Description
The Director of Advancement, College of Nursing will seek philanthropic support for the College of Nursing priorities under the guidance of and in collaboration with the Dean, College of Nursing, and Principal Director of Advancement for Health Academics. In this essential and highly visible position, the Director of Advancement will manage relationships with a portfolio of donors with the capacity to make major to principal gifts in the five- and six-figure gift range. The Director of Advancement will provide strategic leadership in building philanthropic support by engaging with and developing and maturing relationships with University of Utah Health alumni, university faculty and administrators, friends of the College/University, and leaders and representatives of foundations, corporations, and government agencies. In addition to donor strategy, this role carries leadership responsibility for mentoring, guiding, and supervising advancement staff, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance within the team. The Director of Advancement will articulate and execute an annual advancement work plan focused on best practices, including goals, metrics, and philanthropic priorities, leading to the procurement of private support for the College of Nursing while modeling strong leadership both internally and externally.
About University of Utah Advancement:
Mission:
We generate engagement and philanthropic support to advance the University of Utah’s priorities.
Vision:
By 2028, we will be a top 10 public advancement organization and a premier place to work, engage, and support.
Core Values:
Belonging
We are a safe community for our best selves;
We honor and embrace our varied experiences;
We connect with, listen to, and learn from one another.
Collaboration
We are one advancement community, and we partner with each other;
We are united in decision-making processes and information sharing;
We respect and utilize one another’s expertise, talent, and skills.
Empowerment
We are entrusted to make informed decisions and move forward;
We encourage and advocate for ourselves and one another;
We have access to resources for professional growth and development.
Integrity
We commit to follow professional and ethical standards;
We respect personal values;
We communicate with transparency and accountability.
Responsibilities:
Fundraising and Alumni Relations
The Director of Advancement, College of Nursing willbuild a sustainable major gift pipeline and foster long-term success by planning and implementing major gift fundraising to support areas of emphasis as assigned by the Principal Director of Advancement for Health Academics and the Dean, including learning, understanding, and acquiring expertise regarding the college’s strategic plan, initiatives, programs, existing resources, education, research, practice, and community collaboration mission areas;
identify, cultivate, solicit, negotiate, and steward major gift prospects, primarily nursing alumni, while participating cooperatively in the university’s prospect management and tracking system to maintain alumni and donor records;
in consultation with the Principal Director of Advancement for Health Academics and the Dean, submit an annual advancement work plan and budget to include goals, objectives, strategies, anticipated travel, metrics for fundraising, plans for professional development, and performance management goals;
assess progress toward meeting short- and long-term goals quarterly;
direct and lead specific fundraising strategies, reviewing and implementing changes when needed;
identify high-capacity alumni and prospects in order to secure gifts;
closely collaborate with academic and clinical Senior Directors and Directors of Advancement to establish funding priorities and develop proposals; and
partner with University Advancement, College of Nursing Alumni Relations, College of Nursing’s Board of Advocates and Alumni Council, Legacy Giving, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Annual Giving, Donor Relations, and Prospect Management to create a robust advancement program
Team Leadership
The Director of Advancement, College of Nursing willrecruit, hire, train, and mentor College of Nursing Advancement and Alumni Relations team members in accordance with goals, priorities, and requirements;
provide frequent opportunities for professional learning and growth, fostering retention to increase the team’s capacity and expertise;
ensure accountability for team fundraising metrics;
evaluate the performance of direct reports and help manage and evaluate indirect reports; and
lead by example, foster a work environment that recognizes and rewards cross-functional collaboration and team-based efforts, celebrates achievements, and sets clear expectations for future success.
Leadership and College of Nursing Support
The Director of Advancement, College of Nursing will
build a strong relationship with the Dean, Academic Leadership Team (ALT), faculty, and staff leaders, and maintain a strong presence within the College;
facilitate the participation of the Dean, alumni, clinicians, administrators, academic leaders, volunteers, and advancement staff in fundraising and stewardship activities; and
liaise with volunteers who conduct fundraising activities on behalf of the College of Nursing.
Stewardship
The Director of Advancement, College of Nursing will
in coordination with the Donor Relations team, prepare written proposals, endowment agreements, informational materials, and other cultivation and stewardship materials for prospects and donors;
work with the Director of Donor Relations to coordinate stewardship plans for donors at the leadership gift level;
seek appropriate training opportunities, including training necessary for proficiency in gift planning techniques, and partner with the Director of Legacy Giving as appropriate;
train advancement staff, academic leaders, and volunteers regarding donor relations, philanthropic support, and fundraising best practices;
ensure endowment reports are completed on time and research questions related to reporting accuracies; and
monitor gift accounts, including endowed and expendable funds, to ensure execution in accordance with donor gift agreements.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communication, Public Relations, or a related field, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years or related work experiences). Six years in fundraising, marketing, sales, business, public relations, annual, corporate or foundation giving which includes two years of budgeting and supervisory experience. Demonstrated human relations and effective communications skills required.
Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the job’s essential functions as outlined in the position description.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ideal candidates will have at least six years of experience with progressively more responsibility in higher education fundraising, with a strong preference for experience in academic medicine, with an emphasis on cultivating and soliciting major gifts.
Significant experience closing five and six-figure gifts.
Demonstrated increase in fundraising responsibilities and/or management experience.
Demonstrated ability to establish, cultivate, and steward meaningful relationships with donors.
Management experience, demonstrated interpersonal skills, background knowledge of fundraising best practices, alumni relations, copywriting, editing, event planning, and interviewing/reporting experience are highly favored.
Experience in grant or proposal writing, public speaking, and a background working with print and/or electronic media.
Superlative interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to work well with people at all levels of an organization, across a diverse range of educational and social backgrounds and to demonstrate honest respect for each individual.
A broad understanding of multi-faceted campaign planning, implementation, and management.
This position is not responsible for providing patient care. This position is patient-sensitive and must fulfill all associated requirements.
Knowledge of corporate and foundation fundraising and gift planning vehicles.
