Director of Parent and Family Philanthropy & Engagement

The Director of Parent & Family Philanthropy & Engagement is a strategic advancement leader responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive parent and family giving program. This role integrates annual giving, leadership annual giving, and major gift development to build a sustainable donor pipeline.

The Director demonstrates expertise across philanthropy, alumni and constituent engagement, leadership, and data-informed decision-making. The Director oversees all parent and family giving efforts while managing a portfolio of prospects and donors, and supervises one staff member.

Philanthropy

• Develop, execute and analyze a comprehensive parent and family philanthropy and engagement strategy.
• Manage a portfolio of 25–50 parent and family prospects; qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors; collaborate with major gift colleagues on strategies that align with their unit priorities.
• Create compelling, donor-centered solicitations aligned with institutional priorities.
• Oversee an omni-channel solicitation calendar that is produced in collaboration with other internal stakeholders to ensure messaging is donor-centric, impact-driven, and aligned with institutional brand and priorities.

Constituent Engagement & Donor Relations

• Oversee stewardship and engagement strategies that deepen parent and family connection and philanthropic participation.
• Build a multi-year donor pipeline that transitions parents from first-time donors to leadership and major gift levels.
• Oversee volunteer structures and events (e.g., Parent & Family Advancement Council and philanthropic/engagement events).
• Partner with campus stakeholders to integrate philanthropy into the full parent lifecycle.
• Partner with volunteer engagement and alumni engagement teams to maximize regional outreach.
• Travel frequently and work outside of normal business hours for donor engagement.   

Leadership & Talent Management

• Supervise and mentor one staff member, setting clear performance goals and supporting professional growth.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team aligned with advancement best practices.
• Provide strategic leadership for parent philanthropy initiatives across the division; foster collaborative relations across campus to amplify the role of family philanthropy in advancing the university’s academic mission.

Data, Research & Analytics

• Cultivate relationships with campus partners, including the Division of Student Affairs, Office of Graduation, Admissions, Colleges/Schools/Unit, and others.
• Leverage CRM systems and analytics to manage donor pipelines, track engagement, and measure fundraising performance.
• Analyze participation, retention, and giving trends to inform strategy and optimize results.
• Utilize data to segment audiences and tailor solicitation strategies.

Ethics, Policy & Professional Practice

• Adhere to ethical standards and best practices as outlined by CASE and advancement industry guidelines.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure responsible use of donor data.
• Promote an environment of integrity, accountability, and transparency in all fundraising activities.