Careers

Overview
The College of Science and Engineering’s Managing Director of Development will lead, manage, support, and coach a team of individual giving officers while also carrying a portfolio of approximately 50-75 donors. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Advancement (AD) and serving as a strategic leader on the Advancement Team within the Office of the Dean, the Managing Director will play a key role in identifying, developing, aligning, and implementing processes and initiatives to grow annual major gift production for the college.

Development Team Leadership and Management (40%)
Oversee individual major gift fundraising team of eight by providing mentorship, strategic direction, accountability, and structure for development officers to engage in ambitious and intentional major gift fundraising.
Cultivate a climate which fosters learning and development of personnel, collaboration, a high level of morale, and the pursuit of excellence through thoughtful relationship-building, acting strategically, and delivering fundraising results.
Assist team with proposal and visit strategies. This will include frequent individual check-in meetings and active involvement with Development Team strategy meetings.
Inform and support meaningful and effective solicitation, engagement, and qualification activities that increase gift pipeline and grow major donor counts.
Work collaboratively with the AD to set development officer goals and monitor their progress against Key Performance Indicators.
In partnership with the AD and Development Associate, develop and oversee Development Officer travel and operations budget.
Carry out administrative personnel actions (performance management, hiring, training, onboarding, offboarding, etc.).

Strategy Leadership (20%)
As a senior leader, the Managing Director will serve as a trusted advisor to the Assistant Dean and will provide visible leadership across the Advancement Team and CSE.
Work closely with stewardship, alumni relations, events, and annual giving team members, along with colleagues in Communications and Marketing and Corporate and Foundation Relations, to ensure seamless integration and support of major gift efforts.
Work collaboratively with University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF) staff, including the Prospect Development, Planned Giving, Regional Development, and Leadership Annual Giving teams to enhance the work and impact of each CSE development officer.
In partnership with the AD and other team leads, play an active role in charting annual and multi-year strategic plans for the CSE Advancement program.
Help identify big ideas for potential funding based on donor interests, while assessing alignment with CSE’s vision and priorities and navigating internal feasibility.

Portfolio Management and Engagement (40%)
Develop and manage a portfolio with a focus on top individual prospects ($100,000 and above). Utilize various giving methods such as current, deferred giving, and non-cash gifts.
Coordinate with UMF staff and other key University staff and faculty to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts from individuals.
Engage the dean, department heads, and academic leaders in donor cultivation strategies and visits as appropriate, supporting their activities with briefings, talking points, and itineraries.
Effectively utilize UMF’s Donor Management System (DMS) to review relevant information on assigned and prospective donors and prospects and complete and file timely and thorough reports of all contacts.

Required Qualifications 
Bachelor’s degree. 
Minimum of five (5) years of professional development experience, with demonstrated ability to promote and successfully solicit major gifts; or five (5) or more years of experience in marketing, consultative sales, public relations, financial advising or related field with emphasis on relationship cultivation and solicitation of individuals/businesses. 
Experience leading, supervising, or managing development teams and programs. 
Ability to exercise a high degree of diplomacy, discretion, and collaboration in working with a diverse range of constituents including staff, faculty, volunteers, alumni, donors, and UMF colleagues. 
Outstanding oral and written communication skills. 
Strategic, hardworking, and able to work with a high degree of flexibility in a collaborative, fast-paced, and goal-oriented environment. 
Proficient in the use of software and applications such as Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace and familiar with databases and/or Customer Relationship Management programs. 
Ability to staff occasional local evening and weekend events and ability to travel nationally to key geographic regions two to three times per year. 
Access to reliable transportation as this position requires regular local travel on behalf of the College of Science and Engineering. 

Preferred Qualifications 
Seven (7) or more years of progressive fundraising experience. Three (3) or more years of experience managing individual giving officers. Experience working in higher education.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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