Director of Development

Keene State College invites applications for a Director of Development (DoD), to lead the major gift fundraising efforts on behalf of the College. The successful candidate will manage a portfolio of prospects capable of making philanthropic contributions (focused on the $100,000+ level) from various constituencies (alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, etc.) to support the priorities of the College. Reporting to a Managing Director of Major Giving, the DoD will strengthen the major gift results and lead the planning and decision making that connects Development with the evolving vision and opportunities across the College.

The DoD will work closely with dynamic College Leadership and other key stakeholders, while also collaborating with colleagues and leadership across Development and Advancement Shared Services. They will instill a heightened level of engagement with donors, prospects, and board members, setting the tone for the highest levels of fundraising achievement and program caliber that reflects the College’s culture, mission, and evolving strategic plans.

The ideal candidate will embrace goal-oriented outcomes and be an entrepreneurial, strategic, and creative thinker who is capable of building and expanding relationships with constituents in ways that have a quantifiable impact on philanthropic revenue. They will have a proven track record in fundraising or a closely related field of expertise, and will possess outstanding interpersonal competencies, ability to effectively manage projects/priorities, and be highly motivated, organized and detail oriented.

Advancement Shared Services has a hybrid work model, and this is a hybrid position. The expectation is that employees reside within reasonable distance to campus, so they are available to come to campus as often as business needs dictate, which vary depending on the position and assigned areas. The hiring manager will clarify the exact expectation of in-person versus remote working time for each specific position.

Duties/Responsibilities

Front-Line Fundraising (80%)

• Manage a robust portfolio of major, principal, and planned gift prospects, maintaining frequent contact with these individuals and organizations to build relationships that will increase philanthropic support.
• Conduct 120 or more personal visits with prospects and donors each fiscal year and facilitate 10-20 major gift solicitations annually, including six, seven, and eight-figure gifts. Meeting this activity goal will require travel across the state, region, and, on occasion, the U.S. 
• Craft systematic and effective funding proposals for major, principal, and planned gift prospects. This will require collaboration with key partners across Advancement Shared Services and other Development team members.
• Qualify and disqualify prospects for major gift potential by conducting a series of steps that deem their affinity and inclination to engage philanthropically at that level. And facilitate pipeline movement across the Development spectrum when prospects should be transitioned to or from a major gift portfolio.
• Steward prospects and donors through their philanthropic journey with the goal of maximizing their donor potential.
• Utilize CRM database, reports, and other available technologies to efficiently manage, engage and expand prospect portfolio.

Strategic Planning and Coordination (20%)

• Work closely with a Managing Director of Major Giving to strategize on key prospects/ projects and to develop/implement a comprehensive multi-year plan for KSC major gifts to significantly increase results each fiscal year.
• Plan strategic fundraising and engagement opportunities for KSC that align with KSC Leadership’s vision/ priorities and with the College’s overall case for support and strategic plans.
• Involve KSC Leadership in key solicitations and leverage other faculty and staff expertise to execute successful fundraising activities.
• Monitor progress toward overall and individual goals and ensure timely and accurate data entry.
• Prepare reports, proposals, brochures, and other materials for various internal and external stakeholders.
• Recruit and manage volunteers around various fundraising efforts and provide guidance as needed; this may include advisory boards and fundraising committees.

• Supervise the Advancement Coordinator and provide leadership and guidance to staff who directly support KSC, in consultation with their supervisor, to ensure alignment of strategy, priorities and communication as needed. 

Requirements

Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:

• A bachelor’s degree, or preferably a master’s degree.
• Minimum of 5 years of fundraising experience or more years of experience in a relevant field (sales, business development, account/relationship/volunteer management, marketing and/or public relations).

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Demonstrated understanding of the relevance of philanthropy and thorough knowledge of Development principles and a record of accomplishment in managing a major gift program.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, about fundraising support; requires the ability to build rapport in an open, friendly, and accepting way, listen attentively and change the thinking of, or gain acceptance of, others in varied situations.
• Exceptionally strong interpersonal skills and experience interacting with internal and external constituents who are diverse in characteristics such as age, education level, race, gender identity and expression, ability, and socioeconomic backgrounds in a culturally competent and supportive manner.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to juggle and prioritize many projects/tasks.
• Proven analytical skills and experience working in a metric-driven environment.
• Orientation as a team player and demonstrated strength at partnering with peers, management, and leadership, while also having the discipline to work independently.
• Familiarity with estate planning instruments, products, principles, and success integrating gift and estate planning into a comprehensive major gifts program.
• Reputation for collegiality and collaboration, and a high level of professional maturity, judgment, and decisiveness to motivate fellow staff and to inspire confidence among donors/prospects.
• Respect and support for reporting structures and lines of communication.
• Demonstrated understanding of the responsibility to maintain sensitive information and appreciation of ethics and compliance.
• Openness to travel on behalf of the institution for donor/prospect visits or as the college’s representative, including local, regional, and domestic trips.  
• Commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and advancement.

Other Requirements:

• Proficiency in fundraising databases and Microsoft Office and general technological/data acumen.
• Demonstrated prowess translating the vision and direction of leadership into actionable plans, goals, and strategies for the major gifts program.
• Proven success in managing a prospect portfolio through a disciplined moves management strategy, and soliciting/closing outright gifts, pledges, blended gifts, and preferably planned gifts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree
• Knowledge of the fundraising profession and its theories, standards, policies, and systems
• Familiarity with a college/university setting and fundraising campaigns 
• Experience collaborating with academic and administrative leadership to define funding projects and initiatives, drafting strong cases for support, developing engagement experiences, etc.
• Experience with volunteer management and/or board members

Applicant Instructions: 

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application: (Maximum of 5 Documents - additional documents can be added to the Application Questions section of the application)

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.

Keene State College is located in the scenic Monadnock region of Southwest New Hampshire and is an affiliate of the University System of New Hampshire. Located approximately 2 hours from Boston or Hartford CT, and 4 hours from New York City, the region contains many opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation, cultural events, and a strong sense of community. To learn more about Keene State College, the University System of New Hampshire, and the Keene community, please
visit: https://www.keene.edu, https://www.usnh.edu/ or https://www.ci.keene.nh.us.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

Compensation Pay Range:

$84,220.00 - $150,920.00

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here:USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

Location:

Keene