U

University of Louisville

Research university in Louisville, KY

Associate Director - Philanthropy

Full-TimeDeadline 10/27/26
No salary listed
Junior, Mid
Bachelor's
Louisville, KY, USA
In PersonLocal and some overnight travel, including evening and weekend work, is required.
Sales & Account ManagementAccount Executive
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • A successful track record in securing philanthropic gifts.
  • Ability to travel locally and overnight, and to work evenings and weekends as required.
Responsibilities
  • Manage a portfolio of individual prospects capable of making five- to six-figure gifts through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles.
  • Solicit and secure major gifts to achieve an annual goal of at least $1 million.
  • Maintain a portfolio of major-gift-level prospects, particularly those involving multiple complex university relationships and opportunities for university-wide impact.
  • Work with Prospect Management and Development, faculty, alumni, and volunteers to identify and create cultivation strategies for new high-wealth prospects.
  • Manage prospects through qualifying visits, cultivation initiatives, and solicitation processes aligned with financial capacity, securing commitments and stewarding current donors.
  • Interface with deans, faculty, program directors, and other university leaders to prepare for prospect meetings and solicitations.
  • Record moves management activity in the customer relationship management database to track donor engagement.
  • Oversee the preparation of funding proposals, talking points, scripts, assessments of potential support, briefings, gift agreements, endowments, and stewardship reports for assigned prospects.
  • Promote deferred giving and apply expertise in deferred-giving vehicles and their role in supporting visionary gifts.
  • Advise university officers on opportunities for involvement in fundraising and engagement events and initiatives with top prospects.
  • Assist the President, Provost, Deans, and other academic leaders with direct solicitations and interactions with donor prospects.
  • Travel to meet donors and prospects and execute strategic moves.
Desired Qualifications
  • Three years of related experience in higher-education fundraising, including planned giving or wealth management, and/or work in CFR.
  • Experience managing a major-gift portfolio using metrics, systems, and relationship-building skills to maximize cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of five- to six-figure donors and transformational gifts.
  • Understanding of and commitment to an integrated advancement program, with experience in a complex major research university environment.
  • Understanding of the competing priorities among multiple colleges, departments, and programs.
  • Experience sustaining strong working relationships with staff, donors, faculty, volunteers, and academic leadership.
  • Ability to develop productive relationships and build trust with internal colleagues and external constituencies.
  • Proven success developing and implementing creative solicitation strategies for transformational philanthropic gifts in a team-oriented and collaborative environment.
  • Interpersonal, listening, negotiation, and independent decision-making skills.
  • Written and oral communication and presentation skills for individuals and large groups.
  • Ability to assess risk and take calculated risks.
  • Ability to drive performance, execute for results, and develop strategic opportunities and organizational-success strategies.
  • Ability to lead peers and collaborate with staff in ways that empower staff to achieve individual and team performance goals.
  • High integrity, judgment, and courage of convictions.
  • Self-awareness and understanding of the impact of one's actions on others.
  • Ability to function in an environment of complexity, uncertainty, and change management.
  • Curiosity about individuals and industries, with the ability to uncover connections, networks, and interests.

About the company

U

University of Louisville

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University of Louisville is a public metropolitan research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional programs through its schools and colleges.

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