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University of Louisville

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 Person

Local and some overnight travel, including evening and weekend work, is required.

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

University of Louisville

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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