Development Officer Senior

Overview

The Senior Director of Development (Development Director Sr.) for Utah State University Bastian Agricultural Center is responsible for advancing the university's mission through the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts ($25,000 and above). This position will work both independently and in collaboration across colleges, departments and programs to help achieve specific fundraising goals.

 

The Senior Director of Development for the USU Bastian Agricultural Center enhances fundraising, donor relations, strategic partnerships, and revenue-generation initiatives in support of the Center’s mission to advance agricultural research, outreach, education, and industry innovation. This position is responsible for cultivating major donors, securing philanthropic support, and partnering across the Bastian Agriculture Center and USU to achieve ambitious funding goals.  This position may require travel, including overnight trips. This position also requires event attendance that may occur during nights and weekends

 

The Senior Director of Development will report to the Executive Director of Statewide & Extension Development. Statewide & Extension Development is part of the USU Advancement Central Development unit.

Responsibilities

Major Gift Solicitation

• Successfully solicit major gifts ($25,000 and above) from university alumni and friends.
• Strategically manage solicitation timing, amount and purpose.
• Develop a multi-year pipeline of support.
• Draft fundraising proposals that align with donors’ philanthropic interests.

Donor Engagement and Prospect Management

• Build relationships and engage with constituents through individual outreach and communication efforts.
• Utilize university events to connect with alumni and friends of the university.
• Cultivate and steward donors while expressing appreciation and communicating impact.
• Manage prospects and donors through deliberate actions to enhance their engagement with USU and strengthen their desire to support the mission and vision of the university and its programs.

Philanthropic Strategies

• A strong understanding of philanthropic giving methods and strategies is required to have meaningful gift conversations with constituents.
• Ability to work within and communicate the philanthropic gift framework established by USU Advancement.
• Knowledge of USU philanthropic impact areas, funds, programs and campaigns to best connect donors with causes that are meaningful to them.

Communication and Collaboration

• Communicate effectively and collaborate with university advancement staff, collegiate development officers, program and department heads and university administration.
• Effectively communicate fundraising initiatives, opportunities and strategies with university supporters.

Strategic Planning

• Work closely with the Executive Director of Extension and Statewide Enterprise and university program leaders to establish strategic fundraising initiatives and goals.
• Collaborate with Executive Director of Extension and Statewide Enterprise and Development Officer Analysts to determine strategic outreach and donor development actions.
• Seek out and fulfill opportunities to meet with and participate on volunteer boards, committees and councils made up of university and community stakeholders and USU administration.

University Representation

• Must represent the university during meetings, donor visits and events while communicating the university’s mission, vision and impact.
• While in a working capacity, it is vital to always represent the university in a first-class manner and avoid engaging in any actions that could reflect negatively on the university.

Goal Achievement

• Meet and exceed annual metrics including, but not limited to, number of visits, solicitations, gifts received and gift amount totals.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field plus five years of experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to have complex gift conversations and a track record of closing gifts or negotiating contracts.
• Demonstrated experience building successful, productive and collaborative relationships with top university administrators, deans and board members.
• Demonstrated experience staffing dean’s councils, advisory boards and committees.
• Supervisory and coaching experience of professional staff.
• Willingness and ability to travel; evening and weeke