Associate Director, Interdisciplinary Development, Major & Leadership Gifts

Occupational Summary

Duke Alumni Engagement and Development (AED) is widely recognized among its peers as a leader in the field of interdisciplinary fundraising. This model for fundraising – one that extends beyond schools, units, and departments to support ideas that reside at the intersection of academic disciplines – has helped strengthen Duke’s position as a university deeply committed to interdisciplinarity, globalization, and knowledge in the service of society. Investments in these priorities have allowed Duke to attract some of the world’s finest faculty, build first-rate facilities, launch model interdisciplinary institutes and global partnerships, and engage the minds of a new generation of students.

The Associate Director serves as the primary development liaison for multiple interdisciplinary units as assigned and in line with University priorities, such as the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS). S/he is responsible for partnering in the creation and implementation of comprehensive fundraising programs that advance giving to each area. Reporting to the Director of Interdisciplinary Development on the Major and Leadership Gifts team, s/he works closely with unit-based academic and development leadership and with frontline fundraisers in AED, Duke Health Development and Alumni Engagement, and professional and graduate school development offices to communicate fundraising priorities and ensure that they are represented in conversations with individual, corporate, and foundation prospects. S/he maintains robust knowledge of the work of each area's goals and partnerships and serves as a resource for gift officers working with prospective donors. As a key member of the Interdisciplinary Development team, the Associate Director also assists the team in developing and implementing departmental strategies and best practices and leads special projects as needed.

The ideal candidate is an accomplished administrative manager with significant higher education fundraising experience and an aptitude for understanding organizational dynamics and vision. S/he must be able to work collaboratively with partners across the university while successfully advocating for and advancing program goals. S/he must have the ability to resolve diverse problems independently, know how to create consensus among disparate parties, and manage complex logistics for a variety of stakeholders across Duke University and Duke Health. S/he must have the ability to understand the big picture and communicate how a desired strategy or objective fits into the overall vision and mission of the organization. Strong interpersonal skills, honed through the cultivation and maintenance of stakeholder relationships, are also essential.

Responsibilities

Fundraising

• Work with unit-based faculty directors and development leadership teams, academic leadership, and the Interdisciplinary Development team to create and implement comprehensive fundraising programs. This might include but is not limited to:
• Identify, articulate, and regularly evaluate a comprehensive set of giving priorities
• Serve as a development point of contact for prospect engagement inquiries from University-wide fundraisers and collaborate with these fundraisers on the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospects and donors
• Identify stewardship needs and develop improved processes to address them by communicating with donors about the impact of their gifts; ensure recognition and appreciation of donors through events and communications
• Serve as a member of prospect management teams for CDS donors
• Develop and maintain prospect lists, qualifying and adding prospects as they emerge and referring these to appropriate fundraisers, concentrating strategy on prospects with high capacity and affinity as well as emerging interest
• Partner with University-wide fundraising staff to create and maintain content, assist in developing proposals, and strategic prospect/donor visits to advance gift discussions
• Coordinate with Foundation Relations on proposal development for grants, as needed
• Collaborate with CDS to prepare and update development collateral for fundraisers such as giving opportunities or impact reports
• Manage all aspects of sponsorships, annual giving, and special giving programs for CDS
• Provide similar fundraising support for other interdisciplinary units, as assigned

Board and Alumni Relations

• Provide development staffing for unit-based advisory boards, as assigned; activities will include, but are not limited to: communications (collectively and with individual members); collaborating on and coordinating the development of meeting agendas and content; arranging meeting logistics; attending meetings
• Launch a CDS Board of Advisors, including but not limited to the following activities: developing governance documents, recruiting and onboarding new members, and setting strategic goals for the board in close partnership with AED and academic leadership
• Advise academic leadership on ongoing board recruitment and engagement for fundraising purposes
• Partner with prospect management teams to develop gift solicitation strategies in support of each board member’s philanthropic expectations
• Work with academic and development leadership teams to design and plan other efforts to engage alumni and other stakeholders

Coordination and Administration

• Represent CDS and other interdisciplinary units, as assigned, in meetings across Duke University and Duke Health concerning strategies for top prospects.
• Serve in an advisory capacity to unit-based leadership and development teams concerning fundraising strategy
• Assume a leadership and/or project management role on the Interdisciplinary Development team in aid of departmental work
• Coordinate with all relevant parties, observing protocols and procedures, concerning prospect management, assignment, and solicitation
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications

• Fundraising experience required 5 years minimum, higher education preferred
• High level of comfort with ambiguity and an ability to respond to change and commit to decisions under pressure
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and strategically with diverse constituencies to achieve shared success
• Capacity to influence and/or guide others toward achieving a goal or solving a problem
• Strong customer service orientation
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Team player, particularly with development colleagues
• Strong sense of organizational awareness and ability to use this to achieve objectives
• Ambition, creativity, and resourcefulness
• Attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• A commitment to continuous learning
• Project and data management skills
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite programs

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience

Work requires five years experience in alumni affairs, public relations, fundraising, sales and promotions, marketing, student activities or a related field in order to acquire skills necessary to administer, coordinate and/or participate in general fundraising activities and proposal development OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.