Lead Development Officer
University of Southern California
Lead Development Officer
University of Southern California
Research university in Los Angeles, CA
The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is a world-class research university located in the heart of Los Angeles and the city’s largest private employer. As a USC employee, you will become part of the “Trojan Family”—the faculty, students, and staff who make the university an exceptional place to work.
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is committed to the creation, preservation, and communication of knowledge, a lifelong passion for learning, and the betterment of society. Realizing this mission requires a culture in which students, faculty, and staff can thrive—one grounded in respect, collaboration, opportunity, and a shared commitment to excellence.
The Director of Development will contribute to this mission by building meaningful relationships with alumni, parents, and friends and securing philanthropic support for the College’s highest priorities. In addition to strong fundraising expertise, the successful candidate will be a collaborative colleague who strengthens relationships, understands their impact on others, and contributes positively to the success of the advancement team and the broader Dornsife community.
Job Summary
USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences seeks an accomplished, entrepreneurial, and highly motivated Director of Development to manage and grow a portfolio of high-capacity gift prospects and donors who are primarily in Southern California but could include prospects from other key regions. This is a frontline fundraising role for a seasoned development professional who is energized by building relationships, identifying opportunity, and translating the intellectual and academic strengths of Dornsife into compelling philanthropic investments.
The Director of Development will manage a portfolio of prospects and donors capable of making gifts of up to $5 million and will be responsible for driving the full major-gift cycle—from prospect identification and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, gift negotiation, and stewardship. The successful candidate will be an independent self-starter who is comfortable creating a strategy where one does not yet exist, developing trusted relationships with individuals and families, and navigating complex philanthropic interests to connect donors with opportunities across Dornsife’s humanities, social sciences, and life and physical sciences.
Working closely with academic leaders, faculty, University Advancement colleagues, and other development partners, the Director will develop and execute individualized engagement strategies designed to deepen donor affinity, increase philanthropic investment, and secure support for Dornsife’s highest priorities. The role requires exceptional judgment, initiative, cultural fluency, discretion, and the ability to operate effectively across geographies, time zones, and levels of university leadership.
This is an opportunity for a proven major-gift fundraiser to have meaningful ownership of a significant portfolio and to play a visible role in expanding Dornsife’s philanthropic reach.
Key Responsibilities
Build and manage a major-gift portfolio. Manage a portfolio of approximately 75 high-potential prospects and donors. Develop and continually refine sophisticated relationship strategies that reflect each donor’s interests, capacity, connections, and philanthropic objectives.
Identify and qualify new prospects. Identify, research, qualify, and engage prospective donors with the capacity and inclination to make significant investments in USC Dornsife. Develop networks and referral sources that expand the College’s pipeline. This work will be supported by research teams in University Advancement and Dornsife Advancement.
Drive the complete major-gift process. Personally lead prospects through discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, taking ownership of outcomes and maintaining momentum across a complex fundraising cycle.
Structure Transformative gifts. Partner with donors, their advisors, and university colleagues to structure significant and complex gifts that align donor intent with Dornsife priorities and university policies.
Develop compelling philanthropic opportunities. Work with academic and university leaders to translate Dornsife’s priorities into clear, persuasive, donor-centered opportunities. Develop customized proposals, briefing materials, talking points, and other communications that articulate the impact and significance of philanthropic investment.
Cultivate relationships with senior-level donors and advisors. Establish and sustain relationships characterized by trust, credibility, and discretion. Engage effectively with high-net-worth individuals, family representatives, professional advisors, and other influential stakeholders.
Represent USC Dornsife among our constituents. Local and occasional extended travel to meet with prospects and donors, participate in cultivation and stewardship activities, attend events, and build a strong network of relationships that advances Dornsife’s visibility and fundraising objectives.
Partner across the university. Collaborate closely with academic leadership, faculty, University Advancement colleagues, major and principal gifts teams, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, prospect management, and other partners to develop coordinated and effective fundraising strategies. The Director will be expected to build internal trust and mobilize resources while maintaining clear ownership of assigned relationships.
Exercise strategic independence and sound judgment. Operate with a high degree of autonomy, setting priorities, managing time and travel, evaluating opportunities, and determining the most effective path forward for individual prospects and the portfolio as a whole. Anticipate challenges and take initiative to address them before they become obstacles.
Provide exceptional stewardship. Deepen long-term donor relationships through thoughtful, personalized stewardship, including meaningful updates on the impact of giving, strategic engagement opportunities, and continued identification of ways donors can become more connected to Dornsife. This work will be supported by stewardship professionals.
Maintain disciplined fundraising practices. Use prospect intelligence, data, and portfolio metrics to assess progress, prioritize activity, and strengthen the pipeline. Maintain accurate and timely records and ensure compliance with university policies and applicable legal and ethical standards.
Serve as a compelling ambassador for Dornsife. Articulate the College’s mission, academic excellence, research strengths, faculty achievements, and student impact with credibility and enthusiasm to donors, prospects, families, alumni, and other key audiences.
Qualifications
Major Gift Fundraising Experience: Five years of progressively responsible experience in major gift fundraising, with a demonstrated record of personally cultivating and soliciting significant philanthropic commitments.
Proven Fundraising Results: A strong track record of closing major gifts, with the experience and judgment necessary to cultivate and solicit gifts at the six- and seven-figure level. Demonstrated success in moving complex prospects from early engagement through solicitation and close.
Entrepreneurial Approach: Highly self-motivated and resourceful, with the ability to work independently, create opportunities, open doors, and build a pipeline without relying exclusively on established relationships or processes. Demonstrated ability to take ownership of a portfolio and deliver results.
Portfolio & Relationship Management: Exceptional ability to manage a sophisticated portfolio of high-capacity individuals while developing highly individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies. Demonstrated skill in prioritizing opportunities, maintaining momentum, and balancing near-term results with long-term relationship building.
Strategic Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to listen carefully, ask insightful questions, understand donor motivations, and present complex academic and philanthropic opportunities in a compelling and accessible manner.
Executive Presence & Judgment: Demonstrated professionalism, maturity, discretion, and confidence in working with senior university leaders, faculty, donors, family offices, and professional advisors. Ability to navigate sensitive relationships and complex situations with diplomacy and sound judgment.
Collaboration & Influence: Ability to work effectively across a complex organization, build strong internal partnerships, and influence colleagues and stakeholders toward shared fundraising goals while maintaining ownership and accountability for results.
Higher Education Fundraising: Experience in higher education or a similarly complex nonprofit environment preferred, with an understanding of the relationship between institutional priorities, academic programs, faculty, research, and philanthropy.
Education: Master’s degree preferred.
Salary range:
The annual base salary range for this position is $132,000 - $160,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer alignment, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
Required Documents and Additional Information:
Additional Accountabilities
Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.
USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to theBackground Screening Policy Appendix Dfor specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.
We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at [email protected]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.
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