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Executive Director of Development, Major Gifts and Regional Advancement Dev Investment Fund Initiative

Fordham University

Job Description

Executive Director of Development, Major Gifts and Regional Advancement 
Dev Investment Fund Initiative, Lincoln Center 
Fordham University 

 

Fordham University has an excellent reputation as a dynamic institution located in New York City.  Founded in 1841, Fordham enrolls more than 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its 9 Colleges and Schools

 

  • Fordham University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to its employees, which includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
  • We offer tuition remission for employees and their dependents 
  • A generous employer match towards a 403(b) retirement plan.
  • As a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Fordham is considered a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, a federal program designed to forgive student loan debt for employees of certain public and certain nonprofit employers.
  • As part of its work-life balance program, the University provides generous PTO including 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 2 personal days, 6 summer Fridays, and holidays that include paid time off between Christmas and New year.  
  • University employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP provides no-cost, professional, and confidential services, to help employees and family members address a variety of personal, family, life, and work-related issues.

 

Hybrid Policy:       

Please review the Hybrid Policy here.

https://www.fordham.edu/human-resources/policies-guides-and-agreements/hybridremote-work-policy-for-administrators/

 

Position Summary 
Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Development, the Executive 
Director of Development, Major Gifts and Regional Advancement, will lead 
Fordham’s regional advancement efforts. This role oversees a team of 4 to 8 
regionally deployed leadership gift officers, providing strategic direction to 
enhance Fordham’s presence in key areas. In addition to managing the team, the 
Executive Director will manage their own region, hold a portfolio of approximately 
100 qualified prospects, and focus on securing gifts of $100K and up. 
 
The Executive Director must inspire, manage, and mentor frontline gift officers,
setting ambitious yet tailored goals based on each region’s donor maturity and 
the team members’ experience levels. They will establish clear metrics for 
discovery, solicitation, and gift closures while ensuring team members are 
supported and given growth opportunities. The Executive Director will actively 
contribute to strategy and planning within the development team, collaborating 
closely with the Assistant Vice President to set annual performance goals and 
ensure the success of the regional advancement program. 
 
The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, highly motivated, and goal-oriented with 
strong interpersonal skills, capable of fostering meaningful relationships with 
internal and external stakeholders. They are mission-driven and collaborative, 
constantly seeking ways to improve the team’s efficiency and effectiveness in 
meeting annual fundraising objectives. There is a meaningful opportunity to 
leverage Fordham’s President’s Club and 1841 Society in conversations with new 
prospects and to pursue major gifts that increase scholarship funding, attract top 
faculty, support student clubs and organizations, athletics, and the performing 
arts, and enable experiential learning opportunities. 
 
Experience in higher education or similar environments with regional fundraising 
models is preferred. The Executive Director will frequently travel and work nights 
and weekends as needed and will be expected to leverage technology creatively 
to reach prospective donors. 
 
Essential Functions 
Leadership & Management 
Oversees a regional team of four to eight advancement staff; mentors, 
trains, supervises, and evaluates staff to ensure significant fundraising 
productivity in service to the University’s strategic goals; travels to regions 
to accompany team members on prospect and donor visits to provide 
support and coaching. Leads the regional advancement team in planning and 
implementing long- and short-term strategies to secure major, planned, and 
annual gifts from individuals. 
 
Program Strategy 
Collaborates with the Assistant Vice President to create a strategic 
direction for the regional program; establishes measurable goals to 
increase fundraising results in aspirational and achievable ways. Serves 
as a member of the Assistant Vice President’s leadership team and a 
thought partner across the institution; contributes to overall advancement 
goals, priorities, and future directions. 
 
Fundraising 
Manages a regionally based portfolio of approximately 100 prospects, 
creating fundraising strategies for those prospects, including those in 
early-stage cultivation and/or with whom the university has little to no 
relationship, and regularly soliciting gifts of $100,000 and higher. 
Develops and continuously update the strategic plan for assigned 
region(s), to sustain and increase the size and quality of the prospect pool; 
the plan will include coordinating activity with other central units and 
school/community-based programs. 
 
Additional Functions: 
Collaborates with colleagues throughout the Development and University 
Relations division to ensure effective, efficient, and coordinated 
fundraising strategies and assists, where needed, in reunions, 
Homecoming, and other important university-wide special events. 
Makes appropriate use of time and resources; plans travel efficiently; 
continuously updates the prospect management database with information 
related to donor strategies, proposals, contacts, and results. 
 
Essential Functions Note 
This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list. 
The University may assign additional related duties as necessary. 
 
Management Responsibilities 
Supervises the work of other Fordham employees who are individual 
contributors. Responsible for hiring, training and developing, managing 
performance and administering corrective action. Has significant input in 
compensation decisions. 
 
Additional Functions 
Collaborates with colleagues throughout the Development and University 
Relations division to ensure effective, efficient, and coordinated 
fundraising strategies. 
Assists, where needed, in reunions, Homecoming, and other important 
university-wide special events. 
 
Required Qualifications: Education and Experience 
Bachelor’s degree 
Minimum of 7 years of progressively more responsible experience in 
development. 
Minimum of 3 years of experience leading teams. 
Proven track record of success in individual gift fundraising, preferably in 
higher education, and experience in cultivating and soliciting prospects 
capable of gifts of $100,000 or more. 
 
Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills 
Excellent time/territory management skills 
Broad knowledge of the principles of fundraising 
Demonstrated ability to participate in all aspects of the gift cycle
Demonstrated ability to manage and develop staff and provide clear, 
actionable, and timely feedback. 
Demonstrated and successful experience using various charitable 
solicitation and/or sales vehicles (direct mail, phone, email, and 
crowdfunding). 
Ability to adopt new technology and train colleagues on use. 
Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) while also being a 
good listener. 
Strong analytical skills and professional judgment; personal comportment 
consistent with DAUR’s core values. 
Initiative, sound judgment, consistency of output, and timeliness of follow-
through. 
Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to 
the goals of Jesuit Education. 
 
Preferred Qualifications 
Experience in a regionally assigned development office 
Strong interpersonal skills and confidence necessary to engage in face-to-
face and/or phone solicitations. 
Experience working effectively in a complex higher education setting 
Familiarity with Ellucian CRM Advance and Fundraising Performance 
Management systems. 
 
Minimum Starting Salary: $175,000 
 
Maximum Starting Salary: $215,000 
 
Note: Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills. 
 
START DATEASAP 
 
APPLY HERE: https://careers.fordham.edu/postings/8267 
 
ABOUT FORDHAM  
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an 
exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 
students in its 9 colleges and schools.  It has residential campuses in the Bronx 
and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center 
Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United 
Kingdom.   
 
Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and 
welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.
 
Fordham is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Veterans/Disabled and other 
protected categories 
 

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