UCONN Foundation Looking for Associate Director of Development (Hybrid) at Storrs, CT  Full Time

Position Summary

Come join a growing team at the UConn Foundation!

In this Associate Director of Development role, you will serve as a frontline fundraiser for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, primarily focused on securing major ($50,000+) gifts. You will be the focal point of collaboration and communication between the UConn Foundation and the College. You will provide counsel to the deans and faculty, promote a positive culture of philanthropy within the College, and achieve annual and long-range fundraising goals.

The University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic core of the University of Connecticut. It is the home of research and teaching across disciplines in the social sciences, humanities, life sciences, and physical sciences at UConn. The faculty of the College belongs to 25 departments and a host of interdisciplinary centers, institutes, and working groups at Storrs and regional campuses – Hartford, Stamford, Avery Point and Waterbury. The College’s 750 tenure-track faculty share a commitment to liberal education and to a broad spectrum of applied and, especially, basic research. The College has over 100,000 alumni worldwide and is one of the top four academic fundraising programs at the University historically raising $8-10M in philanthropic support annually.

Primary Responsibilities

• Secure gift commitments in support of the University of Connecticut with special attention on the philanthropic priorities of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in alignment with the College’s five-year strategic plan.
  • Manage a caseload of leadership and principal gift donors and prospects through intentional actions that deepen relationships and lead to increased comprehensive giving (regular, special, and deferred)
  • Assemble collaborative teams of Foundation staff, University faculty and staff, and volunteers to assist with implementing donor engagement plans for key donors and prospects
  • Support retention of regular leadership donors ($1,000+) to the School
  • Support CLAS Alumni Relations team members to qualify donors and secure annual and leadership gifts to the College through joint visits, trainings, and collaborative events.
  • Partner with the Dean of the College to ensure that all gift discussions align with priorities of the University
  • Work with CLAS and Corporate Foundations and Relations team on qualification of prospects and gift conversations
  • Draft proposals, gift agreements and naming memorandums in collaboration with appropriate Foundation staff to ensure accurate documentation of gifts

• Ensure stewardship of donors to the College
  • Ensure all major and principal gifts to the College are acknowledged and celebrated
  • Assist dean in monitoring spending of existing Foundation funds to advise on donor messaging and stewardship
  • Coordinate with College and Foundation staff on overall gift acknowledgement process and special gift stewardship

• Build pipeline of major and principal gifts to the College by following referrals and qualifying prospective donors
  • Key partners for collaboration are the regional team, alumni team, prospect research, faculty, and volunteers
  • Emphasis on connection through personal visits and other substantive contacts
  • Strategically use events to bring in new people and facilitate connections with alumni relations, faculty and volunteers

• Document activity, proposals and engagement plans in relationship management database to accurately reflect professional Development work
  • Submit accurate and timely activity reports
  • Maintain current donor and gift strategies
  • Document activity and proposals in relationship database
  • Provide accurate updates on qualified and pending proposals
  • Foster strong working relationships with Foundation colleagues, adhering to accepted prospect management guidelines

• Other duties as assigned

Key Competencies

• Demonstrate the ability to personally solicit gifts at $50,000.
• Values diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• High level of motivation and assertiveness, as well as an ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, tack, and diplomacy. The ability to build productive, beneficial relationships with a broad range of constituencies.
• Highly organized and motivated with ability to easily transition between working autonomously and collaboratively with a team.
• Ability to engender trust and confidence of donors and prospective donors and to maintain confidentiality of donor information; ability to represent the UConn Foundation to prospects, donors, faculty, administrators and others.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, including ability to effectively communicate University priorities to donors and prospects, and to positively represent the University and Foundation
• Adept in use of computers and information management tools
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, to assess and order priorities, and to track details in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week.
• Must be willing to travel extensively and reliable personal transportation is required for this position.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license issued from state in which employee resides. Employee must maintain at their expense, automobile liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of $500,000 or a combination of umbrella and automobile liability insurance coverage of $500,000. A certificate of automobile insurance evidencing the limit, must be provided to the Foundation at hire and annually thereafter.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 3+ years of experience as a major gift fundraiser or relevant experience.
• Competence in Microsoft Office suite and donor management systems

The UConn Foundation is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. We celebrate diverse perspectives and are committed to a welcoming environment that will value your unique experiences and identity. We recognize that a true commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requires ongoing education and action and we strive for continued growth each and every day