Wright State University – Director of Development & External Relations – College of Engineering & Computer Science

About Wright State

Wright State University, located 12 miles northeast of downtown Dayton, Ohio, serves nearly 18,000 students and offers more than 230 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional degree programs through eight colleges and three schools. The university also operates a branch campus, Wright State University–Lake Campus, on the shores of Grand Lake St. Mary’s in Celina, Ohio.

Quick Facts: http://www.wright.edu/about/quick-facts

Job Duties / Essential Functions:

• 50% – Manages a portfolio of 150 major gift prospects and donors capable of making gifts of $25k and ranging up to six and seven-figure gifts. Cultivates donor-centric relationships that result in submitting 20-30 proposals annually. Establishes and meets an annual revenue goal to be determined based on strategic plans and to meet face-to-face with donors (20 visits per month). Responsible for all facets of individual giving including discovery visits, strategy development, solicitation, relationship management, reporting, and stewardship.
• 10% – Creates, with college deans, department chairs, faculty, and development leadership team, compelling fundraising ideas to advance the university’s transformation through private investment. Strategizes with the dean and the Executive Director of Major Gifts, the most advantageous approaches to engage prospects and donors. Leads monthly strategy sessions with development team for the college. Works collaboratively with development colleagues, development leadership team and Executive Director of Major Gifts to create cultivation and stewardship plans and to participate in the implementation of the donor-centered strategies for both the college and university wide objectives as applicable.
• 10% – Works collaboratively with the Dean, Associate Deans, Director of Marketing and Communications, the Office of Alumni Relations and Executive Director of Major Gifts to create alumni engagement plans designed to broaden the reach of the College, promote aligned strategies and broaden the donor base.
• 10% – Oversees the operations of the Brandeberry Career Development Center, including supervision of its Director and cultivation of its relationships with corporate partners.
• 10% – Provides seamless integration of CECS academic operations with advancement, development and external relations. Facilitates relationships between corporate and individual donors and the leaders of CECS strategic academic initiatives, including (but not limited to) the Brandeberry Career Development Center, the CECS Student Success Center and the Minority Engineering Program. Facilitates relationships between CECS students, faculty, staff and alumni with corporate and individual donors and other constituencies through regular participation in department and college advisory board meetings, interaction with student clubs and organizations, attendance at faculty research events, facilitation of faculty and staff town hall meetings, and participation in college award ceremonies and other events organized by CECS staff.
• 5% – Works with other members of the CECS leadership team to provide communications and marketing of college events and activities to external constituencies.
• 5% – Tracks prospect and donor contacts in a moves management system documenting qualification, engagement or cultivation plans, relationship management, solicitation, and stewardship activity. files contact reports on a weekly basis by entering them in the university’s Banner database

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 5 years of experience in a relationship building capacity
• Documentable success in business, higher education, or sales environment
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and practices associated with fundraising or business development
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational skills & attention to detail essential
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to handle complex and confidential information
• Highly motivated to make contacts resulting in multiple personal visits each week
• Ability to think strategically and translate that thinking into targeted goals and actions
• Ability to ask for and close major gifts
• Demonstrated skill in making sales calls and business presentations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree or continuing education completed
• Sales and business development experience in the engineering, computer science and technology sectors.

Benefits:

Eligible employees enjoy a variety of benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition remission, paid leave, short and long term disability and employee wellness programs.  Eligibility information and other details are available online at https://www.wright.edu/human-resources/benefits.