"Development Associate"

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of the Senior Director of Development, the Development Associate will plan, organize and build the pipeline of leadership and major gift support for fundraising priorities in specific academic areas of Rice University. The Development Associate will identify and qualify new prospects at the major gift ($100K+) level.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter with a positive, persevering attitude and professional demeanor who is able to successfully secure donor meetings, identify donors with both capacity and inclination, and effectively collaborate with colleagues to grow the major gifts donor pipeline for Rice University.

Workplace Requirements

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Must possess (or have the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire) and maintain a valid Texas driver's license with no more than three moving violations and/or at fault accidents within the past 36 months, and no convictions or deferred dispositions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI) within the past five years.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime*.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• Three or more (3+) years of successful professional fundraising, prospect research, sales development or equivalent experience

Skills

• Ability to learn new strategies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and effective at utilizing multi-channel styles of outreach
• Strong data analysis skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
• Strong attention to detail and ability to quickly understand and remember details about alumni/donors and projects to which they are assigned

Preferences

• 4+ years of the experience specified above

Essential Functions

• Discover new major gift prospects to Rice University, especially those who have the capacity to give at the $100,000+ level
• Qualify prospects for their capacity, inclination and potential areas of interest so they can be assigned to the portfolio where they are most likely to have successful engagement and solicitation
• Manage effectively a large qualification portfolio
• Interview prospects and enter pertinent information into the fundraising CRM
• Work collaboratively with development colleagues in support of fundraising initiatives
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Travel is required for this position up to 60% of the time
• Occasional weekend and evening work hours are required
• Requires contact with all areas of the university in person, in meetings, in writing, and by telephone
• Requires personal contact outside the university with a wide range of constituents including alumni, parents and friends

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

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