Director, Relationship and Fund Development, University of the Fraser Valley
Gerard Search, Canada
Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director, Relationship and Fund Development is accountable for the creation and implementation of a strategic fundraising program including annual appeals, sponsorship, major and principal giving, and planned giving with funding sought from corporate, foundation, and individual funders, including alumni.
The Director, Relationship and Fund Development ensures that the fundraising efforts of the team are focused on raising money in support of the University’s strategic priorities, including student awards, education programs, capital projects, and research and innovation initiatives as well as other funding priorities that advance the work of the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV).
The Director cultivates strategic and impactful relationships with key community stakeholders and partners to reach UFV's fund development goals and is responsible for increasing the pipeline of major gift prospects, identifying gift opportunities, and securing and stewarding major gifts..
The Director works closely with deans, senior leaders, students, faculty, staff, and volunteers across the organization to identify prospect gift opportunities, promote prospect engagement, identify potential donors, and determine fundraising strategies.
The Director represents the University at community, networking, and business events and on volunteer boards and committees to build the University’s profile, and to identify and cultivate donors and prospects.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Directs and oversees a comprehensive major gift development program, managing portfolios, establishing metrics, conducting prospect research, implementing tracking systems, and ensuring quality funding submissions.
- Leads prospect clearance meetings and drives revenue growth through various giving strategies within the Relationship and Fund Development program.
- Develops and implements a comprehensive annual fundraising plan that incorporates major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, annual giving, and special events, and establishes annual KPI’s and fundraising targets.
- Leads the Relationship and Fund Development team in collaborating across the institution to identify fundraising opportunities that align with the strategic priorities of UFV and ensures that new fundraising opportunities are brought forward for consideration.
- Develops fundraising priorities related to capital projects, endowments, student awards, education programs, and research initiatives.
- Oversees specific faculty/department unit fundraising portfolios with the greatest fundraising potential.
- Develops and oversees stewardship strategy to ensure all funders are acknowledged, stewarded, and afforded recognition and benefits related to their giving level and agreed-to obligations.
- Oversees the planning, execution, and evaluation of fundraising and engagement events and provides recommendations as needed to achieve operational outcomes.
- Represents the University to current and prospective donors by participating in community events, networking, and business activities, including actively engaging with community organizations, both in public and individual meetings.
- Works with internal and external communities to create programming in a collaborative, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial way.
- Utilizes and champions promising and best practices in principled decision making, resource allocation, management, and evaluation systems to consistently report on the impact of community engagement activities on faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
- Manages own assigned portfolio of major gift constituents (consisting of individuals, corporations, foundations, associations, service groups, and government agencies) to secure major gifts of $100,000 and above.
- Carries a personal annual fundraising goal of $3,000,000 to $5,000,000 (multi-year pledges or one-time gifts).
- Develops and implements plans and strategies to enhance the relationship and fund development program and generate consistent and significant increases to funds raised.
- Oversees the development and production of compelling cases for support, case statements, and other tools to communicate funding priorities to the funder community.
- Monitors and reports regularly to UFV’s senior leadership on achievements to goal on both KPIs and financial results.
- Makes quarterly projections on year-end financial results, implementing required actions.
- Partners with the UFV Alumni Engagement department to build relationships and enhance the solicitation of alumni and engagement of alumni in fundraising activities.
- Leads the Relationship and Fund Development team by mentoring and inspiring direct reports, supporting contributions, sharing credit, building enthusiasm, and resolv