Director of Development

Director of Development, Natural Sciences– The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The ASU Foundation has retained Pearl Street| Lindauer, an executive search firm, to assist in this search. Consideration of candidates will continue until the position is filled. Adele Mezher, Raegan Harvey, Emily Horsford, and Shari Berenson are leading the engagement. 

Candidates should visit the  application site to submit, in confidence, a resume and cover letter.

The ASU Foundation, one of five nonprofit entities that make up ASU Enterprise Partners, is seeking a Director of Development, Natural Sciences– The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The director of development, natural sciences for The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is a proven and forward-looking fundraising professional who understands how to generate philanthropic support for ASU from multiple stakeholders – individuals, foundations and organizations and who will work collaboratively with the ASU Foundation for A New American University (ASUF) and with academic leadership in the college. 

The Director will work in a highly collaborative division within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences working directly with the Dean of Natural Sciences and the leadership team for Natural Sciences. The principal activity of this professional development officer is to be externally focused, with responsibility for engaging a portfolio of individuals, corporations, and foundations that have a potential affinity with ASU. The director’s effectiveness will be evaluated on the ability to achieve financial goals and contact metrics consistent with the programs and prospects assigned. The director reports to the ASUF executive director of development in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  This position will focus on mostly major gift fundraising and foundation support in the division of Natural Sciences.    

What you'll do:

• Develop, coordinate, and execute a comprehensive fundraising program for the purpose of identifying, cultivating, and soliciting annual, major and planned gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations

• Responsible for overall fundraising metrics related to Natural Sciences initiatives, including overall donor count, identification of new prospects, growth in cumulative giving, donor retention, major gift proposals submitted, and new gifts and commitments

• Collaborate with academic unit-based development officers to develop and implement sustaining and major gift fundraising strategies for Natural Sciences prospects

• Work with divisional academic leadership to develop philanthropic concepts that could lead to major gift funding

• Proactively manage a portfolio of major gift ($100,000+) prospects regionally and nationally, developing and executing strategies leading to solicitation and investment that leverage the donor’s interests or aligns with foundation funding requests and connect them to ASU’s opportunities

• Responsible for core personal fundraising metrics, including face-to-face visits, growth in cumulative giving from the prospect portfolio, donor retention, major gift proposals submitted, number of major gifts closed and new gifts and commitments

• Travel when necessary with leadership to execute strategic development plans for regional and national major donor prospects

• Develop and submit written proposals, budgets, and other collateral materials as needed for securing philanthropic investments

• Work in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment with complex and evolving relationships and priorities

• Other duties as assigned

What you'll need:

• Collaborative style combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment

• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to Foundation and University business and confidential prospect information

• Strong and collegial interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate effectively in person, in writing, and by phone

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team 

• Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible

• Team-oriented strategist able to effectively manage complex situations involving numerous and sometimes competing constituencies

• Ability to represent the institution well

• An advocate’s belief in the vision of ASU as the New American University

• Attention to detail and thoroughness in completing assigned duties

• Highly organized and able to handle multiple projects

• Adept at navigating complex environments with evolving priorities and communication plans

• A strong curiosity and the ability to grasp complex scientific and technological concepts at a foundational level in order to develop well‑informed proposals.

• Knowledge of principles and techniques of development/fundraising, preferably in higher education

• Self-starter able to secure personal appointments and qualify new prospects

• Demonstrated achievement in securing philanthropic investments

• Ability to travel nationally when necessary to engage and solicit major prospects

• Ability to prepare complex and detailed proposals and related materials

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and comfortable working in donor/prospect computer database systems such as Salesforce

• Documented success in personally implementing sophisticated, multi-year cultivation strategies that use a relationship-building and moves management approach leading to successful gift closure

• Demonstrable experience in donor relations plans leading to additional investments

• Ability to work a flexible schedule to include early mornings, evenings and weekends to accommodate meetings and events 

• Ability to meet demanding work schedule expectations

Relevant qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or currently enrolled in bachelor's degree program, or willingness to enroll in a bachelor's degree program and five years of successful professional development.

The ASU Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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