Job Overview

senior director of development, foundation relations

job no: 498113
work type: staff full-time
location: denver, co
categories: alumni / development / fundraising, business operations / services, admin / executive / office support, advancement

about the university of denver
the university of denver (du), a private university, is the oldest independent university in the rocky mountain region, with approximately 12,900 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. du is classified as an r1: doctoral university.

at the university of denver, we're doing higher education our way: authentic to the rocky mountain wests confident optimism and pragmatic independence. it sets us apart. we're preparing young people to be the solutions in their own stories, empowering them to face uncertainty with confidence and uncommon sense.

we're fiercely ambitious and forward-thinking, surpassing all expectations to redefine success and how to achieve it. and we're true to our mission as a top-tier private institution dedicated to making the world a better place - contributing to our communities and making positive change in the world.

about du advancement
the denver difference campaign is our most ambitious campaign yet. it marks a dramatic shift in conventional thinking about what the university experience can and should be. du is setting the bar with our approach to higher education, developing and preparing students to be successful in life in every way. the university of denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence and innovation of our great institution. inclusive of alumni relations, development, and student and alumni career services, du advancement is building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our bold vision.

the university of denver and du advancement deeply value inclusive excellence, recognizing that its success depends on how well it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of constituents. as a part of that effort, we are continuing to grow a team of inclusive, collaborative, inquisitive, innovative, ethical, and transparent advancement professionals who possess deep mutual respect for one another and for our shared profession.

about the foundation relations team
the foundation relations team at the university of denver is a dynamic and collaborative group dedicated to securing funding from private grant-making organizations to support the university's highest priorities. the team is composed of an executive director, senior director, director, and manager, each playing a crucial role in advancing the university's mission. the foundation relations team is committed to fostering strong relationships with foundation leadership and program officers to secure complex gifts and philanthropic grants. their collaborative efforts ensure that the university of denver continues to thrive and achieve its strategic goals through effective foundation partnerships.

position summary

the university of denver is seeking an experienced, driven, and passionate foundation relations fundraiser to join our advancement team as the senior director of development, foundation relations. reporting directly to the executive director of foundation relations, the senior director of development will partner with administrative, academic, and advancement colleagues to secure funding from private grant-making organizations in support of the university's highest priorities. the senior director serves as a subject matter expert in the area of institutional giving (predominately private foundations) and will possess the sound technical expertise needed to adeptly and independently navigate pre- and post-award grant processes in close partnership with the officer of research and sponsored programs, unit grant administrators, budget officers, and fiscal compliance experts. the senior director will manage a large and diverse portfolio of foundation prospects that are aligned with du's highest priorities and campus strength areas. they will develop and mature their assigned portfolio of foundation donors, including the qualification and management of foundation prospects, in pursuit of individual and unit goals set annually in collaboration with the executive director and the associate vice chancellor for development.

additionally, the senior director will establish and maintain relationships with program officers and foundation leadership to assist in advocacy of university programs for funding opportunities. they will serve as a close partner and key resource for academic leadership. the campus-wide advancement team is highly collaborative in its work, and the senior director will be expected to build and foster extensive value-added relationships with their campus partners.

the successful candidate will possess a strong capacity for developing relationships with foundation leadership, as well as foundation program officers, to actively cultivate, solicit, and close complex gifts and philanthropic grants from institutional funders. the candidate will conceive and implement customized strategic cultivation and solicitation plans for each foundation prospect in their portfolio. they must possess excellent communication (written and oral) and relationship-building skills.

essential functions

fundraising

• secure philanthropic support for the university of denver, working primarily with foundation donors assigned to their portfolio and/or unqualified foundations that are aligned with the university's top priorities, as well as unit priorities.
• leverage qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques in the area of private foundation fundraising.
• proactively identify new sources of institutional support from private foundations.
• develop meaningful and productive relationships with a portfolio of foundation donors and prospects that are both local and nationally based.
• at a steady state, achieve an annual fundraising goal of $1-4m from an assigned portfolio in collaboration with academic leadership and other development professionals.
• utilizing a thorough understanding of the university's highest priorities, build productive relationships with select faculty, leadership, and other staff at du to successfully identify compelling and fundable programs and research to proactively bring forward to foundations.
• collaborate with other academic leadership and colleagues across advancement to effectively design and execute compelling and successful gift strategies.
• travel (alone and with du leadership) to meet foundation prospects and donors with the purpose of effective, coordinated, and efficient cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• partner with donor relations and stewardship colleagues around acknowledgments and impact reporting for received foundation gifts, as well as partner with marketing and communication colleagues regarding press releases and media announcements for select grant awards and programs.

grant proposal management

• appropriately coordinate applicable aspects of awards with advancement and/or the office of research and sponsored programs (orsp).
• strategically serve as a partner for grant development, assisting with pre-proposal and proposal design, writing, editing, budget preparation, and generating proposal collateral for the university's top priorities.
• effectively monitor and manage the status of solicitations and corresponding reporting requirements from multiple units and divisions across campus for projects aligned to priorities.

leadership

• educate colleagues and peers across campus on foundation relation techniques, and lead partnerships with colleagues to structure and successfully close foundation gifts and grants at the 6-figure+ level.
• provide mentorship to teammates in foundation relations.
• engage in the advancement goal-setting process for foundation relations metrics.
• effectively and responsibly steward budgetary and other resources to advance the university of denver.

partnerships & university citizenship

• serve as an active and collaborative partner to all academic departments and functions, central and unit-based advancement functions, and other campus colleagues to foster strategic, effective, and collaborative fundraising practices for foundations.
• model one du leadership.

knowledge, skills, and abilities

• advanced knowledge of foundation relations techniques and best practices, and familiarity with the long-term and complex nature of foundation partnerships.
• demonstrated ability to close major gifts ($50,000+) through principal gifts ($5 million+) in a relationship-based culture.
• demonstrated ability to form and fully leverage cross-functional teams of colleagues, staff, and academic/administrative leaders toward closure of transformational gifts.
• demonstrated technical knowledge of proposal writing and grant budget development.
• strong and compelling written and oral communications.
• strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• experience independently strategizing with academic leadership or faculty to successful conclusions.
• proven ability to work with a high level of confidence and independence, to maintain confidentiality, to prioritize assignments, and to manage time effectively.
• strong project management experience, with the ability to successfully engage in multiple initiatives simultaneously.
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