Improve external relations for the university through effective
board management and donor stewardship.
The division strives to raise funds, as outlined by the
chancellor's vision statement, from the private sector to further
the university mission of pursuing the resources that will enable
our faculty and students to excel and become intensely regionally
engaged. In doing so, the division plans strategically to
facilitate the identification, cultivation, solicitation and
stewardship of all constituencies, and seeks to positively promote
the university. The division's fundraising efforts are enhanced by
effective partnerships with all components of the campus community
as well as external audiences including alumni, parents,
corporations, foundations, legislators, volunteer board members and
friends.
Development programs include major gifts, planned giving,
corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, UNCW constituent
liaison and special projects. Prospect Management and Research,
Advancement Services, and External and Donor Relations are support
services for the fundraising activities of the division.
College:
College/School Information:
University Information:
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal
university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring,
research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class
faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level
for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful
academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical
thinking.
A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a
full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well
as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology,
nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning
options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN
program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working
professionals, and the nation's only bachelor's degree program
focused on coastal engineering.
The university's efforts to advance research and scholarly
activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of "Doctoral
Universities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University)
by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher
Education.
UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since
1969.
Location of Workplace: Main UNCW Campus
Brief Summary of Work for this Position:
The Director of Corporate Engagement is the university's only
dedicated corporate engagement professional and serves as a member
of the Major Gifts team within the Division for University
Advancement. Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Major
Gifts, this position leads campus-wide efforts to identify,
cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate prospects that result in
significant philanthropic investments and strengthen scholarly
efforts across all academic disciplines.Key Responsibilities:
- Partner with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Major Gifts and
Major Gift Development Officers to develop and execute strategies
for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
of corporate prospects.
- Lead the university's corporate philanthropic strategy in
support of the UNCW Strategic Plan goal of expanding corporate
engagement and partnerships.
- Serve as the primary liaison for corporate fundraising efforts
across the university, providing focused leadership for corporate
engagement initiatives.
- Collaborate with university leadership, academic units, and
strategic partners, including the Center for Innovation and
Entrepreneurship, Career Center, Research and Innovation, and other
campus offices.
- Expand the corporate donor pipeline through proactive
discovery, cultivation, and solicitation of new corporate
prospects.
- Manage a portfolio of corporate funding prospects at the local,
regional/state, and national levels.
- Build and sustain complex, high-quality relationships with
corporate partners that result in significant philanthropic support
for the university.
- Work collaboratively with faculty, academic administrators, and
advancement colleagues to align university priorities with
corporate philanthropic interests.
- Lead the development of corporate funding proposals and letters
of inquiry, including writing, reviewing, and editing narratives,
budgets, and supporting materials.
- Maintain proposal, reporting, and solicitation timelines to
ensure timely and effective corporate engagement activities.
- Advance corporate philanthropy as a strategic growth area for
the university through innovative partnership development and
relationship management.
This position is ideal for a relationship-driven fundraising
professional with experience in major gift development, corporate
partnerships, and strategic stakeholder engagement.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:
Bachelor's degree with a minimum of five years of demonstrated
successful experience in the design, implementation, and execution
of successful fundraising programs, including proposal and grant
writing, or an equivalent combination of education and
experience.
Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills &
Experience:
- Master's degree
- Experience in a higher education environment
- An understanding of the nature of corporate and foundation
philanthropy as it relates to higher education and the ability to
communicate the critical role of corporate and foundation support
in ensuring the success of the research, teaching, scholarship and
outreach mission of the university.
- Superior written and verbal communication and interpersonal
and creative problem-solving skills and the ability to initiate and
collaborate with others, at all levels.
- Ability to work interdependently and independently in a
collaborative environment.
- Possess a passion for service excellence, integrity, a positive
outlook, a strong work ethic, be self-motivated and committed to
high performance and dedication to the value of higher
education.
- Track record of public and private development efforts
including mastery of the basic principles and techniques of
successful fundraising as they pertain to identification,
cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual, group,
corporate and foundation prospects, preferably in the non-profit or
higher educational sector.
Required Certifications or Licensures:
FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)
Months Per Year: 12 Months
Work Days:
Work Hours:
Type of Position: Permanent
Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited:
Position Number: E1612
Job Posting Date: 09/10/2026
Posting Close Date: 09/20/2026
Number of Openings: Single Incumbent
Special Notes to Applicants:
PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM
(Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full
consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire
application, including the 'Work History' section before you apply
for this position. Applications must be submitted through the
online application system to be considered.
Eligibility for Employment:
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender
background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor
vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington 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.
To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/9815146"">https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/40774
UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for
employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender
identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color,
national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual
orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military
service member status, genetic information, or relationship to
other university constituents - except where sex, age, or ability
represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or
where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility
criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.
je-c62786b08ffd489a8135f002191cb050