Department: Advancement and Alumni Relations
Classification: Administrative Faculty
Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa
sponsorship
Salary: Salary starting low $130k; commensurate with
education and experience
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
The University Advancement division is a comprehensive development
and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of
approximately 135 FTE. Functional units within Advancement include
development/fundraising, alumni relations, stewardship and donor
relations, advancement communications, special events, gift
processing, research, prospect management, gift planning, corporate
and foundation relations, information systems and management, and
infrastructure services.
Advancement's mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships
with George Mason University's alumni and constituents, while
matching their philanthropic interests with the university
aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving
the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community
by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning.
Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity,
transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and
culture.
About the Position:
The Director of Development for University Priorities is
responsible for identifying and implementing strategies for success
in securing significant philanthropic support for university
priorities. This position cultivates meaningful relationships with
potential and current Major Gift ($25,000+) level donors to the
university. Manages a portfolio of donors and prospective donors
and is responsible for facilitating all phases of the gift cycle,
including initiating contact, cultivating and moving potential
donors to solicitation and closure, creating solicitations, writing
proposals, and stewarding donors. The Director of Development works
collaboratively with key volunteers, school leadership and faculty,
Advancement staff, and other school representatives to cultivate
and solicit donors for university priorities.
Responsibilities:
Maintains Personal Portfolio and Supports Comprehensive
Fundraising Program:
- Carries and maintains a portfolio of 75 to 100 prospects that
are moved through the donor engagement process culminating in MAJOR
or PRINCIPAL gifts (as defined by George Mason’s Advancement
team);
Actively engages each prospect in their portfolio to ensure
prospect movement and portfolio penetration annually;
Minimum of 50% portfolio penetration working toward 75%
portfolio penetration;
Submits 2-4 “Asks” per month for a total of a minimum of 24 per
year;
Meets or exceeds all metrics and expectations set by Central
Advancement;
Supports successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising
program that appropriately partners with and leverages resources
from the Central Advancement team to accomplish objectives;
Develops strategies and implementation of major and principal
gifts for the school, in concert with Central Advancement and
Alumni Relations;
As appropriate, is personally responsible for the direct
solicitation of gifts and for preparing the Dean, members of school
advisory boards, members of the school’s Advancement team, faculty,
staff, and other members of the school and/or university to make
solicitations;
Coordinates the efforts of those who can assist in fundraising;
tracks contacts, asks, and funds raised; drafts proposals and
pledge agreements for potential donors; and proposes and
coordinates appropriate cultivation and stewardship
activities;
Travels as necessary for donor outreach and cultivation;
Works with offices across campus to coordinate related
activities that further the university’s mission and achieve
fundraising goals;
Finds new and creative ways to engage donors that will enrich
the donor experience and add value to the academic life of the
university;
Works with staff to engage all alumni to advance the percentage
of active involvement and increase alumni donations;
Engages a wide range of colleagues, alumni, donors, prior
faculty and staff, and individuals who might be able to assist in
pursuing/winning major gifts;
Seeks the assistance of a wide range of people in identifying
prospects who might make major gifts in the future;
Assists in overseeing the school’s portfolio of donors and
potential donors, both individually and through management of the
team to maximize unit revenue from philanthropic giving;
Communicates and executes the advancement and alumni relations
agenda with the school’s volunteer boards and alumni affinity
groups;
Assists with planning and implementation of school efforts to
raise individual, corporate, and foundation funds;
Conducts discovery visits with prospective donors as identified
by Central Advancement Research and will also hand-off or
disqualify individuals from their portfolio based on an
unwillingness to connect, lack of affinity, or philanthropic
interest in another aspect of Mason;
Works with staff to engage all alumni to advance the percentage
of active involvement and increase alumni donations and meets or
exceeds fundraising goals;
Regularly updates supervisors as to any fundraising and
relationship-building activities taking place in the school;
Strategizes about which major gifts would have the greatest
value to and impact on the school and prioritizes said gifts. Works
with donors to try to interest them in gifts that have the greatest
value to and impact on the school. Understands certain gifts will
transform the school more than others, and takes responsibility for
pursuing and capturing more valuable gifts; and
Although this position does not have responsibility for
cultivating and securing gifts under $5,000, the position
proactively, and in any way possible, helps team members in the
school who are responsible for securing these annual and leadership
annual gifts.
Coordination with Central Advancement/Schools, Colleges, and
Units (University Priorities):
- Coordinates fundraising with other departments and utilizes
services as appropriate;
- Ensures consistent and adequate communication between
school/unit and Central Advancement; and
- Works closely with Central Advancement services including, but
not limited to, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Parents and Family
Philanthropy, University Priorities, Alumni Relations,
Communications, Systems, Operations, Donor Relations, Gifts and
Records, etc.
Supervision of Staff:
- Responsible for setting goals for performance and deadlines in
ways that comply with the university’s plans and vision and
communicate them to subordinates;
- Organizes workflow and ensures employees understand their
duties or delegated tasks;
- Monitors employee productivity and provides constructive
feedback and coaching;
- Receives complaints and resolves problems;
- Maintains timekeeping and personnel records;
- Passes on information from upper management to employees and
vice versa;
- Prepares and submits performance evaluations;
- In coordination with leadership, decides on rewards and
promotions based on performance;
- Hires and trains new employees; and
- Ensures adherence to legal and university policies and
procedures and undertakes disciplinary actions if the need
arises.
Other Duties as Assigned:
- Performs other duties as required or assigned, which are
reasonably within the scope of duties in this job
classification.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of
education and experience;
- Significant (generally, six – nine years) successful
professional advancement and/or fundraising-related experience or
any equivalent combination of education and/or experience;
- Significant record of successful major gift solicitations and
experience designing and executing donor identification,
cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies;
- Demonstrated experience with successful collaboration with
teams or stakeholders;
- Some (generally, one or more years) supervisory
experience;
- Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and
meeting continuous deadlines;
- Experience documenting appropriate information in a donor
management database system;
- Experience interacting with a wide variety of constituents,
such as donors, prospects, trustees, and faculty and staff;
- Excellent research skills;
- Demonstrated written and oral communication skills;
- Demonstrated skill in CRM fundraising software;
- Possess the ability to solicit and engage major donor
prospects; and
- Possess an understanding and ability to articulate the
accomplishments and goals of a complex organization.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Significant (generally, six – nine years) experience in major
gifts fundraising, preferably in higher education;
- Skill in Salesforce; and
- Skill in MicroStrategy, or similar reporting platform.
Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for the
Director of Development for University Priorities
at
https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the
online application to include three professional references with
contact information (one of which must be a current supervisor),
and provide a cover letter and resume for review.
Posting Open Date: August 19, 2026
For Full Consideration, Apply by: September 8, 2026
Open Until Filled: Yes
Mason Ad Statement
George Mason University is a nationally ranked R1 research
university committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous
world. With 40,000 enrolled students, George Mason is the largest
and most diverse public research university in Virginia, offering
degree programs at the master's, doctoral, and professional level,
along with certificates and credentials.
George Mason fosters an All Together Different environment for
students, faculty, and staff, driven by our core beliefs. We
believe in inclusivity over exclusivity; we believe in advancing
our mission by being willing to take risks, not avoiding them; and
we believe our best work is possible when we apply our diversity of
origin, identity, circumstance, and thought.
Equity Statement
George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its
community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or
veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.
Campus Safety Information
Mason’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at
http://police.gmu.edu/annual-security-report/
