Job detail for Director, Central Initiatives

The Division of University Advancement (UA) is seeking a Director, Central Initiatives (DoC) for the George Washington University Central Initiatives team, encompassing all aspects of a student’s university life outside of academics and athletics. UA is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations, and other friends. Our goal is to advance GW’s mission of excellence in education, research, and scholarship.

Reporting to the Executive Director for Central Development, the Director, Central Initiatives will be part of a team of gift officers that drives attainment in support of the student experience outside of academics and athletics. As set by university leadership, fundraising priorities could include student scholarships and fellowships, capital projects, division of student affairs, career services, and other aspects of student life. The Director of Central Initiatives will execute the strategy for Central Initiatives development work and will directly supervise fundraising staff while leading through example as a front-line gift officer.

This position is responsible for managing development team members, including one or more Major Gift Officers of various levels, and provides leadership through advising, collaborating, and partnering with leadership to achieve team fundraising goals and objectives. This role will execute a sustainable development program that broadens the base of philanthropic support of its assigned portfolio. Typical include participating in the day-to-day operations of a major gift team, providing direction, coaching, and professional development opportunities for direct reports. In addition to staff management , this position will manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects composed of alumni, parents, family members, and friends, and is responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of these prospects, and regular prospect visits. Additional include providing direct support to leadership, volunteers, and faculty as needed, including but not limited to producing and sharing briefing materials, attending UA events, staffing donor visits, and drafting proposals and correspondence.

The Director creates an environment that fosters sustainable development work under her/his supervision based upon best practices and standard performance metrics. This team member and supervisor will serve as an honest broker of donor interests and fundraising opportunities for a variety of areas across campus and model a collaborative approach to fundraising at all times.

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• Manages a pool of 100-125 prospects to meet an individual attainment goal of $1M+ and to achieve individual metrics at the Director level.
• Manages, trains, and motivates direct report(s) to achieve individual goals. Coaches staff on prospect strategy. Conducts annual performance appraisals, identifying successes and areas for growth, and recommends professional development opportunities.
• Implements Central Initiatives fundraising strategy to build and document a pipeline and achieve attainment goals through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Represents UA by liaising with campus leaders in each area of the student experience to prioritize funding needs and utilize subject matter experts in donor work.
• Partners with school and unit development teams to implement effective joint solicitation strategies. Advises partner offices to execute collaborations including UA Marketing & Communications, Annual Giving, Alumni Relations, and Student Affairs.

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.