Director, Development for Athletics and Associate Athletic Director

Position Summary Serving as a key member of both the University Advancement and Athletic Department leadership teams, the Director, Development for Athletics and Associate Athletic Director (Director) is a pivotal role responsible for driving major gift fundraising efforts to support the University’s athletic programs.

The Director will develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy in close collaboration with university advancement and athletic leadership to enhance La Salle’s athletic programs and the overall experience of student-athletes through targeted fundraising efforts that support academic success, well-being, and competitive excellence.

In their capacity as a frontline fundraiser, the Director will personally manage a portfolio of 75 select major gift prospects, including alumni, friends, and parents with a focus on raising gifts at the $100K-$1M+ level.

This will require designing cultivation and solicitation strategies with an eye towards a high level of engagement from this constituent group, which will involve creating meaningful and substantive engagement opportunities that deepen and enhance the donor experience with La Salle, strategically involving constituents in special programs and events and connecting them to other university leaders and supporters.

Essential Duties ATHLETICS FUNDRAISING

• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising plans for athletics, focusing on major gifts, annual giving, and planned giving.
• Manage a portfolio of 75 individuals, devise and execute strategies for the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual gifts at the six- and seven-figure levels, with a year one goal of raising $2.5M.
• Uplift the philanthropic capacity of all constituents, identify areas for growth, and develop strategies to meaningfully involve staff, volunteers, and donors at all levels.
• Lead capital campaigns and special projects to raise funds for athletic facilities, equipment, and other critical needs.
• Develop compelling marketing materials that make the case for support.
• Partner with colleagues across departments, including those in events and hospitality, to leverage connections and maximize individual donor engagement opportunities.
• Make strategic use of the Assistant Vice President of Development, Athletic Director, and Coaches to advance key relationships and gift discussions;

provide them with data and information that will maximize fundraising efforts.

• Staff the Athletic Director by drafting in-depth pre-meeting briefings to guide conversations with donors and prospects, discussing individual donor and prospect gift strategies, fully understanding athletics fundraising opportunities to drive increased development activities, and producing written proposals and completing necessary gift paperwork.
• Travel frequently both individually and as part of a university team to qualify new prospects, and to build relationships with alumni, parents, and friends who possess major and principal gift capacity.

This will include traveling to attend athletic events and games both at home and away.

• Work to achieve stated metrics and goals; provide transparency into donor activities by documenting detailed call reports in Salesforce for each prospect visit regarding donor’s affinity and ability to give to the identified priorities.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions and solicitations Salesforce. Provide detailed reports and analysis of fundraising activities, progress towards goals, and emerging opportunities.
• Represent La Salle University and its Athletics programs at various events to build and maintain relationships with alumni, friends, and supporters.

Secondary Responsibilities OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

• Assist in the onboarding and mentoring of new team members, fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• La Salle is building and growing, and this position will support those efforts with other duties and projects as assigned by leadership from time to time.

of Direct Reports 0 Required Qualifications

Entrepreneurial and sophisticated development professional with 5+ years of progressive fundraising experience or related experience in an athletic program;

success fundraising within an athletics program is strongly preferred.

• Proven success in fundraising at the 6-figure gift level at a minimum.
• Experience contributing to the strategic plan for a sustained fundraising program that successfully carries out the vision, goals, and aspirations of the program and the university.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational and interpersonal skills; articulating values, information, and compelling cases of support to multiple audiences, one-on-one, and through formal proposals and / or presentations.
• Experience organizing and managing multiple projects / tasks simultaneously; can work independently and as part of a team;

able to adapt to changing priorities.

• Demonstrated ability to work closely with advancement colleagues, athletics staff, and top-level volunteers.
• Strong customer service orientation, project management, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Able to deal with a variety of situations with discretion and confidentiality.
• Poised and engaging with intellectual depth, maturity, judgement, and professionalism to earn the confidence and trust of internal and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Skilled in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook; knowledge of Salesforce or similar database; and the willingness to learn new technologies.
• A strong drive to be successful paired with integrity and sincerity.
• Deep understanding of and passion for collegiate athletics, with a commitment to enhancing the student athlete experience.
• Knowledge of and commitment to the mission of La Salle University and the transformational impact of its education.
• Willingness to engage in local, regional, and occasionally national travel that includes working some nights and weekends.
• Bachelor’s degree; equivalent work experience will be considered.

Preferred Qualifications Physical Requirements and / or Unusual Work Hours

• This position requires some local, regional, and potentially national travel to visit with prospective donors.
• Some events will require work hours outside of the typical business day and / or on weekends.
4 days ago