06-05

Position Restrictions:

Continuing E&G funded position and not term-limited

EEO is the Law.  Applicants can learn more about William & Mary’s status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the "Know Your Rights" poster published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal

Background Check: William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check. 

Remote Work Disclaimer: Remote work eligibility is not guaranteed and is subject to approval. Employee eligibility depends on the likelihood of the employee succeeding in a remote work arrangement and the supervisor’s ability to manage remote workers. Departments and/or Human Resources may amend, alter, change, delete, or modify eligibility.