Senior Philanthropic Advisor

Working Title: Senior Philanthropic Advisor

State Role Title: Administrative and Professional Faculty

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

 

College/Division: Principal Relationships

Department: 100650 - Principal Giving

 

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

 

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

 

Beginning Review Date: 03/06/2025

 

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

 

General Information:

JMU seeks a seasoned and successful fundraiser to join the Principal Giving team in University Advancement as Senior Philanthropic Advisor. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will play a critical role in building transformative relationships and securing principal-level gifts from a growing donor pool. The Principal Giving team collectively has a critical impact on JMU’s next ambitious campaign which will significantly advance JMU’s strategic priorities and the success of our students, faculty and campus environment. The successful candidate will have a passion for facilitating impactful philanthropy with individuals and families and will have the knowledge and tools to open and close conversations involving gifts of $1M+. A natural affinity for collaboration with colleagues to serve the best interests of JMU and the donors is also a key attribute.

JMU’s star continues to rise. Having recently moved to the Sun Belt Conference and into a higher research classification by the Carnegie Commission, JMU went from regional to national rankings. Applications to JMU are up 70 percent in the last three years. JMU’s successful Unleashed campaign exceeded the stretch goal by 25 percent, finishing at over $250M. We are now planning and staffing for a next, more ambitious campaign. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in JMU’s rise.

The Senior Philanthropic Advisor reports to the Assistant Vice President for Principal Giving in University Advancement. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor is a senior member of the Principal Giving team and also serves as an experienced, creative and strategic thought partner with colleagues across University Advancement, with an eye towards sharing and developing best practices with fellow Director-level colleagues and moving gifts and/or prospective donors through a successful donor development cycle.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage and continue to build a portfolio of 50-75 relationships with a focus on refreshing principal donor relationships from the last campaign and proactively identifying and engaging new high net worth donors independently and in partnership with our Prospect
• Development team and volunteers/donors.
• Close gifts of $1M+ with a donor-centric approach that meets the needs and priorities of JMU. Close gifts at other