Executive Director of Development, Newark College of Engineering

Title:
Executive Director of Development, Newark College of Engineering

Department:
VP Development & Alumni Relations

Reports To:
Associate Vice President, Leadership & Planned Gifts

Position Type:
Staff

Position Summary:
The mission of New Jersey Institute of Technology's Office of Development & Alumni Relations is to cultivate the understanding, engagement, and support of the university's key constituencies in order to secure the philanthropic resources required to fulfill NJIT's educational mission.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Leadership & Planned Gifts, working closely with the Dean of the Newark College of Engineering (NCE), and exercising a high degree of strategic thinking, creativity, and independence, the Executive Director of Development for NCE (EDOD-NCE) will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, securing, and stewarding gifts and pledges of $25,000+ in support of key NJIT priorities, initiatives, and programs. The EDOD-NCE will focus, in particular but not exclusively, on developing and executing strategies that lead to significant philanthropic support of NCE.

In collaboration with other members of NJIT's alumni and development team, the EDOD-NCE will play an integral role in achieving annual fundraising objectives and goals. She or he will collaborate with colleagues across the campus, including the Dean of NCE and the university's President and Provost, to understand funding priorities and to engage them, as necessary and/or appropriate, to build strong donor relationships and secure significant gifts. Additionally, she or he will serve as the primary liaison to the Dean of NCE for all fundraising initiatives.

To this end, the EDOD-NCE will manage a portfolio of 125-150 high-value prospects and donors, including successful alumni, wealthy families, and corporate leaders (mainly CEOs and other C-suite officers). S/he will have the opportunity both to deepen relationships with existing donors to NJIT as well as conduct discovery work to identify and cultivate new prospects.Essential Functions:
The Executive Director of Development for the Newark College of Engineering will:
- Independently manage a portfolio of 125-150 prospects and donors, both individual and corporate, through all phases of the giving cycle, from identification and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, gift negotiation, and stewardship.
- Conduct a minimum of 156 prospect and donor meetings annually (or 13 per month) in order to qualify, cultivate, and solicit prospects, to close major gifts and pledges ($25,000+), and to steward donors who have previously made major gifts and pledges to the university.
- Annually complete a minimum of 40 major gift-level asks or proposals toward a 7-figure fundraising goal.
- Work closely with the Dean of NCE to ensure his or her strategic involvement in advancement activities, with a particular focus on the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the Dean's "Top 25" prospect list.
- Work with the Dean of NCE and the Dean's staff, as well as the Chair of the NCE Board of Visitors (BoV), on planning, organizing, administering and documenting meetings and other activities of the NCE BoV. Attend all BoV meetings and provide periodic reports on advancement, fundraising activities, and future events.
- Collaborate with the staff of the Dean of NCE in planning, organizing and administering NCE events for alumni and donors (including 'Salute' and NCE 100 events).
- Manage all communications and follow-up, including the preparation of proposals that articulate the case for support and the writing of detailed contact reports on all prospects and donors in the portfolio.
- Prepare strategic and detailed briefings for meetings and visits with prospects and donors that involve the university's President, the Provost, the Dean of the Newark College of Engineering, and/or the Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations.
- Establish and promote positive, mutually beneficial relationships between prospects and donors and the university.
- Evaluate various gift opportunities and giving vehicles, and recommend the most suitable options for particular prospects and donors.
- Consult with colleagues within the Development & Alumni Relations office and across NJIT to identify institutional needs and priorities, to formulate proposal strategies and proposals, and to identify potential donors.
- Serve as the Development & Alumni Relations office's primary liaison to NCE on issues related to constituent engagement, fundraising, and donor events.
- Actively maintain a current body of knowledge about NJIT's mission, programs, aspirations, needs, and priorities, with a special focus on those of the Newark College of Engineering.
- Collaborate with NCE faculty and staff in responding to offers of gifts for research endeavors and donations of equipment.
- Maintain and share a calendar of alumni, donor-related and BoV-related activities.
- Educate NCE Department Chairs, faculty members, and staff members on advancement and fundraising activities.
- Advise members of student design teams and their advisors on corporate relations and fundraising.
- Perform additional duties and responsibilities, as assigned.
Prerequisite Qualifications:
- A bachelor's degree
- A minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in the advancement field, preferably in a higher education setting.
- Exceptional writing, speaking, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
- Knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of constituent relations and fundraising for higher education.
- Ability to design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive program for cultivating and securing major gifts.
- Candidates must also demonstrate an ability to: establish and maintain good working relationships with colleagues; facilitate multiple projects, make decisions, and meet deadlines; manage and motivate volunteers effectively and efficiently; identify problems and develop creative, timely, and efficient solutions; and exercise a high level of discretion in dealing with confidential donor and prospect information.
- Position involves regional and national travel; must be available to work evenings and weekends, as needed. Valid driver's license in good standing, required.
- At the university's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be exempted where the candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.Preferred Qualifications:
An advanced degree
Bargaining Unit:
Non-Aligned

Range/Band:
9

FLSA:
Exempt
Full-Time