Development Officer

Staff Posting Details

Appointment: Regular, full-time (1.0 FTE) position.

Work Location:
This position is based in Tacoma, WA, and is hybrid eligible (minimum of 3 days on-site) after a successful evaluation period.

Please note that we generally do not sponsor applicants for work visas for staff positions. Therefore, we generally require applicants for staff positions to be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Position Summary:

The development officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gifts from prospective donors to meet fundraising goals in an effort to advance the University of Puget Sound's mission and goals. The development officer builds relationships with alumni, parents, and individuals to deepen their affinity and engage them in meaningful ways with the Puget Sound community. Working directly with colleagues across the University Relations division and the campus, the development officer serves as a member of the capital giving team and reports to the Director of Development.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Manage a diverse portfolio of approximately 100 major gift prospective donors with a focus on individuals with a potential capacity to contribute $100,000 or more;
• Engage in personalized outreach to strengthen relationships with alumni, parents and families, and friends, ensuring constituents feel valued and informed about Puget Sound's priorities and impact;
• Inform and inspire prospective donors to provide funding for identified fundraising priorities including endowment, current use, and facilities objectives in support of Puget Sound's mission and strategic plan;
• Develop, illustrate, and solicit outright and deferred commitment opportunities, preparing written proposals and informational materials as needed;
• Promote and solicit gifts for the Puget Sound Fund in coordination with colleagues in the Office of Annual Giving;
• Manage and travel within one or more geographic territories to meet regularly with prospective donors and to build enduring and trusting relationships between the prospects and the university;
• Maintain a basic knowledge of projects and programs that are Puget Sound's funding priorities, and share the university's vision and goals through consistent messaging and storytelling;
• Collaborate with the Office of Donor Relations to recognize and steward donors and their gifts, ensuring donors feel valued and connected to the impact of their contributions;
• Develop written engagement and solicitation strategies for a prioritized "Top 25" pool of assigned prospects who will be solicited in a 12-24-month period;
• Move prospective donors through the giving cycle from identification through stewardship with appropriate deliberate speed;
• Develop and present an average of 12 to 15 major gift proposals each year with a target of securing a minimum of $1 million+ in new commitments;
• Maintain accurate and timely records for constituents in the constituent management system;
• Represent the University of Puget Sound in a consistently professional and ethical manner; and
• Perform other duties as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Budget Responsibilities

This position has no budget responsibility.

Qualifications:

The development officer should possess the following qualifications and skills:

• Experience in fundraising, and preferably in raising gifts of $50,000+ for endowment and current use in a higher education setting or similar non-profit environment;
• Significant experience working productively with prospects, donors, and volunteers;
• The ability to work and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with a broad range of internal and external constituents;
• The ability to work independently as well as collaboratively as part of close-knit team;
• A high level of professionalism, ability to solve problems, handle confidential information, and navigate sensitive situations with discretion;
• Highly developed computer skills including experience with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite, and fundraising/donor management software;
• The willingness and ability to travel frequently;
• Excellent organizational and planning skills as well as superior attentiveness to detail;
• A bachelor's degree; and
• Ability to respectfully work, communicate and provide leadership within a diverse campus community.

Compensation and Benefits:

Career Framework Information:
Job Family: Advancement
Level: C3
Pay Grade: 8

The anticipated range for this position is $76,949 ($37.05 per hour) up to $100,000 annualized. Decisions about starting salaries are made based on the extent and relatedness of the candidate's education and experience and on internal equity and market considerations.

Puget Sound offers a generous benefits package for eligible staff employees, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement plan options and 403(b) contributions
• Paid vacation, sick leave, floating holiday, campus holidays and bonus holidays
• Education benefits, such as full tuition for eligible employees and their families
• Access to university facilities and entertainment (fitness center, pool, library, concerts, lectures and more!)

Please note:
-Positions that work less than .75 FTE (1,560 hours per year) do not qualify for long-term disability or education benefits.
-Positions that work less than .50 FTE (1,040 hours per year) will accrue paid sick leave but are not eligible for additional benefits.
-Temporary positions that work at least .50 FTE (1,040 hours per year) will be eligible for benefits.

Depending on where it falls within the salary range, this position may be non-exempt or exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

For more information on Puget Sound's exempt staff benefits package, visit: Summary of 2026 Benefits for Staff Members in Exempt Positions.pdf - Google Drive

For more information on Puget Sound's non-exempt staff benefits package, visit: Summary of 2026 Benefits for Staff Members in Non-Exempt Positions.pdf - Google Drive

For the Campus Holiday and Bonus Day Schedule, visit: https://www.pugetsound.edu/human-resources

Application Deadline:

Review of applications will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been identified.

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest
• 3 Professional References (At least 2 supervisors)

Applications submitted without the required attachments will not be considered.

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of all required background checks.

University Diversity Statement

We Acknowledge:

• The richness of commonalities and differences we share as a university community.
• The intrinsic worth of all who work and study here.
• The investigation and reflection enhance that education upon multiple perspectives.

We Aspire:

• To create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community.
• To increase the diversity of all parts of our university community through a commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts.
• To foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community.

We Act:

• To achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity.
• To ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here.
• To prepare citizen-leaders effectively for a pluralistic world.

Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. To learn more please visit: https://pugetsound.edu/about-puget-sound-0/mission-core-values/institutional-equity-diversity

The University of Puget Sound is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply

For complete job description and application instructions, visit: www.pugetsound.edu/employment

About Puget Sound

Puget Sound is a selective national liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington, drawing 2,600 students from 48 states and 20 countries. Puget Sound graduates include Rhodes and Fulbright scholars, notables in the arts and culture, entrepreneurs and elected officials, and leaders in business and finance locally and throughout the world. A low student-faculty ratio provides Puget Sound students with personal attention from faculty who have a strong commitment to teaching and offer 1,200 courses each year in more than 40 traditional and interdisciplinary fields, including graduate programs in occupational and physical therapy and in education. Puget Sound is the only nationally ranked independent undergraduate liberal arts college in Western Washington, and one of just five independent colleges in the Pacific Northwest granted a charter by Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's most prestigious academic honorary society. Visit "About Puget Sound" (http://www.pugetsound.edu/about) to learn more about the college.

As a strategic goal and through our core values, University of Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. EOE/AA