Working/Functional Title

Program Director, Principal Gifts

Position Summary

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of University Advancement, the Program Director plays a key role on the Principal Gifts team, managing the daily and strategic operational functions for the Principal Gift team through high level strategy, execution, briefings, and organization of the full principal gift portfolio. 

The Program Director, working in close collaboration with the Associate Vice President of University Advancement, also convenes campus partners and advises the team on the development of coordinated strategies aimed to maximize the life-time engagement and support of a portfolio of high-net-worth households. They assemble key university members together with prospects around cross-cutting strategic funding priorities and help facilitate strategy conversations in partnership with prospect development. They work closely with prospects teams to gain insights on timing of next moves or a strategy and then pull together monthly updates on prospects identified by the Principal Gift program and report on strategy and next steps.

Strategy Development, Planning, and Project Execution:

• Works in active partnership with the Executive Director of Principal Gifts and Principal Gift Officers to plan, implement, manage, and evaluate strategies, initiatives, and projects designed to enhance and advance principal gift donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship and successfully move projects and relationships forward.
• Assists in the execution of prospect/donor strategies for cultivation, proposal development, solicitation, and stewardship, and serve as strategic thought partner for gift officers and team leadership.
• Assists in directing Principal Gift Program workflow to ensure timely completion of assignments.
• Maintains and tracks the full principal gift portfolio strategies and next steps. Reporting monthly on updates, moves, and needed assistance. 
• Helps support and implements strategic engagement opportunities for VIP donors.
• Helps to research programs and connect with unit-based teams to gather information to help in proposal development for top prospects.
• Recommends and implements consistent standards of practice and procedures that provide professional and experienced customer service to VIP donors.
• Works closely with Prospect Development and the Engagement team to ensure that strategies and research are developed and accurate.
• Interacts with donors in person, by phone, and/or written communication.

Unit Administration:

As a key member of the Principal Gifts team, the Associate Director of Program Development provides key analytic, project management, and strategic writing support when needed.

A central liaison to UA partner teams with staff who support work around president and provost interaction, VPUA team, donor relations, prospect development, stewardship, and marketing communications.  

The Associate Director of Program Development operates independently and as an integral member of a team, while taking on a variety of assigned tasks and projects as a partner in building and advancing donors' relationships.

Prepares and develops the agenda and reports for monthly Principal Gifts team meetings and monthly Presidential meetings with the Vice President of Advancement.

Utilizes expert writing skills with a commitment to accuracy and attention to detail.

Creates agendas, constituent data management, action item follow-up, reports creation, and more for the monthly principal gift pipeline meetings.

Strategically manages the coordination with the VPUA office to secure meetings for top donors and prospects with university leadership.

Communicates