Director of Philanthropy I

Essential Job Duties

Reporting to the Executive Director of Philanthropy, the Director of Philanthropy is responsible for identifying, qualifying, soliciting and stewarding major and leadership gift donors to NC State University. This position will serve as a part of the growing and ambitious North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF) advancement team within the Wilson College of Textiles.

The Director will serve as a liaison for NCTF as well as a leader for one or more academic departments or programs within Wilson College, and represent the full College through regular travel to one or more assigned regions. The Director will also play a key role in developing fundraising strategies for their assigned programs and the College, as we prepare for a future campaign.

As appropriate, the Director will staff events and meetings with academic leaders (department heads, program directors, etc.), as well as identify and coordinate the management of key volunteers (e.g., alumni advisory board). The Director will be expected to manage a portfolio of discovery and actively managed prospects while also collaborating with fundraising colleagues within the Wilson College and across campus.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as an active team member in the development and implementation of short- and long-term planning for the Wilson College of Textiles' advancement team in support of the Dean's goals for year-over-year growth and creating a collaborative culture of philanthropy in the lead up to a new and ambitious fundraising campaign.
• Identification, qualification, cultivation and solicitation of prospects to create and grow a pipeline of 6- and 7-figure donors.
• Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the priorities of the Wilson College of Textiles, with a specific focus on making a persuasive oral and written case for support for assigned programs.
• Strategic development and management of a portfolio with approximately 100-150 prospects and donors capable of making gifts of $100,000 or more, including development and execution of strategies in line with fundraising best practices (ie, Plus Delta).
• Consistently meet or exceed annual goals for outreach contacts, qualifications, visits, proposals submitted and funds raised.
• Serve as a liaison for the NCTF team for one or more academic departments or programs. Provide strategic guidance and staffing for assigned academic leaders (e.g., department heads) and develop fundraising strategies and priorities for the unit in preparation for a future campaign. Meet regularly with academic leaders and guide them in developing relationships with the top prospects for their programs. Provide training, materials and assistance for advancement colleagues in the Wilson College who may be building relationships with alumni and friends of assigned programs.
• As requested, staff the Dean at events or meetings, prepare briefings and manage follow-up.
• Represent the Wilson College through regular travel to one or more assigned regions (both in and out of state).
• Creation and implementation of comprehensive strategies to leverage networks and maximize fundraising results for assigned academic programs and in assigned geographic regions.
• Identification, coordination and management of key volunteers and award recipients in assigned academic programs (ie, department advisory boards) and geographic regions.
• Collaboration with colleagues to help align donors' philanthropic interests with various priorities within the College and across campus.
• Coordination of engagement and stewardship efforts as needed with appropriate College advancement colleagues.
• Staff committees, workgroups and project teams to represent the Wilson College of Textiles NCTF team at the request of the Executive Director.

Other Work/Responsibilities

• Attend a variety of College and university events throughout the year.
• Regular travel (local and out of state), and occasional night and weekend work is required.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned.

Minimum Experience/Education

Requires a relevant post-Baccalaureate degree with a minimum of three (3) years or greater of related professional experience, or a relevant undergraduate degree and a minimum of five (5) years or greater of relevant experience may be substituted for the advanced degree.

Required Qualifications

• Ability to work well with faculty, administrators, volunteers, and colleagues as part of a team in a large, complex research university
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build effective internal and external relationships
• Strong organizational and analytical skills, with a high attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple and competing priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Experience in cold calling, negotiating, and securing philanthropic gifts and successfully closing proposals
• Self-motivated and self-starting and an eagerness to be part of an emerging team
• Good listener
• Optimism, perseverance and a positive attitude
• Ability to travel around the region and to other areas of the country
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as required
• Computer literacy

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree
• Experience staffing an academic leader and developing fundraising strategies for an academic program
• Proficiency in portfolio management and developing and executing prospect strategy per fundraising best practices
• An understanding of the land grant, research Tier One university environment
• Experience working in higher education, nonprofit advancement, or a foundation environment, with an understanding of donor engagement, stewardship, and fundraising best practices.
• Demonstrated success developing and managing relationships with volunteers, advisory boards, alumni leaders, or other external stakeholders to advance organizational goals.
• Experience utilizing donor database and prospect management systems (e.g., CRM platforms) to track engagement activity, manage prospect pipelines, and support strategic fundraising efforts.

Required License or Certification

A valid North Carolina driver's license or the ability to obtain within 60 days of start is required and must be maintained as a condition of employment.