The Director/Sr. Director of Development is responsible for the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects. She/he will work with donors to link their passions to University and Huntsman School of Business priorities and determine the appropriate gift vehicles, including cash, securities, real property and other.

This position is assigned to the Huntsman School of Business and is responsible for solicitation strategies specific to his/her proposals and goals. The Director/Sr. Director of Development can mentor less experienced team members and sets an example by his/her leadership, collaboration, and interaction with colleagues, university partners and community members. Building and maintaining an effective working relationship with the Dean is key to success and growth as a Director/Sr. Director of Development.

The Director/Sr. Director of Development reviews research reports and information from the Prospect Analytics and Research team on assigned donors and prospects. She/he plans trips and contacts donors to set appointments for visits. She/he builds relationships for the Huntsman School of Business with donors by presenting the case for philanthropic support and engagement opportunities. She/he follows up with correspondence, phone calls and additional visits as appropriate to close gifts.

The Director/Sr. Director of Development is highly collaborative with other colleagues and works closely with Huntsman School of Business and Advancement leadership. This position also requires extensive public contact with high-level alumni, donors and volunteers. Travel is required.

This position will be hired as either a Director of Development or Senior Director of Development based upon qualifications and duties assigned. Please see Qualifications section. 

Core responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Make qualification calls/visits, cultivate, solicit, recognize and steward donors appropriately, emphasizing those that have given or are capable of giving $50,000+.
• Develop and implement a thoughtful strategy for each prospect/donor, including ways to increase involvement in university activities. Utilize both current and planned gift opportunities to best meet donors’ needs, philanthropic interests and financial capabilities.
• Build a broad base of fundraising knowledge in order to discuss gift vehicles, including cash, planned gifts, securities, real property and other gifts to maximize discussions with donors and tailor proposals to their situation and wishes.
• Meet with development colleagues and university partners, including alumni and athletics, as appropriate to discuss major donor prospects, strategy and solicitation.
• Create and maintain an effective working rapport with the dean/director. In coordination with the dean/director, advisory councils, and/or campaign committees, guide strategic development activities and consult with these individuals to ensure success and the attainment of college/unit priorities.
• Utilize advancement resources, provide regular individual and team progress reports on gift officer and unit performance. Complete and file reports of all contacts/proposals in a timely manner.
• Partner with prospect analytics and research, the principal gift workgroup and campaign operations to identify new donor opportunities, analyze team performance, implement effective practices and coordinate donor/campaign engagement for college/unit prospects.
• Travel to key markets and regions to engage alumni, submit proposals, and steward donors.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

This position will be hired at either the Director (Development Officer III) or Senior Director (Development Officer Senior) based upon the following qualifications and duties assigned:

 
For Director:

• Bachelor’s degree plus three years of experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For Senior Director:

• Bachelor’s degree plus five years of experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For both levels:

• 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.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills, as well as analytical, research and management skills.
• Knowledge of and commitment to the use of information technology to support advancement programs.
• Strong interpersonal skills, particularly with donors, volunteers, and staff members from diverse backgrounds.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to position college leadership to maximize their potential as a fundraiser for the college
• Willingness and ability to travel; evening and weekend work is required.
• Ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders (students, alumni, faculty, staff) from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• An advanced academic degree.
• Experience with capital campaigns.

Core characteristics:

• Speaking: Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Problem solving: Analyzes data and evaluates results to inform and select the best solution and solve problems
• Monitoring: Measures performance of self and others; makes improvements and takes appropriate corrective action
• Critical Thinker: Uses logic and reasoning to identify solutions and approaches to problems
• Team building: Works to create a team-based environment
• Decision making: Makes coherent and appropriate decisions in a timely manner

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV"
2. Cover letter to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

*updated 04/2024

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023