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Working/Functional Title

Senior Director of Regional Devel, MI

Position Summary

BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY

Michigan State University is seeking a dynamic, results-driven individual to assist the Associate Vice President in guiding the development strategy for the state of Michigan, where the largest number of our alumni and rated prospects reside. MSU's Office of Individual Giving is comprised of two inter-related teams: Regional Major Gifts and Gift Planning. As an integral member of University Advancement's senior leadership team, the Senior Director of Regional Development for Michigan will be charged with growing the individual giving program both in terms of dollars raised and donors secured; amplifying efforts to successfully build networks of key alumni and other prospects as volunteers; serving as a mentor and consultant to all fundraising staff; and ensuring purpose and intentionality in all that is planned by the unit to ensure that maximum dollars are raised. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned professional with proven leadership skills, as evidenced by outstanding personnel and programmatic management experience, an ability to think and act strategically, and a track record in building and enhancing internal and external relationships with strategic partners.

The Senior Director of Regional Development provides leadership for the development of individual gift prospects from a central, University Advancement perspective. This requires close collaboration with college and other constituent colleagues, other regional directors, and the leadership team of University Advancement. It is envisioned that the Senior Director will also collaborate closely with Prospect Development on prospect identification and portfolio/moves management.

The Senior Director of Regional Development will be a seasoned, independent-working, motivated fundraiser to plan, implement, and evaluate comprehensive major gift fundraising activities for individuals in Michigan. This position provides leadership to regional major gift officers based in Michigan, and together as a team, they manage the regional fundraising efforts for Michigan. As the Senior Director of Regional Development for Michigan, this role focuses efforts on donors and prospects whose philanthropic capacity is $100,000 or more, managing a portfolio of approximately 120 identified major gift prospects for discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. The Senior Director averages 10 to 12 face-to-face meetings per month which results in significant progress toward major gifts or the qualification and rating of new prospects, and 2 to 4 major gift solicitations per month that garner capital, endowed, annual, and deferred financial support. The Senior Director will work from a home office located within the region and will travel to Michigan State University regularly. Already a very experienced fundraiser, communicator, and collaborator who understands the unique nature of the region, they will become knowledgeable about MSU colleges and constituency units, representing them to alumni and friends in Michigan and soliciting them on behalf of colleagues on campus and/or the university. Whether working independently, with their regional fundraising colleagues, or as part of a team, the Senior Director juggles day-to-day fundraising with the multiple demands of working with donors/prospects, hosting events, and arranging individual appointments for University leadership, building networks of volunteers who take active roles in the current capital campaign, and documenting activity on University Advancement's database.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Prospect Management and Fundraising:

Research and develop plans and strategies for solicitation of major gifts, with a focus on gifts and pled