VISION: Transform the university through the power of generosity.
MISSION: Unite donor passions with university priorities to elevate the impact of Oklahoma State University.
DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: Raise private philanthropic support for Oklahoma State University.
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Providing strategic direction, planning, execution, and oversight to the fundraising efforts for the academic unit, and solicit private support from alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations for Oklahoma State University.

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS:

Strategic direction & oversight of the fundraising efforts for the unit-

• Lead and manage a team of development professionals focused on advancing the fundraising priorities for Oklahoma State University and the academic unit.
• Develop annual goals and objectives in consultation with Foundation leadership, the Dean, and other academic leaders. Benchmark fundraising results with established goals and advise Foundation and University leadership towards ongoing progress.
• Develop and manage unit operational budgets.

Major Gift Fundraising-

• Responsible for independently performing identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects with an emphasis on prospects capable of giving in the $100,000 range.
• Facilitate relationships between potential and current donors and the OSU Foundation Development team on behalf of Oklahoma State University, and actively engage faculty and administrators in fundraising opportunities.
• Maintain an active schedule of contacts, solicitations and stewardship activities for a body of key prospects, including corporations, foundations, and individual prospects.
• Conduct a minimum of 120-140 personal visits with donors, prospective donors, and their advisors to solicit planned gifts and major gifts, manage a portfolio of 75-100* active donors and prospects, and travel locally, regionally, and nationally as appropriate for donor management. *portfolio sizes may vary by unit.
• Successfully solicits 18-24 major gifts annually.

• Report and track fundraising progress through the use of contact reports, prospect management and other communication tools to ensure efficient and effective communication.

• Sustain individual annual fundraising production with goals established annually.

Donor Engagement and Stewardship-

• Develop and engage volunteers, donors, and colleagues in productive long-term relationships.
• Partner with colleagues in donor relations, corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, planned giving and regional programs to engage constituency base in each area.
• Develop and execute engagement and stewardship plans for specific assigned prospects.
• Provide volunteer leadership and management as needed.

Other duties as assigned.

JOB COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE:

Education & Certifications-

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business, marketing, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred.

Experience-

• 7 years in major gifts or related experience required. Experience in a higher education setting preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing fundraising projects, programs and budgets.
• Experience with gift planning vehicles is preferred.
• Experience working with a professional school in higher education is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience planning, executing, and successfully completing fundraising initiatives.
• Fundraising and donor management software experience desired.
• Proven sense of humor and ability to have fun.

Organizational Competencies-

• Effective Communication: Able to present effectively to large groups of individuals; is clear, articulate and direct in sharing and providing feedback; develops communication plans to ensure effective transparency and involvement throughout the organization; able to present complex issues appropriately for a target audience; maintains communication with all staff and stakeholders.
• Execution & Initiative: Drives a high performance culture, having the ability to differentiate performance and demonstrate managerial courage; maintains focus on organizational priorities and sets challenging performance goals for units; invest personal energy and time in building buy-in among key influencers in advance of critical decisions; seeks to ensure that strategic initiatives are effectively executed and communicated to relevant audiences within the organization; encourages an environment in which results surpass activity and teamwork surpasses results; able to remain focused on only mission-related initiatives
• Teamwork/Interpersonal Skills: Builds cohesive teams of people across OSUF based on strong personal trust and relationships; motivates the organization to increase employee engagement levels; constantly assesses and builds team morale; seeks out relationships with experts as a means of obtaining information about best practices and skills vital to departmental and organizational success; maximizes personal networks in different parts of the organization, campus & community partners, and effectively uses contacts to achieve unit results
• Problem Solving/Judgment: Oversees the development of guidelines, principles and approaches; appropriately applies risk management practices, including the escalation of risk issues, and recognizes and undertakes opportunities for others to learn from inevitable mistakes, and incorporates experience in future decisions; able to anticipate problems/challenges and required strategy for a situation; makes connections among previously unrelated ideas and looks beyond the first right answer.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Plays an active role in implementing change; encourages others to challenge the status quo; able to quickly adapt and lead during changing circumstances; foresees potential breakdown in the establishment/development of change and proactively recommends modifications to maintain standards of deliverables; anticipates specific reasons underlying resistance to change and proactively implements approaches to address potential concerns; remains active, visible and engaged throughout all stages of change management
• Courage & Conviction: Takes responsibility for departmental outcomes regardless of success and learns from all results; creates a departmental environment where failure is seen as an opportunity for learning.
• Donor Centered: Uses donor and university feedback to improve service and feed into the business planning; builds performance-based business relationships by identifying and meeting donor needs rather than simply relying on social or affiliated relationships.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Must use a computer terminal and view a computer screen for extended periods of time. Must talk in person or by phone (frequently and sometimes for extended periods) to people on campus and across the country. Must constantly use visual acuity to check printed and designed materials of various types. Must be able to navigate within the OSU Foundation. Typical office working conditions. Ability to travel regionally and nationally.