Senior/Associate Director of Development, Weitzman School of Design

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Posted Job Title

Senior/Associate Director of Development, Weitzman School of Design

Job Profile Title

Major Gifts Officer Senior

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations, the Senior/Associate Director of Development is a key member of the Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) team at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design. This highly visible role is responsible for advancing the School’s mission by developing and executing a strategic, growth-oriented fundraising program.

The Weitzman School of Design is a leading graduate school within Penn, offering degrees and programs in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, City and Regional Planning, Historic Preservation, Urban Spatial Analytics, and Fine Arts, as well as undergraduate majors and minors through the School of Arts and Sciences and select online programs.

The Senior/Associate Director will bring a strategic and entrepreneurial mindset, serving as a catalyst for new opportunities and long-term growth. This individual will identify, cultivate, and manage a robust portfolio of high-capacity prospects, while fostering partnerships with key corporate and foundation donors. Acting as a liaison to the School’s research centers, they will align fundraising priorities with academic and research initiatives.

Working closely with the Assistant Dean, the Senior/Associate Director will help shape and implement strategic initiatives, lead targeted outreach campaigns, and engage volunteer leadership. The role involves national travel to meet with prospects and, as appropriate, accompany the Dean and other senior leaders. The Senior/Associate Director will also collaborate with colleagues across Penn’s central DAR organization, including Principal Gifts, Planned Giving, and Major Gifts teams, to maximize the impact of donor engagement and philanthropy.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Conduct 75–80 prospect visits annually to identify, qualify, and cultivate alumni and friends capable of making leadership gifts in support of the School’s named funds, programs, spaces, endowments, campaign priorities, and centers. Serve as the primary development liaison to the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, PennPraxis, the McHarg Center for Urbanism and Ecology, and the Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites. Manage donors and prospects associated with pooled and endowed lecture funds.
• Oversee all facets of the Dean’s Council, from member recruitment and engagement to agenda development and meeting coordination, ensuring meaningful participation and alignment with School priorities.
• Partner with the Senior Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving to identify donors who merit additional stewardship and have the potential to make major gifts, while continuing their engagement with