Senior Director of Advancement, Penn Arts and Sciences

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Senior Director of Advancement, Penn Arts and Sciences

Job Profile Title

Major Gifts Officer Senior

Job Description Summary

About the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences:
Penn Arts and Sciences forms the foundation of the scholarly excellence that has established Penn as one of the world's leading research universities. The largest of Penn’s academic divisions, SAS is the home of 27 departments that represent a full range of disciplines. The College, SAS’s undergraduate division, enrolls 6,500 students and the largest undergraduate school at Penn. SAS also includes the Graduate Division, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies and numerous research centers and programs. The School’s Office of Advancement recognizes the importance of the liberal arts as the source of knowledge that changes the world and education that changes individual's lives and is committed to generating enthusiasm and support for the School and its mission.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Associate Vice Dean for Advancement, the Senior Director of Advancement (Senior Major Gifts Officer) will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of prospects and donors capable of making gifts of $100,000 or more to priority projects of the School of Arts and Sciences and University. By developing a deeper meaningful relationship between the prospects and donors and Penn, the Senior Director of Advancement will endeavor to maximize lifelong giving advancing major and principal gift initiatives. Working as part of an experienced team of fundraisers in the School of Arts and Sciences within a University-wide donor-centric prospect management system, the Senior Major Gifts Officer will design and execute a major gifts plan for their assigned region and academic strategic priorities that creates visibility for the School, expand its prospect base, and build the School’s major gifts pipeline.

A key feature of this position is the need to work collaboratively and productively with colleagues across Development and Alumni Relations at Penn, including Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Principal Gifts, and Alumni Relations, contributing to a total team effort on behalf of SAS and Penn.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a personal portfolio of assigned donors and prospects, emphasizing those capable of making a gift of $100,000 or more. Significant travel is expected, including potential international travel.
• Achieve mutually agreed upon annual goals for visits, solicitations, and gift totals.
• Develop and implement individualized strategies for top prospects that leverage key relationships within SAS and across Penn, leading to successful engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. As part of this effort, staff school and university academic lead