Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development

VCU is seeking a Senior Associate Athletic Director of Development.

Summary :

The Senior Associate Athletic Director of Development will serve as a strategic fundraising partner for the Vice

President and Director of Athletics and will work with the Athletics Development team and

Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) colleagues across the division to achieve Virginia

Commonwealth University’s (VCU) philanthropic goals by designing, executing and measuring annual

and long-range fundraising plans tied to the strategic needs of the Athletics program. The successful

candidate will have at least seven years of demonstrated ability to plan, execute, secure and steward

six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts through individual effort by identifying, qualifying and soliciting

annual, major and principal gift prospects. The Senior Associate Director of Athletics coaches and

manages the team of fundraising professionals tasked with securing philanthropic support for the VCU

Athletics program.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as an active philanthropic thought partner and fundraising participant for the Director
• of Athletics;
• Develop and implement an annual operating plan for Athletics fundraising, focused on

generating $4 million of annual fund philanthropic revenue in FY25 and raising capital gifts for

VCU’s future Athletic Village through a combination of individual, foundation and corporate

support; design and measure annual and long-range fundraising plans tied to the strategic needs

• of the program;
• Manage (identify, engage, cultivate, solicit, steward) a portfolio of approximately 60-100 top

individual and corporate prospects with a focus on those with a giving capacity of $50,000 or

• greater; engage in additional high-level prospect discovery work to build donor pipeline;
• Grow the number of donors giving to Athletics through the Ram Athletic Fund or capital gifts
• by consistently each year while retaining the current donor base;
• Supervise, coach, motivate, and evaluate fundraising and development staff (three to four

development officers and two graduate assistants) to support their individual success and goal

achievement.

Expectations of the role

Serve as a member of the Vice President and Director of Athletics’ senior leadership team,

maximizing their participation in fundraising and engagement efforts through strategic planning

• and good time management;
• In partnership with the Vice President and Director of Athletics and DAR, define and design

athletic philanthropic priorities; collaborate with the marketing team in producing campaign

• documents and cases for support;
• Integrate coaches, athletic staff, students and alumni into development activities where
• most appropriate and effective;
• Serve as Lead Development Officer for University Athletics in relationship with the Office of

Development and Alumni Relations, to ensure alignment with policies and procedures of the

university’s fundraising structure and to optimize training and professional development

opportunities.

Collaborate and coordinate with DAR operations (CSU / MPAR teams as well as central teams

including planned giving, CFR, principal gifts, university development, and alumni engagement))

to develop donor-centric strategies to leverage and maximize giving and engagement; engage

• with colleagues for joint cultivation / solicitation / stewardship efforts when needed;
• Ensure accurate documentation of all donor activity and major gift solicitation plans in the
• university’s prospect management system (RADAR);
• Manage time and activities to support annually established metrics on prospect / donor
• engagement and fundraising efficacy;
• Audit internal operations to develop standardized procedures per DAR and university

policies.

As a team member, you will :

• Demonstrate appreciation for the mission and aspirations of VCU, VCU Health and VCU
• Athletics;
• Display a strong commitment to organizational success and delivering on individual
• responsibilities as a university citizen;
• Demonstrate a commitment to the pursuit of excellence, high achievement and ongoing

professional development by proactively seeking opportunities to develop new capabilities,

• skills and knowledge;
• Establish, cultivate and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal partners;
• Demonstrate a commitment to the highest quality service to internal and external
• communities;
• Demonstrate an open-minded approach to understanding people from all backgrounds,
• identities, abilities, perspectives and experiences;
• Ensure work is completed accurately and within the deadline. Set high standards, exhibit a
• positive attitude, maintain strict confidentiality and show exemplary work ethic;
• Reflect the core purpose and values of VCU and VCU Athletics;
• With positivity and appreciation, build a donor-centered culture of philanthropy for the
• Athletics program based on relationships and a focus on the student-athlete;
• Reflect the core purpose and values of VCU and VCU Athletics.

Minimum hiring standards include :

• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent experience
• Significant professional experience fundraising in an athletics or higher education

setting or similar complex environments

Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff and student

environment or commitment to do so as a university professional at VCU

Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, secure and steward six-, seven- and eight-figure

gifts through individual effort

Sound judgment, strong interpersonal skills and professional credibility required to

develop relationships of trust and respect with a diverse range of constituents, including donors

and prospects, coaches, faculty, health care providers, senior administrators, volunteers and

stakeholders, and development colleagues

Emotional intelligence, empathy and ability to relate to individuals impacted by health

experiences

Highest ethical standards, attention to confidentiality and a willingness to fully comply

with VCU’s interpretation of HIPAA law as it relates to fundraising

The ability to work independently, meet deadlines and consistently achieve goals while

also driving and supporting team success in a matrix environment

• Demonstrated experience managing fundraising staff
• High level of initiative, strong orientation to teamwork and the ability to work effectively

in complex environments

Attention to detail and the ability to use a database to maintain and review records and

reports such as donor data, prospect contacts, solicitations and proposals

• Working knowledge of tax laws affecting charitable giving
• Ability to travel via car and / or an airplane (overnight and long-distance travel will be

necessary)

Excellent listening, written and oral communication skills

Preferred hiring standards include :

• Master’s degree or work experience at a level that equates to an advanced degree
• Ten years or more of demonstrated success identifying, qualifying and soliciting annual

and major gift prospects, preferably in higher education and / or an athletics setting. Experience

fundraising for capital projects is a plus.

Knowledge of and demonstrated experience in major and planned giving concepts and

strategies, as well as significant experience in creating and implementing major gift plans

campaign experience strongly preferred)

• Past or current ties to the Richmond community
• Deep appreciation for the mission and aspirations of VCU, VCU Health, and VCU

Athletics, with a desire to play a meaningful role in the life of VCU and in the Richmond

community

• Strong management capabilities and a commitment to mentoring gift officers
• Collaboration skills consistent with bringing out the best in a matrix team, instilling pride

in a team effort

Commitment to the fundraising industry as evidenced through work ethic and aspiration

to best practices

The ideal candidate will possess extroverted tendencies, a disrupter mentality and a

servant-leader ethos.

Job Specific Physical and Cognitive Requirements

Light lifting (

Moderate lifting (20-50 lbs) - Marginal

Standing - Essential

Sitting - Essential

Repetitive Motion - Essential

Walking - Essential

Extreme heat / cold / noise / vibrations - Marginal

Fast & Average Pace - Essential

Multiple Stimuli - Essential

Intense Customer Interaction - Essential

Frequent Change - Essential

Memory, Reasoning, Hearing, Reading, Analyzing, Logic - Essential

Verbal and Written Communication - Essential

ORP Eligible - Yes

Senior Development Officer 1, 2, 3