Associate Director of Development, Office of Housing Administration (Administrator I)

Position Summary

Join San Diego State University’s dynamic University Relations and Development team as the Associate Director of Development—a mission-driven fundraising professional dedicated to expanding opportunities for student success. This role focuses on securing philanthropic support for initiatives that address housing and food insecurities and enhance the on-campus residential experience for students. As part of a collaborative, high-performing development team, you will cultivate and steward major gifts, identify new donor markets, and advance strategic fundraising goals that have a direct impact on student well-being and academic achievement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivating meaningful relationships with individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies for student housing and basic-needs initiatives, including scholarships, stipends, and capital renewal projects.
• Partner with university leadership, the Office of Housing Administration, and URAD colleagues to align philanthropic opportunities with institutional priorities.
• Conduct donor research, prepare proposals, and steward donors through personalized engagement and recognition efforts.
• Lead or support special events and volunteer initiatives that strengthen alumni and community connections.

Why Join Us?

At SDSU, you’ll be part of a nationally recognized advancement team committed to transforming lives through education and philanthropy. You’ll work alongside passionate colleagues in a supportive, inclusive environment where innovation and collaboration are encouraged. The University Relations and Development division has a proven record of success and is preparing for its next ambitious chapter. This is your opportunity to make a lasting difference by helping students thrive, both inside and outside the classroom.

Position Information

• This is a full-time, at-will role, offering comprehensive benefits.
• Position is designated exempt under FLSA and is not eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs.
• This position is approved for partial telecommuting with onsite work in San Diego.

Department Summary

University Relations and Development (URAD) shares the university’s vision and mission underscored in the 2020 five-year strategic plan. The plan identifies five strategic priorities including: Becoming a Premier Public Research University: A New Kind of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI); Resilience. Designed to Thrive; We Are SDSU; Equity and Inclusion in Everything We Do; and Students at Our Core.

Units of URAD work together to create enduring relationships with alumni, parents, donors, students and the community, to generate private support for SDSU students, faculty and a diverse number of programs. URAD handles a range of services encompassing stewardship, events, gift administration, communications and more.

Within URAD, the departments of Development, SDSU Alumni, Planned and Annual Giving, Special Events and Donor Relations, Marketing and Communications, Financial Management, Data Management, Prospect Research and Management and Operations are making a difference in the lives of SDSU’s 39,000 students. 

URAD had another record-setting fundraising year in 2023-2024 with $131.9M total raised. Other superlatives in 2023-2024 include 2,251 scholarships awarded, 14,750 total gifts, and 5,006 first-time donors. The latest fundraising success can be credited to the university’s goal of building a world-class university campus, research center, and multi-use stadium in Mission Valley to serve higher education, the public good, and the community’s goals and aspirations. 

SDSU has been recognized several times for its exceptional development program by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). With the support of loyal donors and working alongside SDSU’s visionary faculty and staff leaders, SDSU builds lifelong relationships with over 500,000 alumni, friends and the community that advance the mission of SDSU.

The Division of Business and Financial Affairs is responsible for ensuring a safe, productive campus environment while providing the highest quality service in support of academic excellence through thoughtful stewardship of financial, technological, infrastructure, and human resources at San Diego State University. 

The Office of Housing Administration (OHA) is a self-funded operation responsible for planning, providing, and administering housing operations, services, and facilities with over