Director of International Development - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Director of International Development





Job Profile Title

Director C, Development, Fundraising





Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of International Development and working in close partnership with members of the International Development team and vested interests partners across the university, the Director of International Development is a key member of the University’s centrally based Development and Alumni Relations program. The Director will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive and coordinated fundraising strategy for several cities and countries within a given international geographical region which support the goals and objectives of a centrally based international office. The strategic city plans must not only consider cultural nuances, number of constituencies, their capacity and philanthropic outlook, but also admissions, donor profiles, political climates and more. Each strategy must also support the schools and centers in addition to the overall University. The Director will be expected to be intimately familiar with the specifics of the region and serve as an expert resource to other colleagues.


The Director will provide leadership and support to the International Development team in making programmatic decisions by providing expertise about regions, international fundraising trends, school and center priorities and by engaging in ongoing and strategic planning. The Director will develop and implement fundraising strategies focused on high-yield prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. The expected outcomes would be securing increased major gift and leadership support (gifts of $100,000 or more) from international alumni, parents, and friends of the university.


The Director will consider collaborations in the central areas of annual giving, principal gifts, alumni relations, and special events, as well as university-wide, supporting school and center directors with their respective international development strategies. The Director will utilize the President, Deans, Faculty, and Senior Officers in select international development activity, in consultation with the Associate Vice President.


The Director will play an active role in the oversight and management of any volunteer structure and/or foundation in the assigned regions, plus lend support of other international volunteer structures and the University’s two foundations.





Job Description


Job Responsibilities



+ Develop a short- and long-term strategy for donor cultivation, solicitation, engagement and stewardship for assigned regions with the goal of closing major and principal gifts, and overall fundraising. Using data, knowledge of the regions and trends to review the complexities of assigned regions to create regional strategies.


+ Manage specific geographical region(s) and portfolio of prospects with a key focus on high potential markets. The primary objective will be to accomplish meaningful prospect interactions throughout each phase of the prospect management process.


+ Liaise with school and center directors to help facilitate their international development activities as needed.


+ Assist with the creation and implementation of marketing plans for Penn sanctioned international cross border charitable giving opportunities in assigned international regions.


+ Serve as an advocate for international constituents. The Director must ensure that university-wide fundraising activities recognize the interests of international constituents and are in line with the interests of the university and is responsible for advising constituents and colleagues appropriately. In particular, the Director must work to promote tax-beneficial giving opportunities that are available internationally.


+ Plan and execute events for prospects as strategically appropriate.


+ Identify and develop volunteer leadership.


+ As directed by the Associate Vice President, serve as an internal resource for President, Deans, Faculty, and Senior Officers planning international trips. This responsibility necessitates familiarity with the various alumni clubs, top prospects, and existing university relationships; it requires the ability to strategize to make optimum use of their time and to accompany these individuals on trips as required.


+ Develop an understanding of the cultural protocols to follow in targeted regions and inform colleagues appropriately.


+ Represent International Development at meetings, events, and professional conferences as required.





Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of the application prior to submitting.




REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:



+ Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus. 7 to 10 years of progressive fundraising experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required, with a preferred emphasis on international major gifts and principal gifts fundraising. Higher education work experience a plus.


+ Knowledge of international cross-border charitable giving with jurisdiction-specific understanding of various tax regimes where tax-efficient gifts to a US institution can be made by donors outside the U.S. Especially familiarity with UK Gift Aid scheme; Transnational Giving Europe (TGE); Canada, and Hong Kong tax incentives a plus.


+ Ability to function with a high degree of independence and to act very collaboratively in development and execution of city strategies.


+ Extensive international travel required; The director must be able to travel multiple times throughout the year, sometimes for up to two weeks at a time, and to varied countries and cultures in a single trip. Travel may also be required on an as-needed basis to meet business needs,


+ Strong communication and presentation skills, especially in unaccustomed cultural settings. Be comfortable with ambiguity and adaptable to unfamiliar settings, cultural values and norms. Preferably knowledge of a foreign language and ease working with people of foreign languages.


+ Comfortable as university spokesperson as appropriate. Ability to learn the University and its schools and centers’ case for support statements and funding opportunities.


+ Strong competency with standard software applications, and ability to learn new software.


+ Excellent planning, organizational skills; attention to details. Manage multiple projects, issues, solicitations simultaneously and creatively, thoroughly, and confidentially; work independently under pressure.


+ Must tolerate travel to places where job holder has never been before, where social behavior, customs, etc., may be completely different from those of the job holder. May have to work in difficult physical conditions.


+ Must have a valid passport and a valid driver’s license required; may need to obtain international driver’s license for work in some countries.


+ Strong competency with standard software applications, and ability to learn new software.


+ Thoroughly understand the workings of a private research university and the role philanthropy plays in its advancement.


+ Comfortable with diversity in all its forms; understand international issues which may affect American higher education, e.g., U.S. visa policy for foreign students.









Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

Development and Alumni Relations





Pay Range

$74,476.00 - $160,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.




Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.