Assistant Director of Philanthropy, Engineering

Securing private support is critical to advancing the College in rankings of academic and research universities. More focus is being placed on private endowed support for scholarships, fellowships, and professorships in order to recruit the best students and faculty for our programs. Focus is also being placed on support for capital improvements in order to help offset ongoing significant budget cuts that are being implemented. All of this is necessary in order to have the space and resources available for increased enrollment in engineering.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits:

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties:

The Assistant Director of Philanthropy Engineering is primarily responsible for assisting the College of Engineering Advancement team in identifying and qualifying new major gift prospects for NC State. This role is an excellent entry point for those interested in pursuing a career in frontline major gift fundraising.

The Assistant Director will identify and manage a discovery portfolio of alumni and friends with the potential to make $100,000+ gifts and conduct outreach and meetings (primarily virtual) with these potential prospects. Using a set of criteria and key indicators, they will make a determination of prospects’ readiness to be cultivated toward a major gift within the next 12-24 months and make referrals to major gift officers. As part of their professional development, the Assistant Director will gain exposure to and in some cases, shadow, the process of advancing these relationships toward the cultivation, solicitation and closure of major gifts in collaboration with the assigned gift officer, as well as make their own Leadership Annual Giving ($1,000-$99,999) solicitations.

Job Duties:

Discovery and Identification of Prospects:

• Partner with Prospect Development and College of Engineering Advancement team to identify a pool of up to 200 prospective major gift prospects through personal research using tools such as NC State’s alumni/donor database, LinkedIn, and by requesting referrals from colleagues, alumni and friends
• Manage and prioritize a portfolio of discovery prospects. Conduct, document and report on a high volume of personalized, professional outreach by phone, email, social media, video and/or mail to schedule meetings with prospects to achieve goals for outreach attempts, qualifications and meetings
• Write detailed contact reports and send personalized follow-up communication
• As time allows, conduct projects to identify prospects for and reach out to potential prospects for members of the College of Engineering Advancement team as well as support with stewardship and gift acceptance

Meeting and Qualification of Prospects:

• Meet and qualify alumni and friends by learning more about their “NC State story” – what the university meant to them personally and professionally; express gratitude for prior philanthropic or volunteer support; understand why they choose to give back; and establish how they would like to be involved with the university going forward
• Determine prospects’ affinity, financial capacity, inclination and readiness to make a major gift to NC State within 12-24 months
• Build a high level of trust with gift officers on the team and across campus. Collaborate with colleagues to align donors’ philanthropic interests with priorities across campus
• Make referrals to major gift officers for newly identified prospects, including a strategy for cultivation toward a major gift and clear next steps. Make referrals to leadership annual giving officers and/or where appropriate, manage leadership annual giving solicitations ($1,000-$99,999)
• Represent the university in a professional manner, maintaining knowledge of NC State and key engagement and philanthropic priorities across the university
• Participate in College of Engineering, University Development and University Advancement meetings and activities
• Perform other duties as requested

Other Responsibilities:

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and one year of professional-level experience in direct solicitation / fundraising or a closely related field (such as sales) are required.

All degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions

Other Required Qualifications:

• Able to analyze data points in order to prioritize suspect/donor outreach
• Understanding and comfort with cold calling
• Excellent interpersonal skills and relationship building skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational and analytical skills, with high attention to detail
• Commitment to a collegial and collaborative team approach
• Self-motivated and driven with an entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving
• Optimism, perseverance and a positive attitude
• Computer literacy and competency with electronic donor information systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in higher education institutional advancement
• Experience with a high call volume on a weekly basis
• Proficient in explaining call purpose efficient and effectively
• An understanding of the land grant, research Tier One university environment
• Familiarity with NC State University

Required License(s) or Certification(s):

• A valid North Carolina Driver’s License is required within 60 days of the start date. Must be maintained as a condition of employment.

Valid NC Driver's License required: Yes

Commercial Driver's License required: No

Job Open Date: 09/14/2026

Anticipated Close Date: Open until filled

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Please include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Position Number: 00110480

Position Type: Exempt Professional Staff

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week): 1.0

Appointment: 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather: Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events: Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID: 143801 - Engineering Advancement

EEO:

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.