| Job Description Summary: | The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science (GW Engineering) is seeking an Associate Director of Development who will be both a valued member of the GW Engineering school-based fundraising team and a critical frontline fundraiser for GW’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR).
DAR is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community. Our goal is to advance GW’s mission of excellence in education, research, and scholarship.
The GW Engineering Associate Director of Development will be responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of annual leadership and major gift prospects in support of GW Engineering’s mission and strategic priorities linked to Trustworthy AI, Cybersecurity, Equity in Engineering, and Energy Innovation. The GW Engineering Associate Director of Development will:
- The Associate Director will work to devise and execute a strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts in a portfolio of approximately 120 prospects in order to secure gifts ranging from $50,000 to $500,000+ from prospects in assigned regions.
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward annual leadership and major gift prospects by completing 8-10 monthly face-to-face prospect visits in pursuit of an annual fundraising goal.
- Manage an assigned portfolio of 100-120 individuals encompassing alumni, family members of students, community leaders, and planned giving prospects.
- Create and implement strategies to engage donors by facilitating consistent and meaningful connections, strengthening long-term partnerships, and growing philanthropic interest to ensure that GW Engineering is a top priority.
- Report directly to the Assistant Vice President of Development and Constituent Engagement for GW Engineering.
- Fundraise for GW Engineering’s strategic priorities including scholarships, professorships, student co-curricular activities, and research initiatives.
- Travel regionally and nationally with a primary focus on Florida, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
- Staff events and work with colleagues cutting across GW’s development teams to implement new strategies for increasing and diversifying event attendance.
- Leverage GW Engineering’s outreach efforts, alumni gatherings, and network to realize innovative donor qualification designs.
- Develop comprehensive campaign strategies to promote awareness of engineering programs.
- Identify target audiences and tailor campaign messaging to reach prospective donors.
- Build and maintain relationships with school leadership to understand and effectively communicate funding priorities.
- Foster the growth of best practices in the areas of data management, analytics, and external relations as related to gift qualification, cultivation, and solicitation.
- Complete high-level discovery work and research to build a pipeline of prospects for GW Engineering’s strategic priorities.
- Maintain proper documentation of fundraising activities in the database (Advance) including strategies, correspondence, visits, proposals, and solicitations.
- Performs other work-related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position
The GW Engineering Associate Director of Development will be part of a school recognized around the world as a leader in engineering, education, research, and service that has developed generations of rigorously trained engineers and knows the power engineering has to change lives. |
| Minimum Qualifications: | Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 2 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. |
| Preferred Qualifications: | - Working knowledge of principles and practices of fundraising in a major research university or institution of equivalent complexity including annual giving techniques.
- Ability to conceptualize and implement broad-ranging and specific individual identification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to produce compelling/inspirational messages, cases for support, professional correspondences, solicitation materials, gift acknowledgments, and materials for fundraising events.
- Willingness to make cold calls in order to successfully schedule face-to-face visits with donor prospects.
- Ability to utilize considerable initiative, independence, and originality to lead projects and develop new methods and techniques for donor engagement.
- An understanding of and belief in the mission of GW and the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and a commitment to the institution’s goals.
|
