Director of Advancement, Cardozo School of Law

Position Summary:       

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement (IA), the Director of Advancement leads the Institutional Advancement team to design and implement a strategic development plan that includes fundraising through major and planned giving, the Annual Fund giving campaign, and fundraising events.

The position maintains a major gifts portfolio to identify, cultivate, and solicit alumni and friends of Cardozo School of Law with the capacity to make gifts of $10,000+.

This position is responsible for moving a portfolio of 150 prospects through the complete giving cycle: discovery, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, gift negotiation, and stewardship, and serves as a key member of a dynamic team to help Cardozo reach its fundraising goals. This role supervises 1-3 direct reports.

Cardozo School of Law is currently in year four of a University-wide comprehensive campaign. The law school has raised over $40M towards its $50M goal in honor of the school’s 50th anniversary in 2026. The Office of Institutional Advancement spearheads this campaign and this position will have an integral part of the final years of the campaign and its success.

Position Responsibilities:

• Responsible for planning, managing, and implementing activities that increase, diversify, and sustain philanthropic support for Cardozo.
• Serve as the liaison to the Associate Dean of Advancement for development operations and related needs for the Dean of the Law School.
• Successfully meet fundraising goals by identifying and personally working with prospects and board members through gift closings.
• Construct and manage a portfolio of 150 major-rated donors with a specific focus on board members and dedicated alumni, while conducting continuous discovery work. Develop long-term relationships with these individuals and cultivate their philanthropic interest in Cardozo.
• Conduct a minimum of 150 personal contacts annually to cultivate and solicit prospects and close gifts.
• Reach or surpass personal, annual fundraising goals created by the Associate Dean of IA.
• The portfolio may include New York and regional assignments involving travel and attending events.
• There is also an expectation of having planned giving conversations for this position each year.
• Supervise 1-3 key members of the dynamic fundraising team.
• With the supervision of the Associate Director of Advancement, oversee the Annual Fund campaign via email appeals, direct mail, and phone-a-thons.
• This may include special initiatives such as Giving Day, instituting giving challenges as needed and working with board members and dedicated donors on providing opportunities for matching funds.
• Actively maintain a current body of knowledge about Cardozo and its development priorities; develop a thorough understanding of the programs and aspirations of the law school.
• Work in a highly collaborative environment.
• Members of the Institutional Advancement team engage with nearly every department within the law school such as senior administrators, faculty members, the Office of Communications, the Office of Career Services, the Office of Student Affairs, and more.
• Prepare solicitation materials, gift proposals, agreements, and briefings for the Associate Dean of IA and the Dean of the Law School
• Ensure maintenance of all records in the database in a timely fashion

Experience & Educational Background:

• Bachelor's degree required
• A minimum of seven years in development or a related field, preferably in higher education required
• Campaign and managerial experience preferred

Skills & Competencies:

• Must be well-organized and have excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to interact successfully both one-on-one and in large group settings
• Demonstrated ability to drive activity for multiple projects/groups and work effectively in a team environment with diverse populations
• Strong interpersonal skills as well as the ability to interact well with faculty, staff, alumni, and other constituents
• Must have demonstrated prior success in achieving fundraising goals and managing high-level donor relationships
• Must have the ability to present complex information in a clear and compelling manner
• The capacity to clearly comprehend and communicate the School’s mission and ongoing initiatives
• Fluent in Microsoft Suite (Excel, Outlook, Word & PowerPoint) and comfortable and willing to learn a new prospect management database (Ellucian CRM)
• Excellent judgment in determining the ability to make appropriate use of resources to further fundraising goals
• Collaborative and enthusiastic team player
• Evening/weekend work events and