Director of Development, Discovery - Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
About the Job
POSITION OBJECTIVE
The Director of Development Discovery is the supervisor of the Discovery Team, part of the National Development and Major Gifts Department. The director has the primary responsibility of designing, implementing, and evaluating a prospect discovery program aimed at qualifying new major gift prospects for the university and soliciting annual gifts to increase revenue for schools, units, and priority programs across the university. The Discovery team's work is focused on the priority of building Case Western Reserve University's pipeline for the next comprehensive campaign and to increase immediate funding while identifying prospects for longer-term cultivation efforts toward a major gift commitment.
Sixty percent of the director's time will be focused on discovery, qualification, and solicitation of prospects with major gift capacity. This position involves regular travel, extensive frontline fundraising activity and effective coaching of development associates.
As a generalist, the director is comfortable representing multiple schools/units and discussing priorities across the university. The incumbent is an excellent collaborator and works closely with school-based and central development and alumni relations colleagues.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Conduct 30 discovery visits quarterly to qualify prospects for capacity and affinity to provide philanthropic support to Case Western Reserve University. Travel 2 to 3 times per month within a designated portfolio of regions within the United States. Identify prospects with the ability to make a major, leadership, principal, or planned gift to CWRU and hand off active referrals to school/unit or central fundraisers. Work collaboratively with alumni engagement officers and national development officers to develop engagement strategies for particular regions. Utilize various outreach strategies and tools and evaluate their success in making contacts and securing visits, adjusting as needed. Utilize software platforms using Artificial Intelligence to prioritize outreach. (30%)
2. Conduct 5 visits quarterly to solicit new commitments of $25,000 or more. Solicit all prospects for annual gifts of $1,000 on first visit as a method of qualification and partner with Leadership Annual Giving Officers for upgrade strategies. Raise funds for all schools and units and priorities with a donor-centric approach. (30%)
3. Establish goals, metrics and reporting to monitor fundraiser productivity and overall program performance. Supervise a staff of up to three development associates providing extensive coaching and mentoring to these entry-level fundraisers. (30%)
4. Work closely with Advancement Services to identify prospect pools for the Discovery Program, to update and maintain donor and prospect biographical information, wealth indicators, and communication preferences in the CRM and track all outreach and activity per Prospect Management Policies. (10%)
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)
CONTACTS
Department: Frequent contact with the vice president, executive directors, senior directors, directors and other department and university relations and development staff as required to perform essential functions.
University: Contact with senior level administrative staff, senior staff in colleges and management centers, chief development officers, university relations and development staff, faculty, and board of trustees.
External: Contact with alumni and friends of the university.
Students: Contact with students and student volunteers.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
Supervise the Discovery Team consisting of development associates (3).
QUALIFICATIONS
Experience: 7 or more years of relevant professional experience, an interest in front line fundraising required and experience managing people required.
Education/Licensing: Bachelor's degree required. Dri
The Director of Development Discovery is the supervisor of the Discovery Team, part of the National Development and Major Gifts Department. The director has the primary responsibility of designing, implementing, and evaluating a prospect discovery program aimed at qualifying new major gift prospects for the university and soliciting annual gifts to increase revenue for schools, units, and priority programs across the university. The Discovery team's work is focused on the priority of building Case Western Reserve University's pipeline for the next comprehensive campaign and to increase immediate funding while identifying prospects for longer-term cultivation efforts toward a major gift commitment.
Sixty percent of the director's time will be focused on discovery, qualification, and solicitation of prospects with major gift capacity. This position involves regular travel, extensive frontline fundraising activity and effective coaching of development associates.
As a generalist, the director is comfortable representing multiple schools/units and discussing priorities across the university. The incumbent is an excellent collaborator and works closely with school-based and central development and alumni relations colleagues.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Conduct 30 discovery visits quarterly to qualify prospects for capacity and affinity to provide philanthropic support to Case Western Reserve University. Travel 2 to 3 times per month within a designated portfolio of regions within the United States. Identify prospects with the ability to make a major, leadership, principal, or planned gift to CWRU and hand off active referrals to school/unit or central fundraisers. Work collaboratively with alumni engagement officers and national development officers to develop engagement strategies for particular regions. Utilize various outreach strategies and tools and evaluate their success in making contacts and securing visits, adjusting as needed. Utilize software platforms using Artificial Intelligence to prioritize outreach. (30%)
2. Conduct 5 visits quarterly to solicit new commitments of $25,000 or more. Solicit all prospects for annual gifts of $1,000 on first visit as a method of qualification and partner with Leadership Annual Giving Officers for upgrade strategies. Raise funds for all schools and units and priorities with a donor-centric approach. (30%)
3. Establish goals, metrics and reporting to monitor fundraiser productivity and overall program performance. Supervise a staff of up to three development associates providing extensive coaching and mentoring to these entry-level fundraisers. (30%)
4. Work closely with Advancement Services to identify prospect pools for the Discovery Program, to update and maintain donor and prospect biographical information, wealth indicators, and communication preferences in the CRM and track all outreach and activity per Prospect Management Policies. (10%)
NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)
CONTACTS
Department: Frequent contact with the vice president, executive directors, senior directors, directors and other department and university relations and development staff as required to perform essential functions.
University: Contact with senior level administrative staff, senior staff in colleges and management centers, chief development officers, university relations and development staff, faculty, and board of trustees.
External: Contact with alumni and friends of the university.
Students: Contact with students and student volunteers.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
Supervise the Discovery Team consisting of development associates (3).
QUALIFICATIONS
Experience: 7 or more years of relevant professional experience, an interest in front line fundraising required and experience managing people required.
Education/Licensing: Bachelor's degree required. Dri
Source : Case Western Reserve University
