Shenandoah University’s Office of Advancement is accepting
applications for a Development Officer, Health Sciences and Healing
Circle Focus. This is a full-time benefited position located on our
main campus in Winchester, Virginia.
Position Overview
Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President for Advancement
(AVP), the Development Officer, Health Sciences and Healing Circle
serves as a frontline catalyst for the Office of University
Advancement. Operating within our functional unit model, this
entry-level position acts as a versatile frontline fundraiser
responsible for advancing overall university initiatives,
leadership annual giving, and broad donor pipelines. While
maintaining a comprehensive fundraising portfolio across all
university verticals, the incumbent will take primary operational
point on building, scaling, and managing philanthropy across the
Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, and Health Professions.
Key Responsibilities and Strategic Goals
1. Generalist Frontline Fundraising and Direct
Outreach
- Comprehensive Pipeline Development: Qualify, cultivate,
solicit, and steward a broad portfolio of prospects to secure
leadership annual gifts ($1,000 to $5,000+) supporting
university-wide priorities, academic units, and campaign
pillars.
Alumni and Donor Discovery: Systematically identify and
engage unengaged alumni, parents, and friends of the university
using targeted direct mail, digital outreach, and face-to-face
discovery visits.
Health Sciences Focus: Lead the operational launch and
scaling of the "Healing Circle" framework, translating clinical
equipment needs, lab enhancements, and health scholarships into
compelling donor opportunities while actively seeking
cross-disciplinary support.
2. Academic Alignment and Faculty Integration
- Campus-Wide Collaboration: Work across academic
divisions to connect donor passions with institutional
priorities.
- Health Professions Engagement: Maintain an active
on-the-ground presence within health sciences buildings, building
strong relationships with Deans, department chairs, and
faculty.
- Faculty Partner Integration: Collaborate with trained
Faculty Partners across all schools, with an emphasis on health
professions, to co-host donor discovery meetings and articulate
impactful academic stories.
3. Cross-Functional Synergy and Stewardship
- Frontline Team Alignment: Partner closely with frontline
development officer colleagues across athletic, parent, and
academic giving tracks to identify overlapping donor pipelines and
maximize donor engagement.
- Stewardship Execution: Ensure timely, accurate, and
high-touch donor recognition and stewardship for all assigned
leadership-level donors.
- Data Integrity: Proactively log donor interactions,
moves management stages, and contact reports in Blackbaud Raiser's
Edge NXT based on intelligence generated from the Intelligence
Hub.
Other Duties
- General Institutional Support: Perform other
responsibilities and special projects appropriate to the position
as assigned by the supervisor or division leadership.
Required Skills
Qualifications and Requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree required. A degree in
Nursing, Public Health, Health Sciences, Healthcare Administration,
Communications, or a related field is valuable.
- Experience: 0 to 2 years of relevant experience across
fundraising, healthcare administration, non-profit outreach,
clinical volunteer management, sales, marketing, communications, or
customer service. Internship or significant volunteer experience in
these areas will be strongly considered.
- Domain Literacy: Background, interest, or connection to
healthcare or allied health disciplines is beneficial for building
rapport with health professions faculty and medical alumni.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency with standard office
software and the ability to rapidly master fundraising
databases/CRM environments (such as Raiser's Edge NXT).
- Schedule: Willingness and flexibility to work selected
evening and weekend hours to staff games, donor circles, health
professions functions, and alumni engagement events.
Core Competencies
- Teamwork and Synergy: Exhibits objectivity and openness
to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to
building a positive team spirit; puts success of the unified
development team above individual interests to eliminate
institutional silos.
- Planning and Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work
activities efficiently; uses time effectively; manages multiple
tasks, moves management processes, and event logistics under tight
deadlines.
- Computer Skills: Possesses strong knowledge of operating
systems and proficiency with relevant software, including CRM
systems.
- Customer Service and Professionalism: Maintains a highly
professional demeanor when dealing with difficult situations;
responds promptly and helpfully to donor, staff, and institutional
needs; approaches others in a tactful manner; treats others with
respect regardless of status.
- Interpersonal Skills: Keeps emotions under control;
remains open to new ideas; shows respect and sensitivity for
cultural differences; builds rapport with diverse university
constituencies.
- Oral and Written Communication: Listens and gets
clarification; communicates clearly and cogently with donors,
faculty, and staff; writes clearly and informatively; executes
direct outreach campaigns (mail/digital).
- Unwavering Discretion and Integrity: Demonstrates a high
degree of professionalism, integrity, and deep adherence to
professional advancement ethics, donor privacy mandates, and strict
confidentiality.
- Quality and Dependability: Demonstrates accuracy and
thoroughness in work; follows instructions and management
direction; takes responsibility for own actions; meets commitments
consistently.
How to Apply:
The complete application will include a cover letter, resume, and
contact information for three professional references. Applications
will be reviewed immediately and will continue until a qualified
candidate is selected.
**Note: A pre-employment background check will be required, and a
satisfactory driving record may be required as a condition of
hire.
**Authorized to work in the United States is a pre-condition of
employment. At this time, Shenandoah University is not in a
position to sponsor international visas.
Shenandoah University values individuals and communities'
unique and diverse perspectives locally and globally. It seeks to
foster mutual understanding in an inviting community where
individuals are welcome and respected. The university does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy,
sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic or national origin,
age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’s
status, or on any other basis protected under applicable
law.
Salary Range
$45,000.00 - $50,000.00
Salary Type
Not Applicable
